Our team and mission

The European Space Agency’s team based in Toulouse is part of the Navigation Directorate, specifically focused on the development and qualification of secured GNSS satellite-based augmentation systems (SBAS) for safety-of-life applications. In particular, the team is responsible for the development of the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS). This team is based at CNES Toulouse Space Centre (CST), a dynamic and collaborative environment that brings together experts in satellite navigation, system engineering, performance validation, safety and security.
The team’s mission is to ensure the reliability, accuracy, and integrity of satellite-based augmentation systems (SBAS) that support safety critical applications such as aviation, maritime, and railways. This implies close interaction with European industry partners and internal ESA stakeholders, offering a rich exposure to both technical and programmatic aspects of space navigation projects.

You will be embedded in a multidisciplinary team led by experienced engineers and project managers. You will benefit from mentorship, structured onboarding, and access to ESA’s technical resources. The Toulouse office provides a professional and welcoming atmosphere, with opportunities to observe project reviews, technical panels, and collaborative workshops. 

This internship offers a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in satellite navigation technologies, contribute to real-world projects, and develop skills in system engineering, data analysis, and collaborative research. The environment is ideal for students passionate about space, navigation, and innovation.

Candidates interested are encouraged to visit the ESA website: http://www.esa.int

Field(s) of activity for the internship

Topic of the internship: SBAS navigation message decoding tool

A major evolution of SBAS systems (including EGNOS) is the standardization of Dual Frequency Multi Constellation (DFMC) through ED-259A MOPS standard. 
As part of this internship, you will develop a tool that will be publicly released, to help encode and decode MOPS DFMC messages (250-bit hexadecimal messages as specified in ED-259A) with a graphical and easy-to-use interface.

This tool will serve as a modern counterpart to the existing SBAS Teacher application publicly available at http://www.egnos-pro.esa.int/sbasteacher/index.html which only covers the current SBAS systems (Single Frequency, and not DFMC). Depending on progress, additional features will be discussed with ESA EGNOS team and may be embedded as well in the tool.
You will be involved in the full lifecycle of the tool’s development, including requirements definition, architecture design, coding, testing, and documentation. 

This activity offers a unique opportunity to work at the intersection of software engineering and satellite navigation, contributing to the next generation of SBAS technologies. You will collaborate with experts in radionavigation and system engineering, gaining exposure to ESA’s operational environment and development practices.

Behavioural competencies

Result Orientation
Operational Efficiency
Fostering Cooperation
Relationship Management
Continuous Improvement
Forward Thinking

For more information, please refer to ESA Core Behavioural Competencies guidebook

Education

You must be a university student, preferably studying at master’s level. In addition, you must be able to prove that you will be enrolled at your University for the entire duration of the internship.

Additional requirements

The working languages of the Agency are English and French. A good knowledge of one of these is required. Knowledge of another ESA Member State language is an asset.

During the interview, your motivation for applying to this role will be explored.

Autonomy in software development is required.

No specific programming language is mandated for this activity. You will be encouraged to select the language you are most comfortable with or believe it is best suited to the task.