Intern in the Intellectual Assets Strategic Management Office
Villigen, CH
Location
European Space Deep-Tech Innovation Centre (ESDI), Villigen, Switzerland
Our team and mission
The Intellectual Assets Strategic Management Office supports the protection, management, and exploitation of European Space Agency inventions and related intellectual assets. The office provides advice and operational support on the protection and utilisation of these assets, with a particular focus on patents, licensing, portfolio management, and commercialisation pathways. The work helps ensure that inventions generated within the Agency environment can be protected where appropriate, made visible to industry, and used in missions, industrial products, services, or technology transfer activities.
During this internship, you will join a team working at the interface between inventors, technical experts, legal and commercialisation colleagues, and external innovation stakeholders. The role will focus on ESA patent assets and, where relevant, selected software assets linked to technology transfer or commercialisation.
Candidates interested are encouraged to visit the ESA website: http://www.esa.int
Field(s) of activity for the internship
You will support the Intellectual Assets Strategic Management Office in the monitoring, administration, and utilisation of ESA patent assets and, where relevant, selected software assets.
Your internship will focus on practical portfolio administration, licensing support, and the preparation of patent assets for commercialisation and technology transfer.
As an intern, you will have the following tasks:
- supporting patent utilisation tracking by collecting, checking, and organising information on how selected patent assets are used in missions, research and development activities, licensing discussions, industrial products, services, or technology transfer cases;
- assisting with portfolio administration, including the preparation of short portfolio notes, status updates, and supporting material for internal review and decision-making;
- helping to prepare clear, non-confidential descriptions of selected patent assets for promotion to industry, including summaries of the technical problem addressed, the proposed solution, possible applications, and development status;
- supporting licensing and commercialisation activities by helping to organise information on potential users, interested companies, relevant technology domains, and follow-up actions under the supervision of the office;
- contributing to the review of selected software assets where they are connected to patent promotion, technology transfer, or commercialisation opportunities;
- interacting with ESA inventors and technical experts to clarify technical content and understand the maturity, possible uses, and exploitation potential of selected inventions;
- supporting coordination with ESA commercialisation stakeholders, including Business Incubation Centres, Technology Brokers, Phi-Labs, industry, and academia, where relevant to the promotion or use of patent and software assets;
- helping to maintain structured records, trackers, and short analytical summaries that support portfolio management, licensing follow-up, and reporting;
- supporting other related activities within the office, as required.
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 in your final or second-to-last year of university course 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.
Knowledge and background in intellectual property or technology management is an asset.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusiveness
ESA is an equal opportunity employer, committed to achieving diversity within the workforce and creating an inclusive working environment. We therefore welcome applications from all qualified candidates irrespective of gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religious beliefs, age, disability or other characteristics.
At the Agency we value diversity, and we welcome people with disabilities. Whenever possible, we seek to accommodate individuals with disabilities by providing the necessary support at the workplace. The Human Resources Department can also provide assistance during the recruitment process. If you would like to discuss this further, please contact us via email at ESA.Student.Internships@esa.int.
Important Information and Disclaimer
During the recruitment process, the Agency may request applicants to undergo selection tests.
Applicants must be eligible to access information, technology, and hardware which is subject to European or US export control and sanctions regulations.
The information published on ESA’s careers website regarding internship conditions is correct at the time of publication. It is not intended to be exhaustive and may not address all questions you would have.
Nationality
Please note that applications are only considered from nationals of one of the following States: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.