Intern in the Climate Action, Sustainability and Science Department - Applications Section
Frascati, IT
Location
ESRIN, Frascati, Italy
Our team and mission
The Applications Section is primarily engaged in research and development (R&D) for Earth observation-based solutions that address both European and global environmental and development agendas. Our projects typically involve key stakeholders throughout the design, development, and validation phases to ensure that the innovative EO-based solutions are effectively integrated into end-users’ operational systems and practices. The Applications Section, based at the ESRIN site of ESA, comprises several EO experts, each overseeing specific domains where EO data is utilized, including marine, carbon, and agriculture, among others.
Candidates interested are encouraged to visit the ESA website: http://www.esa.int
Field(s) of activity for the internship
Topic of the internship: Cocoa from Space: Operationalising Cocoa Monitoring
This internship will build upon a recently developed global cocoa map, currently under review, with open-source code available through ESA. This work provides a 10-metre resolution baseline of this important cash crop worldwide, revealing that nearly two-thirds of global cocoa is grown under agroforestry and that 28–53% of cocoa areas are misclassified as natural forest in existing baselines—a critical challenge for deforestation-free supply chain regulations.
While the scientific algorithm is established, it has not yet been translated into a tool accessible to cocoa technicians, certification bodies, and national agencies. You will bridge this gap by transforming the research workflow into a user-friendly pipeline and developing interactive demonstrations for ESA's Application Propagation Environments (APEx) platform.
Your tasks will Include:
- package the existing deep learning workflow into a streamlined pipeline that generates cocoa maps for selected regions with minimal user intervention;
- test the pipeline with case studies from two cocoa-producing countries, documenting performance and limitations;
- create simple visualisation and reporting tools—such as area statistics, confidence maps, and basic change indicators;
- develop interactive demonstrations on the APEx platform to showcase the tool's capabilities to the broader community;
- prepare clear documentation and a step-by-step user guide for cocoa monitoring agencies.
Learning objectives: You will gain hands-on experience in large-scale satellite image processing and time-series analysis, cloud-based Earth observation workflows, translating scientific research code into user-facing tools, software packaging, preparing Earth observation applications for community showcase on APEx, and understanding cocoa supply chain policy. You will deliver a working pipeline, user manual, demonstration maps for selected countries, and APEx-ready interactive demonstrations.
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 of and background in Earth observation, image analysis, and data processing are assets. Strong programming skills in Python and experience using geospatial libraries (e.g., rasterio, xarray, GDAL) are highly desirable. Familiarity with cloud computing platforms for Earth observation applications and experience with time-series analysis of satellite data are assets.
The preferred duration for this internship is six months.
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.
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. Applicants from Canada as a Cooperating State can apply as well as those from Bulgaria, Croatia and Malta as European Cooperating States (ECS).