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Young Graduate Trainee for File Based and Automated Operations Analysis and Prototyping (LAGRANGE)

  • Organization: ESA - European Space Agency
  • Location:
  • Grade: Junior level - F1 - Young Graduate Trainee
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Operations and Administrations
    • Innovations for Sustainable Development
  • Closing Date: Closed

EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY

Young Graduate Traineeship Opportunity in the Directorate of Operations.

ESA is an equal opportunity employer, committed to achieving diversity within the workforce and creating an inclusive working environment. Applications from women are encouraged.

Post
Young Graduate Trainee for File Based and Automated Operations Analysis and Prototyping (LAGRANGE)

This post is classified F1.

Location

ESOC, Darmstadt, Germany 

Our team and mission

The Lagrange mission will be prepared and operated by the Multi Mission Support Unit  in the Special Applications Missions Division of the Mission Operations Department.

The Division and within it the Unit take care of Special Applications Missions, the Space Weather Lagrange mission being one of these, together with others including Galileo, Meteosat 3rd Generation (MTG) and SpaceRider.

Most of the work of the Unit is currently focused on support to projects (i.e. Galileo, MTG) or preliminary phases (e.g. Lagrange, SpaceRider).

The Lagrange mission is part of the Space Safety Programme and aims to provide Solar observation data as input to the Space Weather service being set up by the Agency in collaboration with numerous research institutes/universities and the space industry. The spacecraft will be located on the Sun-Earth L5 Point (S/C-Sun-Earth forms an equilateral triangle circa one Astronomical Unit in length), from which it will continuously observe the Sun and the outcome of solar activity (e.g. plasma, radiation, etc.) and continuously downlink the instrument data through the ESA Deep Space Ground Station network located around the world. The mission is characterised by high availability (>99%) and low latency (down to 15min) requirements for its full duration (five years with possible extension up to ten years).

In view of the mission requirements, and also allowing for evolutions in both spacecraft and operations design (for Earth observation, astronomy or interplanetary missions), the operations concept entails the use of files (i.e. file-based operations (FBO)) and File Delivery Protocol in accordance with the latest ECSS[i] and CCSDS[ii] standards (in particular ECSS-E-ST-70-41C: Telemetry and Telecommand Packet Utilization Standard (PUS) and CCSDS 727.0-B-4 : CCSDS File Delivery Protocol (CFDP)).

[i] ECSS : European Cooperation for Space Standardization

[ii] CCSDS : Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems

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

Field(s) of activity

As a YGT, you will be primarily involved in the development of the FBO concept for the Lagrange mission, from analysis of relevant requirements specified in mission documents to drafting and later on consolidation of a procedural prototype representative for the actual future spacecraft operations.

An important element to be considered, analysed and prototyped together with FBO concept development is automation of operations. You will have the opportunity to contribute to drawing up the concept and process, essential for meeting the high availability and low latency requirements of the mission. These cover both spacecraft operations and ground station scheduling.

You will also have the opportunity to acquire knowledge of services and functions used routinely for spacecraft operations and in conjunction with the file management service: management of on-board memory contents, operations time-based scheduling using the Mission Timeline (MTL), On-Board Control Procedures (OBCP) and more.

Knowledge of ground data systems used in mission operations preparation and execution (mission control system, mission planning system, operations database and procedures preparation tools) will enrich your experience during the Traineeship.

The task allocated will require strong interaction with the SOM, with the ESA project team and industry responsible for the design of the spacecraft. Additionally, synergy/cooperation with other ESA missions implementing FBO (e.g. Euclid, Sentinels) and with the ESOC working group in charge of Generic Operations Implementation Requirements (in which the Unit represents the Division).

Technical competencies
Knowledge of relevant technical domains
Relevant experience gained during internships/project work
Breadth of exposure coming from past and/or current research/activities
Knowledge of ESA and its programmes/projects
Behavioural competencies
Self Motivation
Communication
Continuous Learning
Cross-Cultural Sensitivity
Teamwork
Education

You should have just completed, or be in your final year of a university course at Master's level (or equivalent) in a technical or scientific discipline.

Additional requirements

Programming skills, good understanding of process automation principles and knowledge of communication protocols are desired. Basic aerospace engineering knowledge would be an asset.

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

You should demonstrate good interpersonal skills and the capacity to work both independently and as part of a team.

During the interview your motivation and overall professional perspective/career goals will also be explored.

Other information

For behavioural competencies expected from ESA staff in general, please refer to the ESA Competency Framework.

The closing date for applications is  15 December 2019.

If you require support with your application due to a disability, please email contact.human.resources@esa.int.

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Please note that applications are only considered from nationals of one of the following States: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Nationals from Slovenia, as an Associate Member, or Canada as a Cooperating State, can apply as well as those from Bulgaria, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia as European Cooperating States (ECS).

Priority will first be given to candidates from under-represented Member States.

In accordance with the European Space Agency’s security procedures and as part of the selection process, successful candidates will be required to undergo basic screening before appointment

This vacancy is now closed.
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