Young Graduate Trainee for Attitude and Orbit Control Systems Engineering

As a YGT you will be a member of the AOCS and Pointing Systems Section of ESA’s GNC, AOCS & Pointing Division.

With about 30  team members, the Division is happy to welcome YGTs to contribute to the following Section duties:

- PROJECT SUPPORT in the field of AOCS (attitude & orbit control systems) and pointing engineering:

• AOCS design, system analysis and modelling for future and current missions of ESA Directorates for Earth Observation, Science (astronomy observatories), Telecommunications, Navigation;

- TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT

• Contributing to the definition of technology development requirements for space missions and ESA technology programmes covering long and short-term needs;
• Mission enabling R&D activities for AOCS and pointing systems (generic architecture, modes and competitive building blocks including Failure Detection Isolation & Recovery (FDIR), high accuracy pointing);
• Fostering utilisation for AOCS of advanced control, estimation and optimisation techniques;
• Technology development of AOCS sensors and actuators (star trackers, sun and Earth sensors, gyroscopes, accelerometers, inertial measurement units, magnetometers, magnetic torquers);

- LABORATORY WORK

• Upgrading the AOCS and pointing systems test facilities of the control lab;
• Evaluating and testing AOCS, pointing systems, associated sensors.

Interested candidates are encouraged to visit the ESA website: http://www.esa.int  and websites of the main conferences organised by the GNC, AOCS & Pointing Division: ESA GNC Conference, ICATT and ADCSS

As a YGT you will be involved in AOCS design tasks such as AOCS simulator modelling tools development, AOCS estimation and control design performance and robustness assessment, preliminary design of AOCS subsystems for early mission phases, assessment of AOCS de-orbiting strategy and participation in the CDF (Concurrent Design Facility) in support of the AOCS expert(s) in charge.

You will be involved in assessment of novel techniques and methods, such as automated code generation for AOCS software, use of artificial intelligence for AOCS, worst-case analysis, pointing error engineering, etc. You will work together with AOCS experts from the AOCS and Pointing Systems Section.

This Traineeship will provide you with solid experience, technical skills and hands-on know-how appropriate to developing further in space engineering careers such as AOCS system engineering, AOCS integration and verification engineering and AOCS validation engineering.

You should have just completed, or be in the final year of a university course at Master's level (or equivalent) in aerospace engineering.

Good knowledge in control design & analysis, electrical systems  and some experience with simulation and test facilities.

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.