Young Graduate Opportunity in the Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality
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, beliefs, age, disability or other characteristics. Applications from women are encouraged.
This post is classified F1.
Location
ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands
Our team and mission
The Division, with its more than 30 members, is happy to welcome a Young Graduate Trainee to contribute to its activities:
Project Support in GNC (Guidance, Navigation and Control), AOCS (Attitude and Orbit Control Systems) and Pointing Engineering:
• Conceptual design studies for future GNC/AOCS missions, in particular in Concurrent Design Facility (CDF) studies
• GNC/AOCS design, system analysis and modelling for future and current missions by ESA’s Directorates, for example Exploration, Space Transportation, Earth Observation, Science, Telecommunication and Navigation;
Technology Development
• Definition of technology development requirements for space missions and ESA technology programmes covering both long- and short-term needs;
• Mission enabling R&D activities for AOCS and Pointing Systems (generic architecture and competitive building blocks including FDIR, high-accuracy pointing including line of sight stabilisation, etc.);
• Mission enabling R&D activities for GNC (interplanetary cruise, aero-assistance, precision landing, ascent, rendezvous and docking, re-entry, formation flying and drag-free systems, etc.);
• Technology development of AOCS sensors and actuators (star trackers, sun and Earth sensors, gyroscopes, accelerometers and Inertial Measurement Units, magnetometers, magnetic torquers, etc.);
• Fostering the utilisation of advanced control, estimation, verification and optimisation techniques.
Laboratory Work
• Evaluation and prototyping of GNC/AOCS sensors and actuators (sensor test facility);
• Evaluation and prototyping of new GNC techniques (GNC Testbed, GNC Rendezvous, Approach and Landing Simulator, Optical Navigation Test Bench);
• Evaluation and prototyping of new AOCS, pointing systems and associated sensors.
You are encouraged to visit the ESA website: http://www.esa.int
and the websites of the main conferences (co-)organised by the GNC, AOCS & Pointing Division: ESA GNC Conference, ICATT and ADCSS.
Field(s) of activity/research for the traineeship
As a Young Graduate Trainee (YGT) in the GNC, AOCS and Pointing Division in the Systems Department, you will help implement and upgrade the Division’s GNC/AOCS simulation, analysis, design, and verification facilities, serving one or more of the following applications:
- Robotic Moon landing scenario, to support the Agency’s exploration missions;
- AOCS definition and validation for EO Copernicus Expansion missions (CHIME, CIMR, CO2M, CRISTAL, LSTM, ROSE-L);
- De-orbiting control strategy and AOCS mode definition for Low-Earth Orbit satellite;
- Orbital proximity operations, including application to in-orbit servicing, in-orbit assembly and space debris removal;
- AOCS Verification and Validation using model-based engineering resources and process, with the focus on automated code generation;
- Development and assessment of autonomy functions for future AOCS and GNC systems;
- Assessment of the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques for AOCS and GNC systems.
You will perform the following tasks:
1) From mission or system-level requirements, develop an understanding of the implications for the derived requirements and architectures at GNC/AOCS system level;
2) Develop or enhance the existing GNC/AOCS simulation environments, implementing mission-specific dynamics, kinematics and environment models, as well as GNC/AOCS sensor and actuator suites;
3) Contribute to the GNC/AOCS analysis and design of on-board algorithms for the above-mentioned applications;
4) Implement the GNC/AOCS algorithms on a target processor via auto-coding in order to assess real-time performance and computational loads;
5) Perform integration and verification in a processor-in-the-loop (PIL) testing facility, using the Division’s test facilities;
6) If needed, set up hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) experiments for rapid prototyping and verification. In this task, you will integrate the PIL avionics setup, the available hardware models of GNC/AOCS units, and all required interfaces with the suitable Laboratory Facility, for example the GRALS (GNC Rendezvous, Approach and Landing Simulator) robotics facility at ESTEC;
7) Perform end-to-end verification, validation, and closed-loop testing of GNC/AOCS systems on the PIL and HIL facilities developed;
8) Document the performed activities in dedicated technical reports and communicate results.
This Young Graduate Traineeship will provide you with solid GNC/AOCS experience, technical skills and hands-on know-how.
Technical competencies
Behavioural competencies
Result Orientation
Operational Efficiency
Fostering Cooperation
Relationship Management
Continuous Improvement
Forward Thinking
Education
You should have just completed, or be in the final year of your Master’ s degree in a technical or scientific discipline.
Additional requirements
Specific competence in one of the following disciplines will be considered an asset:
- Space systems engineering
- Control theory and space systems control applications
- Mathematical modelling and simulation (including multi-physics)
- Data fusion and estimation
- AI/ML for GNC applications.
Experience in Matlab/Simulink, SimScape and automated code generation would be an asset.
You should have good interpersonal and communication skills and should be able to work in a multi-cultural environment, both independently and as part of a team.
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.
During the interview 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.
For further information on the Young Graduate Programme please visit: Young Graduate Programme and FAQ Young Graduate Programme
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 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 Latvia, Lithuania, and Slovenia, as Associate Member States, or Canada as a Cooperating State, can apply as well as those from Bulgaria, Cyprus and Slovakia as European Cooperating States (ECS).
According to the ESA Convention, the recruitment of staff must take into account an adequate distribution of posts among nationals of the ESA Member States*. When short-listing for an interview, priority will first be given to candidates from under-represented or balanced Member States*. (https://esamultimedia.esa.int/docs/careers/NationalityTargets.pdf)
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.
*Member States, Associate Members or Cooperating States.