Intern in the Future Missions Department

Our team and mission

The Future Missions Department is responsible for future science mission definition studies, from the early mission proposals until the mission adoption by the Science Programme Committee, the technology preparation of future missions, by drawing up Directorate-wide Technology Plans for Science missions for submission to the Director on an annual basis, and by implementing necessary pre-developments for enabling a smooth project implementation in compliance with the Programme constraints.

The Payload Validation Section in the Instrumentation Division of the Future Missions Department provides support to present and future missions at different stages of their lifecycle.

The main activities of the section are:

• Supporting he Future Missions Department: the main goal of this work is to validate the technology for future missions in order to reduce the risk to the overall program before the mission is adopted (this occurs at the end of Phase B1). The synergy between the mission study team, the technology development activity technical officer, and the test team is optimised. This approach was first adopted with Euclid for the development of dedicated CCDs (CCD273) for the mission. The PLATO mission is also benefitting from this approach to technology validation. In addition to activities related to specific missions, the section also addresses technology validation for the longer term, one particular area of activity being near-infrared detection systems.
• Supporting the Projects Department: projects in development may request specific tests to be performed to ensure control of some aspects that are under ESA's responsibility or that have an impact on items for which ESA is responsible. Euclid, PLATO, and CHEOPS are examples of missions that have requested such support.
• Supporting the Operations Department: the activities are dedicated to missions in operation, with a typical activity being cross-validation on ground of effects observed in the on-board instruments. The Gaia mission uses this support.
• Supporting scientists in the Science Support Office:  for the implementation of small research programmes with internal ESA funding.

Due to the long-term heritage of the Science Directorate laboratories, most of these activities presently focus on detector technology, however in the longer term, the scope of the section is envisaged to broaden. The Payload Validation Section can rely on an extensive list of facilities covering a wide range of capabilities.

For further information visit our web site: http://www.esa.int

Field(s) of activity for the internship

Topic: Laboratory characterization of and simulating the electro-optical performances of the ALFAN detector.

As an intern, you will operate and potentially upgrade the existing test bench of the ALFAN detector to extract specific performances of the ALFAN Detector. This detector is a prototype infra-red detector which has been developed for application is space astronomy applications. In addition to the data acquisition the candidate will develop the post processing scripts in python and potentially calibrate performance models using Pyxel. Of specific interest are the following performances: QE, Image Persistence, Readout Integrated Circuited Glow, Noise and specifically Low Frequency Noise. For the latter, you will develop a separate test bench dedicated to low noise measurements.

More information:

https://sci.esa.int/web/future-missions-department/-/59657-payload-validation-section

https://sci.esa.int/web/future-missions-department/-/60390-pyxel-a-software-framework-for-imaging-detector-simulation

Behavioural competencies

Result Orientation
Operational Efficiency
Fostering Cooperation
Relationship Management
Continuous Improvement
Forward Thinking

Education

You must have student status and be enrolled at university for the entire duration of the internship. You should preferably be in your final or second to last year of a university course at master’s level in a technical or scientific discipline.

Additional requirements

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.

A background or experience in several of the following domains would be an asset:

• Semiconductor physics
• Electronics and instrumentation
• Data processing / programming (Pyhton)
• Reporting, communication (Office tools, oral presentation)