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Intern in the Electrical Department

Noordwijk

  • Organization: ESA - European Space Agency
  • Location: Noordwijk
  • Grade: Internship - Internship
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Technology, Electronics and Mechanics
    • Mechanics and Electronics (Engineering)
  • Closing Date: Closed

 

Internship 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.

 

Location

Noordwijk

Our team and mission

The Electrical Department is responsible for executing activities in the following domains: electromagnetics, antenna systems, space environment, power system, data handling for payloads and platforms, computers and microelectronics, communications and navigation payloads and end-to-end systems. The Department manages the corresponding technical laboratories and facilities, elaborates Engineering Standards and is responsible for technology activities for the technical discipline areas of the Department.

 

The Microelectronics Section of the Data Systems, Microelectronics and Components Division core responsibilities cover technical support to ESA missions and research activities in the areas of:
(i) Digital and analogue integrated circuit: Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASIC) and Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA), as well as Intellectual Property (IP) Cores developments for space applications 
(ii) Mitigation techniques against radiation effects for ASIC and FPGA
(iii) Tools and methods for Integrated Circuit design and development (from specifications to tested devices).

 

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

Field(s) of activity for the internship

You can choose between the following topics:

 

1) Topic 1: Neural network inference on space grade Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs)

This internship is focused on exploring the available frameworks that exist to efficiently implement convolutional neural network (CNNs) on Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), and performing an analysis on the existing design methodologies, and propose tools or adaptations to existing tools that can be used to generate an efficient CNN for space qualified FPGAs, including a solution for synthesizing the CNN into a hardware description language. The student will gain competences in AI design flow, FPGA design for space, automatic code generation for FPGA prototyping.

 

2) Topic 2: RISC-V Instruction Set Architecture (ISA) for Artificial Intelligence computation

RISC-V is an open-source hardware instruction set architecture (ISA) based on reduced instruction set computer principles. An open ISA is remarkably interesting for space, and is the center of several on-going developments at ESA, which will fly on our future satellites in the near future. In this internship, the student will explore the state of the art in Artificial Intelligence (AI) application execution in RISC-V; and propose an efficient strategy to implement it. The student will gain competences in RISC-V ISA, AI applications, software emulation and hardware prototyping.

 

3) Topic 3: High Level Synthesis for Wideband Signal and Image Processing

Exploring the state-of-the-art implementation of sophisticated signal processing algorithms for space science, earth observation and telecommunication applications with high level synthesis for bandwidth, power efficiency and robustness will be the topic of this internship. The student will work with the next generation space signal processing platform including the latest ADC, DAC and FPGAs available for space. At the end of the internship the student will have mastered the high-level synthesis and the deployment as well as the operation of a state-of-the-art reference signal processing platform for space applications.

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.

 

1) Topic 1: Microelectronics background, including digital integrated circuit modelling languages (e.g. VHDL or Verilog) and computer aided design tools for digital design from e.g. Synopsys, Mentor and Cadence

2) Topic 2: Microelectronics background, including digital integrated circuit modelling languages (e.g. VHDL, Verilog, SystemVerilog and SystemC) and computer aided design tools for digital design from e.g. Synopsys, Mentor and Cadence

3) Topic 3: Microelectronics background, including digital integrated circuit modelling languages (e.g. VHDL, Verilog, SystemVerilog and SystemC) and computer aided design tools for digital design from e.g. Synopsys, Mentor and Cadence

Other information

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

 

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

Internships can take place remotely, on-site or partially on-site depending on the pandemic situation, and in line with the relevant Establishment’s policy (e.g. possible Green Pass requirement) applicable at the time of starting the internship.

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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, Slovakia and Slovenia, as Associate Member States, or Canada as a Cooperating State, can apply as well as those from Bulgaria and Cyprus as European Cooperating States (ECS).

This vacancy is now closed.