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Young Graduate Trainee in Space Safety - Space Weather

Darmstadt

  • Organization: ESA - European Space Agency
  • Location: Darmstadt
  • Grade: Level not specified - Level not specified
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Outer space and satellite technology
    • Security and Safety
  • Closing Date: Closed

EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY

Young Graduate Trainee in Space Safety - Space Weather

Job Req ID:  17281
Closing Date:  28 February 2023 23:59 CET/CEST
Establishment:  ESOC, Darmstadt, Germany
Directorate:  Directorate of Operations
Publication:  External Only
Vacancy Type:  Young Graduate Trainee
Date Posted:  1 February 2023

 

Young Graduate 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. 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 on the Coordinated Organisations’ salary scale.

 

Location

ESOC, Darmstadt, Germany 

 

Our team and mission

The ESA Space Safety Programme Office takes care of all potential hazards from or in space which can impact human activities on Earth or in space. The spectrum of tasks involves developing at basic understanding of space hazards originating from our Sun, man-made space debris, or asteroids potentially colliding with Earth. It also examines basic approaches mitigating these hazards and implementing space systems end-to-end in a sustainable and eco-compatible way. Moreover, several corner stone missions are underway to demonstrate basic methods of space weather forecasting, asteroid deflection and active space debris removal from orbit.

 

The Space Weather Office is responsible for developing tools, models and applications for nowcasting and forecasting space weather, i.e. the enormous eruptions in the Sun that impact the environment everywhere in our Solar System.


When these eruptions hit Earth, they can cause major damage in surface infrastructure, damage satellites and endanger the health of astronauts in space. Geomagnetic storms triggered by solar events can cause blackouts in power grids, disrupt satellite navigation and communication, as well as aviation, transport and many other functions that have become part of our daily lives. Energetic particles from solar events can also damage space probes that we have sent to other planets in the Solar System. The Space Weather Office is therefore developing space weather forecasting capability for other planets such as Mercury, Venus, Mars and Jupiter. The Office is also responsible for developing and implementing the satellite missions for space weather monitoring to make space weather services possible for users.

 

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

Field(s) of activity/research for the traineeship

For many years, ESA's Space Weather Office has been building a large network of observatories dedicated to collecting, processing, analysing and distributing data describing the current conditions of the environment between the Sun and Earth. To predict how this environment will look in the future, we are using advanced computer models. An accurate space weather forecast must then, using a computer, solve and take into account, the detailed physics of the heliosphere at multiple scales of time and space - a task that no single piece of software can perform. ESA, in collaboration with European industry and academia, is coordinating the development of models of the Sun, interplanetary space, the geomagnetic environment, and the environment of the Moon and those of other planets. These codes are at the forefront of scientific discovery in space weather.

 

As a Young Graduate Trainee, you will validate the results obtained by the coupled models in the ESA Virtual Space Weather Modelling Centre. The project will start with understanding the inputs and outputs of the models, and evaluating their performances. In collaboration with the project coordinator, and the Space Weather Office, you will select interesting solar events during the last solar cycle that will be reproduced by the computer models. You will compare these results with existing satellite and ground observations to evaluate the current performances of the system.

 

Once this initial evaluation is complete, you will then quantify the level of uncertainty in the coupled system's predictions. For this evaluation, you will use uncertainty quantification techniques. Finally, you will familiarise yourself with the data assimilation techniques used by the atmospheric weather community and will perform a detailed bibliographical study. At the end of the project, you will be able to influence the future of space weather forecasting by proposing a list of recommendations and a roadmap for the implementation of a future operational forecasting system.

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

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 aerospace engineering, computer sciences, physics or applied mathematics.

Additional requirements

To achieve these goals, you must have expertise in physics and informatics. Experience in space physics, heliophysics, solar physics or plasma physics would be an advantage but is not mandatory. Knowledge and experience of programming, preferably in multiple languages, would be a clear advantage.

 

You must feel comfortable working with multiple codes developed by different European partners, mainly in a Linux environment. Experience with parallel computing would be an asset.

 

Above all, we welcome individuals who are highly motivated to learn and apply new skills.

 

You should have good interpersonal and communication skills and should be able to work in a multicultural 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, your motivation and overall professional 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, 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).

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*. 

 

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 conducted by an external background screening service. 

*Member States, Associate Members or Cooperating States.

This vacancy is now closed.
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