Our team and mission

With more than 40 team members, the GNC, AOCS and Pointing Division in the Systems Department of ESA contributes to the following:

PROJECT SUPPORT in the field of GNC (Guidance, Navigation and Control), AOCS (Attitude and Orbit Control Systems) and Pointing engineering:

• Conceptual design studies for future mission GNC/AOCS, in particular in Concurrent Design Facility (CDF) studies;
• GNC/AOCS design, system analysis and modelling for future and current missions by ESA directorates, for example Exploration, Space Transportation, Earth Observation, Science, Telecommunications 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 (competitive building blocks, high-accuracy pointing, 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; 
• Evaluation and prototyping of new GNC techniques (GNC rendezvous, approach and landing, optical navigation);
• Evaluation and prototyping of new AOCS, pointing systems and associated sensors.

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

Field(s) of activity/research for the traineeship

As a Young Graduate Trainee, you will contribute to the implementation and upgrade of the GNC/AOCS simulation, analysis, design and verification facilities, and to activities in the GNC, AOCS and Pointing Laboratory. Your contributions may include:

• AOCS definition and validation for Earth Observation missions;
• the de-orbiting control strategy and AOCS mode definition for Low Earth Orbit satellites;
• 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 processes, with a focus on automated code generation;
• the development and assessment of autonomy functions for future AOCS and GNC systems;
• the assessment of the use of artificial intelligence/machine-learning techniques for AOCS and GNC systems;
• the performance characterisation of new inertial sensors;
• performance and robustness tests of star trackers;
• the characterisation of APS detectors and big data analysis from large datasets;
• hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) experiments for rapid GNC and AOCS prototyping and verification, for example in the GRALS (GNC Rendezvous, Approach and Landing Simulator) robotics facility or on the AOCS flatsat (avionics bench level for AOCS verification), both at ESTEC;
• contributions to the GNC/AOCS simulator modelling library (including constellation, de-orbiting and nanosat).

You will also contribute to the following specific activities:

1. Analysing mission- or system-level requirements to develop an understanding of the implications for the derived requirements and architectures at GNC/AOCS system level;
2. Developing or enhancing the existing GNC/AOCS simulation environments by implementing mission-specific dynamics, kinematics and environment models as well as GNC/AOCS sensor and actuator suites;
3. Contributing to the GNC/AOCS analysis and design of on-board algorithms for the above-mentioned applications;
4. Implementing the GNC/AOCS algorithms on a target processor via auto-coding in order to assess real-time performance and computational loads;
5. Performing integration and verification in a processor-in-the-loop (PIL) testing facility, using the test facilities of the Division;
6. Setting up, if required, hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) experiments for rapid prototyping and verification. In performing this task, you will integrate the PIL avionics setup, the available hardware models of GNC/AOCS units and all required interfaces into the appropriate laboratory facility, for example the GRALS (GNC Rendezvous, Approach and Landing Simulator) robotics facility at ESTEC;
7. Performing end-to-end verification, validation, and closed-loop testing of GNC/AOCS systems on the developed PIL and HIL facilities;
8. Performing design and production of test equipment (both hardware and software), test plan production, test execution and the development of data analysis tools for the characterisation and testing of hardware units;
9. Documenting the activities performed in dedicated technical reports and communicating the 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 such as aerospace engineering, control engineering or electrical engineering.

Additional requirements

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.

In addition to a master’s degree, specific skills and experience in one of the following disciplines would be considered an asset:

• Mathematical modelling and simulation; 
• Artificial intelligence for space systems applications.

Good awareness of electronic design (PCB layout, micro-controllers, basic circuit design) and automated code generation, and hands-on laboratory or test experience would be assets.
Experience in Visual C++, Matlab/Simulink, Python and Labview would be an asset.

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.