Our team and mission

This position is based at the European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) – Noordwijk, Netherlands

The ESA Earth Observation System Architecture Office (EOP-FA) is responsible for defining and preparing future Earth Observation systems, technologies, and architectures; preparatory activities for future missions in general, for studies relating to future Earth Observation architectures, missions, and instruments, and for the Earth Observation future technologies activities of the Agency. It investigates new domains in Earth Observation, including innovative methods and technologies, which are prepared for use in other Departments, Directorates, or with external partners. As part of the work, EOP-FA establishes an end-to-end system (of systems) view of ESA’s Earth Observation activities, in synergy with European, national, and commercial Earth Observation programmes. As part of this work, it explores new domains for Earth Observation, in cooperation with EOP-S for transformative innovation, permanently searching for innovation with an active external network to gather information and with benchmarking versus other organisations including the preparation of demonstrators and showcases to support funding decisions. The main outcome of EOP-FA is the development of an overall reference architecture for European Earth Observation systems, via consultation of mission authorities of ESA Member States, EU and EUMETSAT as well as scenarios for its future evolution taking into account new technologies and applications and the emergence of commercial systems including New Space activities.

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

Field(s) of activity for the internship

Topic of the internship: The Copernicus System Architecture Evolution Study – Time Horizon 2024 – 2040 and 2040 – 2060 which is addressing the possible evolution options of the Copernicus overall System Architecture.

You will support The Copernicus System Architecture Evolution Study – Time Horizon 2024 – 2040 and 2040 – 2060 which is addressing the possible evolution options of the Copernicus overall System Architecture. It will consider the evolving use cases and needs in a holistic manner. Space as well as ground segment aspects are to be addressed identifying the core observation functions and analysing the synergies of a multi-mission concept. Several scenarios to the time horizon up to 2040 and up to 2060 are to be developed and be built around a core system of mandatory core missions with reference performances complemented by other elements in a mixed system architecture approach. Elements to be addressed in the activity are inter alia the identification of the core observation functions and their respective resilience and availability in the future as well the use of those reference missions in a cross-mission system wide performance validation framework. This includes measures to ensure observation provenience as well as originality. Several scenarios of a mixed system architectures (core missions and other elements) are to be developed for the two identified time-frames as well as for different levels of overall system performances in terms of available observation functions and their expected performances.

These activities offer ample scope for the successful candidate to develop a detailed understanding of how space missions are defined using a system analysis approach.

Behavioural competencies

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

For more information, please refer to ESA Core Behavioural Competencies guidebook

Education

You must be a university student, preferably in your final or second-to-last year of a university course at Master’s level and you need to remain enrolled at your University for the entire duration of the internship.

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.

It would be an advantage to have:
Knowledge of Copernicus remote sensing technologies to downstream science and applications;
Knowledge of relevant strategic and technological trends and developments inside/outside the space EO domain.