Our team and mission

This position is based can be based
• At the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) – Darmstadt, Germany
• At the European Space and Research Technology Centre (ESTEC) – Noordwijk, Netherlands

The ESA Space Safety Programme Office takes care of all potential hazards from space or in space, which can impact human activities on Earth or again in space. The spectrum of tasks ranges from gathering the basic understanding of space hazards originating from our Sun, from man-made space debris, or from asteroids potentially colliding with the Earth. It also addresses basic approaches to mitigate these hazards and to implement 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.

In execution of these tasks, the Space Safety Office has the following entities:

• Space Weather Office (OPS-SW)
• Planetary Defence Office (OPS-SP)
• Space Debris Office (OPS-SD)
• Clean Space Office (OPS-SC)
• Frequency Management Office (OPS-SF)

The Space Debris Office constitutes the focal point for ESA space debris activities and is responsible for coordinating the Agency’s space debris research activities, for all space debris related operational and analysis services in support of ESA missions, and for ESA’s cooperation on space debris issues at inter-agency level. Its work is centred around a wide range of operational and scientific analysis software, developed, maintained and operated under its control. Through the provision of domain expertise, the office is deeply involved in implementing the Agency’s zero debris approach.

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

Field(s) of activity for the internship

Topic of the internship: Supporting the implementation of the Zero Debris Approach (evolution of the space debris environment and operational needs)

You will be involved in activities supporting the implementation and further development of ESA’s Zero Debris Approach, which is aligned with the Zero Debris Charter. You will be supporting analyses on the status and future evolution of the space debris environment and work with ongoing and future satellite missions. You will be assigned to topics in the areas of analysis of mitigation and remediation techniques, evaluation of new concepts and the development and application of the necessary means to verify and qualify such concepts, as well as addressing operational needs through technologies for automated collision avoidance and/or re-entry safety.

Your work will support the ongoing analysis and implementation of improvements to ESA’s reporting on compliance with Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines and Policies, and support the development of tools for environment impact assessment. You will work on improvements to ESA’s collision avoidance process in view of growing orbital population, better situation knowledge and extended data sources, as well as emerging automation needs, e.g., under the related cornerstone of the Space Safety Programme.

You will support the definition of study work in that field and contribute to the technical follow-up of such studies, attend regular team meetings and support the coordination of activities within a group of experts. You are required to contribute to updating existing analysis tools. You will work in a small team, and will have the opportunity to actively contribute to on-going projects and research activities, develop new tools, and interact on the results with the ESA-internal and international community.

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.

Good knowledge and background in engineering modeling, data science, simulation and mathematics is an asset.

Previous demonstrated experience with scientific computing in Python is an asset.