ESA Graduate Trainee in the Space Safety Programme - Clean Space Office

Job Requisition ID: 19248

Date Posted: 1 February 2025

Application Deadline: 28 February 2025 23:59 CET/CEST

Publication: External Only

Type of Contract: ESA Graduate Trainee

Directorate: Operations

Workplace: Noordwijk, NL

Grade Band: F1 - F1

Location
ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands

Our team and mission
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.

ESA’s Clean Space initiative aims to protect the environment on Earth and in space and ensure continued access to space for future generations.

The team’s work is focused on the three following areas:

• Ecodesign for Space: providing a framework for embedding environmental sustainability within space mission design, to define goals to achieve the objective of a Green Space through the development and usage of green technologies;
• End-of-Life Management: developing technologies to prevent the creation of future debris and implementing system activities to promote their integration in future missions, striving to achieve solutions for a Zero debris approach for ESA missions by 2030;
• In-Orbit Servicing: enabling commercial missions aiming at servicing other satellites, through active debris removal, repairing, refuelling or even recycling, as the cornerstone for a vital new European business.

You are encouraged to visit the ESA Clean Space blog: blogs.esa.int/cleanspace and the ESA website: http://www.esa.int

Field(s) of activity/research for the traineeship
You will support the office on the research and implementation in the different Clean Space different themes, namely: ecodesign, management of end of life and active debris removal and in orbit servicing.

You will contribute to the topic of ecodesign on:

• setting up the scene by supporting the improvement of LCA framework;
• understanding and summarising the environmental impacts of ESA missions and projects by the review of LCA models (e.g. Copernicus Expansion missions, Galileo Transition Satellite);
• enhancing LCA and EcoDesign methodology within ESA and member states.

In the topic of end-of-life management, you will support:

• the development of the Zero-debris approach and the assessment of impacts at system level;
• the development of End-of-life technologies;
• The Zero Debris system level activities (i.e. platform, technologies).

Technical competencies
Knowledge of relevant technical/functional domains

Relevant experience gained during internships, project work and/or extracurricular or other activities

General knowledge of the space sector and relevant activities

Knowledge of ESA and its programmes/projects

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 should have just completed, or be in the final year of your master’ s degree in aerospace 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. Previous experience of working in international teams can be considered an asset. Your motivation, overall professional perspective and career goals will also be explored during the later stages of the selection process.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusiveness
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.

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 via email at [email protected].

Important Information and Disclaimer
During the recruitment process, the Agency may request applicants to undergo selection tests. Additionally, successful candidates will need to undergo basic screening before appointment, which will be conducted by an external background screening service, in compliance with the European Space Agency's security procedures.

The information published on ESA’s careers website regarding working conditions is correct at the time of publication. It is not intended to be exhaustive and may not address all questions you would have.

Nationality and Languages
Please note that applications can only be considered from nationals of one of the following States: Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Nationals from Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia as Associate Member States, or Canada as a Cooperating State, can apply as well as those from Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Malta 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 be given to external candidates from under-represented Member States*.

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.

*Member States, Associate Members or Cooperating States.

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