Intern in the Future Missions and Architecture Department, System Architect Office

Develop innovative Earth Observation scenarios for the European ecosystem.

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ESA - European Space Agency

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Application deadline 9 months ago: Sunday 30 Nov 2025 at 23:59 UTC

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Overview

Develop innovative Earth Observation scenarios for the European ecosystem.

You have:

  • Must be a university student, preferably studying at master's level.
  • Must be able to prove enrollment at University for the entire duration of the internship.
  • Good knowledge of English or French required; knowledge of another ESA Member State language is an asset.
  • Knowledge of Earth Observation remote sensing technologies and respective downstream science and applications.
  • Knowledge of relevant strategic and technological trends and developments in the space EO domain.
  • IT knowledge in the areas of data bases and programming (e.g., Python).
  • Motivation for applying to this role will be explored during the interview.

Contract

This is a Internship contract. It usually requires 0 years of experience, depending on education. More about Internship contracts.

Location ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands

Our team and mission

The ESA Earth Observation System Architecture Office (EOP-FA) investigates new domains in Earth Observation, including innovative methods and technologies.

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. It explores new domains for Earth Observation 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: Developing Earth Observation Scenarions for the European Earth Observation Ecosystem

You will develop innovative technical Earth Observation scenarios and apply or develop relevant simulation tools to analyse the effectiveness of the use of Earth Observation satellite systems in synergy. The analysis will identify gaps in capability and explore opportunities for new systems of systems architectures and Earth system observatory concepts considering evolving European user needs in a holistic manner. Analyses will cover the 2024 - 2040 and 2040 – 2060 time horizons.

Initial scenarios are to be built around mandatory core missions with reference quality performances (e.g. large Copernicus missions) complemented by other elements in a mixed system architecture approach.

Potential tools / guidelines include initial EO system scenarios, an internal data bases as well as complementary approaches to benchmark system design and compare different scenarios.

These activities offer ample scope for the successful candidate to develop a detailed understanding of future EO space system architecture development using a system analysis-scenario based 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 studying at master’s level. In addition, you must be able to prove that you will be 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 ESA Member State language is an asset.

During the interview, your motivation for applying to this role will be explored.

You should also have:

  • knowledge of Earth Observation remote sensing technologies and the respective downstream science and applications;
  • knowledge of relevant strategic and technological trends and developments inside/outside the space EO domain;
  • IT knowledge in the areas of data bases and programming (e.g. Python).

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, religious beliefs, age, disability or other characteristics.

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.

The information published on ESA’s careers website regarding internship 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

Please note that applications are only considered from nationals of one of the following States: Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Applicants from Canada as a Cooperating State can apply as well as those from Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Malta as European Cooperating States (ECS).

Potential interview questions

Can you describe your experience with Earth Observation technologies? The interviewer wants to assess your understanding and practical experience with Earth Observation systems. Discuss specific projects or coursework related to Earth Observation that you have been involved in.
How do you manage your time when working on multiple projects? The interviewer is looking for insights on your organizational and prioritization skills. Pro members can see the explanation.
What programming languages are you familiar with, and how have you used them in your studies? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
Why are you interested in this internship at ESA? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
Describe a situation where you had to work collaboratively on a project. What was your role? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
Can you give an example of a time when you identified a gap or problem in a project? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
What do you know about current trends in Earth Observation technology? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
How do you approach learning new programming skills or technologies? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
Added 10 months ago - Updated 9 months ago - Source: jobs.esa.int