Young Graduate Trainee in Mission System Engineering for the Space Weather mission Vigil

Young Graduate Opportunity in the Directorate of Operations

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.

This post is classified F1 on the Coordinated Organisations’ salary scale.

Location

ESOC, Darmstadt, Germany

Our team and mission

The Vigil Mission System Engineering team, within the Space Safety Programme Office, in the ESA Directorate of Operations, is responsible for managing the flow down of science and system wide requirements and interfaces of the different components of the mission. It is responsible for the apportionment of performance requirements, and it manages the mission schedule and risks. The team also monitors the progress of the development of the different components of the mission, contributing to resolution of system wide issues. The team helps ensure a smooth integration of the Vigil mission into the overall operational Space Weather services network.

Vigil is ESA’s Space Weather mission designed to monitor the Sun from the Lagrange 5 point to allow for forecasting of Coronal Mass Ejection events and their impact on ground infrastructure. The Vigil mission is one of the key components of the overall European Space Weather network of services.

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

Field(s) of activity/research for the traineeship

You will support the Vigil Mission Engineering team lead in the discharge of the responsibilities assigned to the team. You will develop mission end-to-end models or technical budgets to drive the apportionment of performance requirements to the different system components and better understand the critical aspects. You will support requirement management, making sure system specs are up to date and consistent with upper and lower-level specs. You will support the preparation of mission and system wide end-to-end integration test and validation campaigns. You will support the integration of payload operational data processors in the overall data processing chain. You will support the development of a Payload operations planning concept.

Technical competencies

Knowledge of relevant technical domains

Relevant experience gained during internships/project work

Breadth of exposure coming from past and/or current research/activities

Knowledge of ESA and its programmes/projects

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 science or 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.

Good System Engineering skills and a system mindset are essential (eg. having worked on a cubesat or sounding rocket project). Good knowledge of Space Systems, and some knowledge of Ground Systems and Space Weather phenomena would be great assets.

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 motivation and overall professional perspective/career goals will also be explored.

Other information

For behavioural competencies expected from ESA staff in general, please refer to the ESA Competency Framework.

For further information on the Young Graduate Programme please visit: Young Graduate Programme and FAQ Young Graduate Programme

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 email contact.human.resources@esa.int.

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

In accordance with the European Space Agency’s security procedures and as part of the selection process, successful candidates will be required to undergo basic screening before appointment conducted by an external background screening service.

*Member States, Associate Members or Cooperating States.