Intern in the Flight Dynamics Division - Science Mission Support Section

Job Posting Organization:
The European Space Agency (ESA) is an intergovernmental organization dedicated to the exploration of space. Established in 1975, ESA has grown to include 22 member states and employs over 2,200 staff members. The agency operates across multiple countries, focusing on various aspects of space exploration, including Earth observation, human spaceflight, and planetary science. ESA's mission is to provide Europe with a space capability and to foster international cooperation in space exploration.

Job Overview:
The internship-position" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">internship position in the Flight Dynamics Division, specifically within the Science Mission Support Section, is designed for university students who are eager to gain practical experience in the field of flight dynamics. The intern will be involved in mission preparation, critical operations, and routine operations for various interplanetary missions. This role will require the intern to engage with advanced astrodynamics software and contribute to the development of operational solutions for missions such as Plato, Rosalind Franklin, and Juice. The intern will also work on improving deep-space orbit determination by utilizing interplanetary plasma data, which is crucial for accurate tracking of spacecraft. This position offers a unique opportunity to work on cutting-edge space missions and contribute to the scientific community.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The intern will be responsible for several key tasks, including: retrieving and extracting relevant interplanetary plasma data from ESA Space Weather products; implementing functionality to compute total plasma content along the line-of-sight from ground stations to ESA interplanetary spacecraft; deriving plasma delays for Doppler and range data based on physical interactions along the signal path; applying methodologies on historic data to reproduce and verify results; producing predictions of plasma effects on radiometric data based on current Space Weather data; configuring a near-realtime nowcasting functionality to flag current tracking data of deep-space missions for the impact of interplanetary plasma effects; and, if successful, extending the methodology to develop an operational tool for orbit determination that computes interplanetary plasma corrections.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must be university students, preferably in their final or second-to-last year of a Master's level course. They must demonstrate that they will be enrolled at their university for the entire duration of the internship. A good knowledge of English or French is required, and knowledge of another ESA Member State language is considered an asset. Additionally, candidates should possess strong analytical skills, a proactive attitude, and the ability to work collaboratively in a team environment.

Educational Background:
The ideal candidate should be pursuing a degree in a relevant field such as aerospace engineering, physics, mathematics, or a related discipline. The educational background should provide a solid foundation in astrodynamics, space science, and data analysis, which are critical for the tasks involved in this internship.

Experience:
While prior experience in a professional setting is not mandatory, any relevant academic projects, internships, or research experience in aerospace or related fields will be advantageous. Candidates should demonstrate a strong understanding of the principles of flight dynamics and space mission operations.

Languages:
Proficiency in English or French is mandatory, as these are the working languages of the Agency. Knowledge of an additional language from an ESA Member State is considered beneficial and may enhance the candidate's application.

Additional Notes:
This internship is a full-time position, and candidates must be nationals of one of the specified ESA member states. The internship will take place at the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) in Darmstadt, Germany. The closing date for applications is 30 November 2026 at 23:59 CET/CEST. The ESA is committed to diversity and inclusiveness in its workforce and encourages applications from all qualified candidates, including those with disabilities.