Our team and mission

This position is based at the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) – Darmstadt, Germany

The Ground Systems Engineering and Innovation Department is responsible for all the ground systems engineering and support activities required to support mission operations and implement innovation.
The Department maintains and manages a full level of competences, technologies and services in all engineering disciplines related to ground systems, infrastructure, technology evolution and Engineering R&T and innovation.
The Department provides expert support in these areas to the Directorate of Operations for all current and potential missions and leads, in the role of architect, ground systems evolution and innovation implementation in the infrastructure and to other ESA programs.
The Department is furthermore responsible for the overall technical innovation and technical standardisation coordination for the ground segment.

The Department is relying on the following domains of expertise:

• Ground Station Engineering
• Flight Dynamics and Mission Analysis
• Mission Operations Data Systems Engineering
• Navigation Support
• Multi-Mission Infrastructure – Ground Segment Integration and Testing

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

http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Operations/gse/Building_infrastructure_on_Earth_to_support_satellites_in_space

Field(s) of activity for the internship

You can choose between the following topics:

1) Topic 1: Data Foundations and Structures

Spacecraft and the associated ground data systems generate enormous amounts of data as part of the monitoring and control process. This data is being stored, processed, and analyses in the mission operations ground segment to understand spacecraft health, correlate events, and feed artificial intelligence algorithms.

In this topic, you will be exposed to the organisation of the data foundations, data analytics and data science structures of the Agency’s ground data systems and will design and implement software to expand and exploit the existing capabilities to help support and address resolution of operational issues, particularly related to the provision of timely and actionable data in order to systematically produce qualified AI-ready datasets.

2) Topic 2: Artificial Intelligence for Space Operations

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming a key technology in modern spacecraft operations applications. It is highly relevant to support automation, correlate data and execute pattern recognition and even enable digital assistants for operators, helping them operate the spacecraft and ground systems, including ground stations.

As part of this topic, you will contribute to the AI programme of the Directorate. Specifically, they will enhance and/or develop AI applications to increase efficiency, accuracy or speed of models, operational processes, and systems.

3) Topic 3: Digital Twins, AI Enhanced Simulation Models and Machine Learning

Simulators are complex software systems used to simulate the behavior of the spacecraft and ground equipment, and are used for testing of the ground segment and the training of the flight control team, as well as integration with operational simulators of other agencies (e.g. in the context of the planned international collaboration in the Moon/Mars programmes).

Advancements in simulation technologies includes the integration of Digital Twins concepts and the use of Machine Learning algorithms to process signals (time-series) and enhance the modeling of the complex spacecraft systems, predicting their behavior under various operational conditions and helping support and address resolution of operational issue.

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.

Topic 1: Knowledge or academic specialization in data centric architectures and engineering is an asset.

Topic 2: Knowledge or academic specialization in application of software engineering to data science and artificial intelligence solutions is an asset.

Topic 3: Knowledge or academic specialization in application of digital twins, time-series forecasting, machine learning or simulation technology to complex systems is an asset.