ESA Graduate Trainee in Extreme Space Systems

Our team and mission

ESA’s Advanced Concepts Team (ACT) monitors, performs, and promotes cutting-edge multidisciplinary research for space. It explores innovative approaches to space-related R&D, including competitions, prizes, and games, as well as research aimed at fostering disruptive innovation. The team develops an expert network within academia and provides rapid first-look analyses of challenges, opportunities, and problems.

The ACT collaborates with universities and research centers, focusing on advanced topics of strategic relevance to the space sector while experimenting with novel teamwork methods. To achieve its objectives, the ACT fosters a dynamic, multidisciplinary research environment where early-career researchers—spanning postdoctoral and postgraduate levels in science and engineering—contribute to the development of emerging technologies and innovative concepts.

Field(s) of activity/research for the traineeship

As an ESA Graduate Trainee, you will primarily focus on the field of extreme space systems. This encompasses a wide range of applications, from nano-satellites operating in swarms to the on-orbit self-assembly of mega-structures such as solar farms or advanced infrastructure designed to extract energy from planetary tides. Each scenario presents unique design and dynamics and control challenges, including collaborative and non-cooperative agent interactions, robust trajectory design, and the stability and control of large-scale rigid bodies in space.

This field is closely tied to and expected to benefit other well-established scientific disciplines within ESA and the ACT. Relevant areas include stochastic optimisation, spacecraft collective behaviour (e.g., collision-free swarming), through to reinforcement learning and evolutionary algorithms (such as the reconfigurable cubes project). While you are encouraged to propose your own projects, the following topics have been identified as potential research areas:

• Decentralised design and control: Drawing inspiration from robotics and UAVs, develop multi-agent optimisation techniques for trajectory design and control using decentralized approaches. Applications include spacecraft swarms exploring asteroids or other small bodies.
• Space mega-structures: Study the stability and control of large-scale structures in periodic orbits within the Earth-Moon system or investigate tidal forces affecting such structures in other planet-moon systems.
• Self-assembling and reconfigurable space structures: Explore the feasibility of adapting protein folding algorithms (e.g., Rosetta or AlphaFold) for macro-scale self-assembly of space mega-structures.

As a member of the Advanced Concepts Team (ACT), you will contribute to the development and evaluation of cutting-edge space technologies and concepts. You will collaborate with experts across various disciplines, including biomimetics, artificial intelligence, computer science, fundamental physics, and mission analysis. Depending on your background and interests, you will participate in diverse initiatives, such as studies conducted under ESA’s Ariadna scheme, and you will help communicate research findings within ESA and to external audiences.

The following publications are an example of possible outcomes of research in this field:

• Blazquez, E., Izzo, D., Biscani, F., Walker, R. and Perez-Lissi, F., 2023. Small Celestial Body Exploration with CubeSat Swarms. arXiv preprint arXiv:2308.13333.
• Dold, D., Thomas, A., Rosi, N., Grover, J. and Izzo, D., 2024. Continuous Design and Reprogramming of Totimorphic Structures for Space Applications. arXiv preprint arXiv:2411.15266.
• Izzo, D. and Pettazzi, L., 2007. Autonomous and distributed motion planning for satellite swarm. Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, 30(2), pp.449-459.
• Bombardelli, C., 2007. Nonexplosive approach to fragment subkilometer asteroids with a tether centrifuge. Journal of guidance, control, and dynamics, 30(5), pp.1546-1551.

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

Additional requirements

You should have good interpersonal and communication skills and 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.

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.

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 contact.human.resources@esa.int.

Important Information and Disclaimer
Applicants must be eligible to access technology and hardware which is subject to European and US export control regulations & security clearance by their national security administrations.

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.