ESA Graduate Trainee in Soft Bio-Robotics

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 biomimetic computational soft robotics, a field centred on the modelling and control of soft-bodied biomimetic agents in extraterrestrial environments. This is a challenging research field, that differs from traditional robotics primarily due to the non-linearities introduced by the use of highly compliant materials. Because of the similarities between soft robots and natural systems, it is closely related to biomimetics, bio-inspired design and algorithms, and model-free neural control.

While you are encouraged to propose your own innovative projects, the following topics have been identified as potential areas of research:

• Design of biomimetic robots: The design robots capable of traversing a wide variety of environments, starting from animal examples (i.e. amphibious species), by understanding and reproducing locomotion patterns.
• Development of physics-based simulators: Starting from open-source simulation tools, create a work-frame that can be used to simulate the behaviour of soft robots in extraterrestrial environments using physics-based solutions. You will be trying to navigate the trade-off between high fidelity and computational efficiency.
• Swarm behaviours in soft robotics: Investigate swarm dynamics, such as zooid colony formation, and reproduce such behaviour to create task-driven self-assembling swarms of soft robots.
• Genetic algorithms for design and control: Explore evolutionary algorithms for the simultaneous design and control of soft robots. Starting from the evolutionary design of xenobots co-evolved structure.
• Model-free neural architectures for robotic control: Because of the absence of a satisfactory analytical model for the mechanical behaviour of soft robots, it is not possible to know the direct or inverse kinematics of the robots themselves. Study model-free neural networks as controllers for soft robots.

As a member of the Advanced Concepts Team (ACT), you will contribute to the development and evaluation of innovative 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 engage in diverse initiatives, such as studies conducted under ESA’s Ariadna scheme, and assist in communicating research findings both within ESA and to external audiences.

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

• Methenitis, G., Hennes, D., Izzo, D. and Visser, A., 2015, July. Novelty search for soft robotic space exploration. In Proceedings of the 2015 annual conference on Genetic and Evolutionary Computation (pp. 193-200).
• Agabiti, C., Ménager, E. and Falotico, E., 2023, April. Whole-arm grasping strategy for soft arms to capture space debris. In 2023 IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics (RoboSoft) (pp. 1-6). IEEE.
• Rus, D. and Tolley, M.T., 2015. Design, fabrication and control of soft robots. Nature, 521(7553), pp.467-475.

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

Education

You should have recently completed or be in the final year of your master’s degree in robotics, bio-robotics, biomedical engineering, system engineering or related subjects.

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.