ESA Graduate Trainee in Exploitation of Quality Related Data in ESA Missions

Our team and mission

The Lead Quality Technical Authority reports directly to the Head of the Quality Department and serves as the technical reference for the Directorate in the domain of Quality. It is responsible for providing strategic technical leadership, coordination and expertise across the technical domains of Quality, Dependability and Safety, Materials and Processes, EEE Components and Quality and Space Debris Mitigation at system level. This includes ensuring a consolidated technical position and alignment among multidomain experts, fostering technical excellence, technology development and innovation, and promoting and overseeing knowledge management while serving as a catalyst for collaboration across domains and stakeholders.

Field(s) of activity/research for the traineeship

Within the Agency and Quality Department, you will contribute to activities aimed at exploiting quality-related data across the project’s lifecycle of ESA spacecraft, including design, development, testing, and in-flight operations. The traineeship focuses on analyzing anomalies, nonconformances, and test data to improve understanding of system-level issues and to support continuous improvement of standards, processes, and industrial practices.

The work will help address key strategic questions such as:

• How do we measure success and learn from failures?
• Where and how can ESA best support European industry?
• Are current data collection practices sufficient, or are opportunities being missed?
• Are systems over-specified or over-designed?
• What types of problems occur most frequently, and in which types of equipment?

You will support a combination of technical, analytical, and coordination activities, including:

• Assisting in the organisation, participation, and analysis of results from dedicated meetings with ESA technical experts and Product Assurance (PA) Managers
• Contributing to the preparation and update of ESA and ECSS standards, based on evidence from data analysis and lessons learned
• Exploring quality-related data from different ESA databases (e.g. (in-orbit) anomalies, nonconformances, test results) and developing tools, scripts, or algorithms to extract, process, and exploit this data; this may include investigating the use of Artificial Intelligence and machine learning techniques to identify patterns, correlations, and trends not easily detectable through conventional analysis
• Performing engineering analyses to identify recurrent problems, root causes, and trends, and formulating recommendations for improvement

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 should 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.

Important Information and Disclaimer

Applicants must be eligible to access information, technology, and hardware which is subject to European or US export control and sanctions regulations.

Nationality and Languages

Please note that applications can only be considered from nationals of one of the following States: Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Nationals from Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia as Associate Member States, or Canada as a Cooperating State, can apply as well as those from Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Malta as European Cooperating States (ECS).

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.