ESA Graduate Trainee in Impact of Cumulative Reliability and Radiation Effects on Commercial SSDs

ESA offers a Graduate Traineeship in the Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality, focused on the impact of cumulative reliability and radiation effects on commercial solid-state devices (SSDs) for space applications.

Our team and mission

The opportunity is shared within two sections in the Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality/Electrical Department/Avionics and EEE Division: Radiation & Component Reliability and Component sections. We support ESA projects with expertise in selection and testing of EEE components both with respect to radiation and robustness/reliability. We also assure conformance to requirements and participate in failure and anomaly investigations.

A very well equipped component analysis laboratory is available; this also contains a Co60 total dose irradiation source. The sections also run contracts for developments and evaluation/qualification of EEE components and for new test approaches and techniques. Finally, the sections are responsible for the European Space Component Coordination, which includes qualification of European EEE.

Field(s) of activity/research for the traineeship

You will contribute to the evaluation of cumulative reliability and radiation effects on commercial solid-state devices intended for use in space applications. These devices, widely used in terrestrial systems, are increasingly considered for space missions, but their long-term behaviour under radiation and ageing stress must be carefully understood.

Your activity will start with construction analysis to understand the different technologies used in advanced three-dimensional flash non-volatile memory. By analysing device architecture, materials, and stacking approaches, you will gain insight into how technological choices influence reliability and radiation sensitivity. This understanding will provide the foundation for interpreting experimental results obtained later in the activity.

You will then evaluate different solid-state devices with respect to program and erase cycling and data-retention wear-out. You will investigate how ageing mechanisms related to repeated memory operations and long-term storage progressively degrade electrical and functional performance.

A key part of your work will focus on the interaction between ageing and radiation effects. You will analyse how ageing influences sensitivity to single-event effects by comparing radiation characterisation results obtained before and after device ageing. You will also study the impact of program and erase ageing on total ionising dose response, assessing how accumulated wear modifies electrical parameter degradation under dose.

Your work will include participation in test planning, improvement and optimisation of the test bench, analysis of electrical and functional data, and interpretation of trends related to parameter drift, functional margins, and failure mechanisms.

You will work closely with experienced engineers and contribute to technical documentation that consolidates experimental results into clear and justified conclusions.

This traineeship combines construction analysis, test bench development, experimental data evaluation, and physical understanding of semiconductor ageing and radiation effects, offering practical insight into how commercial devices are assessed for demanding environments.

Learning Objectives

By the end of the traineeship, you will be able to:

• understand the construction and technology differences of advanced three-dimensional flash memory;
• understand ageing mechanisms related to program and erase cycling and data retention;
• improve and adapt a test bench for reliability and radiation experiments;
• compare radiation sensitivity before and after ageing to identify degradation trends;
• contribute to structured technical reports supporting component selection and risk assessment.

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 just completed, or be in the final year of your master’s degree in any of the areas Electrical or Electronic Engineering, Microelectronics, Embedded Systems, Computer Engineering or Physics.

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.