Intern in the Mission Operations Department - Space Weather & OPS-SAT Lab Mission Operations

European Space Agency; Darmstadt; Hybrid; EUR 12,000 - 18,000; Full time

Job summary

European Space Agency is offering an internship in the Mission Operations Department - Space Weather & OPS-SAT Lab in Darmstadt. This role provides the opportunity to engage with the OPS-SAT mission, support software development, and work with a multi-national team across the lifecycle of experiments.

You will contribute to testing activities, gain exposure to mission control domains, and collaborate with engineers and researchers in a fast-paced environment while meeting academic obligations.

Qualifications

• Must be a university student in final or penultimate year.
• ,

Responsibilities

• Support mission operations team with software development tasks.
• Coordinate testing of experiments on OPS-SAT platform.
• Assist during lifecycle stages from prep to commissioning.

Skills

Software development

English language

French language

Education

University student

Tools

Linux

Python

Job description

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Intern in the Mission Operations Department - Space Weather & OPS-SAT Lab Mission Operations

Job Requisition ID: 21084

Date Posted: 1 November 2026

Closing Date: 30 November 2026 23:59 CET/CEST

Publication Method: External Only

Directorate: Operations

Workplace: Darmstadt, DE

Our team and mission

OPS-SAT Space Lab is an international award winning project which for the first time allows European and Canadian external experimenters to develop, load and execute their own software and firmware in space free of charge. The first mission, OPS-SAT-1 (2019 – 2024), has now finished and two follow-on missions will be launched in 2027 and another is presently in flight ( https://opssat.esa.int/ ) . The Lab has evolved from a single mission to a multi-mission infrastructure. Many experimenters have used the Lab, ranging from other space agencies such as NASA, JAXA, CNES and DLR, to big primes such as Airbus down to university departments and start-ups.

ESA must support the OPS-SAT experimenter community, helping them get familiar with the different OPS-SAT mission on-board environments and how to control the many sensors, actuators and payloads. You will provide this support directly interacting with the experimenters and arranging tests of their experiments through the various parts of the lifecycle and finally supervising the tests on the real spacecraft. You will also support the development cycle of spacecraft in preparation, launch, and commissioning.

Through these activities, you will be exposed to many of the important domains making up mission control and many of the institutions and companies that make up the experiment community.

Result Orientation
Operational Efficiency
Fostering Cooperation
Relationship Management
Continuous Improvement
Forward Thinking

You must be a university student, preferably in your final or second-to-last year of university course at Master's level. In addition, you must be able to prove that you will be 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 ESA Member State language is an asset.

During the interview, your motivation for applying to this role will be explored.

Proven experience in software development (e.g. Linux, Python) is 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, religious beliefs, age, disability or other characteristics.

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 [e-mail] .

Important Information and Disclaimer
During the recruitment process, the Agency may request applicants to undergo selection tests.

The information published on ESA’s careers website regarding internship conditions is correct at the time of publication. It is not intended to be exhaustive and may not address all questions you would have.

Nationality

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