Intern in the Electrical Department - GNC Systems Architecture Section

ESA; Noordwijk; On-site; EUR 6,700 - 10,000; Part time

Job summary

ESA invites students to join the Electrical Department - GNC Systems Architecture Section in Noordwijk as an intern. The role focuses on adapting the internal simulation infrastructure to support the GNC System definition for future planetary exploration missions.

You will work on defining the GNC System architecture, designing landing trajectories under mission constraints, and tailoring guidance, navigation, and control algorithms to meet future project needs.

Qualifications

• You must be a university student, preferably in your final or second-to-last year of your Master’s programme.
• You must be able to prove enrollment at your university for the entire duration of the internship.
• Knowledge of GNC simulators or related tools is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Adapt existing Descent and Landing simulators to support the Enceladus L4 mission.
• Develop a tool to assess landing performance and identify key GNC challenges.
• Define the GNC System architecture and tailor algorithms to meet mission requirements.

Skills

GNC simulations

English communication

Education

Master's student in Aerospace/Engineering

Tools

Julia programming

Job description

As an Intern in the Electrical Department - GNC Systems Architecture Section, you will adapt the internal simulation infrastructure to support the definition of the GNC System for future planetary exploration missions.

• Type of Appointment: Intern
• Workplace: Noordwijk, NL
• Location: ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands

Our team and mission

The Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC) Systems Architecture Section provides functional support to ESA projects in the technical field of GNC systems for planetary exploration orbiters and landers, launch and transportation systems, re-entry vehicles, and new generation space vehicles for in-orbit servicing, in-orbit assembly, debris removal and specialised applications such as rendezvous and formation flying.

The GNC Systems Architecture Section carries out technological research in the domain of GNC systems for space vehicles including interplanetary cruise, aero assistance, precision landing, ascent, rendezvous and docking, re-entry, formation flying and drag-free systems.

Special emphasis is placed on the following areas: autonomous and fault-tolerant systems (including health monitoring systems), advanced guidance, control, estimation and optimisation techniques and tools, and the technology development of GNC sensors with a focus on vision-based navigation and hybrid navigation concepts.

Field(s) of activity for the internship

In particular, the activity focuses on adapting existing Descent and Landing simulators to support the Enceladus L4 mission (Science future mission).

The objective is to develop a tool to be used to assess preliminary landing performance and identify the key GNC challenges associated with the mission, in order to inform the mission designers of the critical developments needed in future project phases.

The work will involve defining the GNC System architecture (sensors, actuators, modes, functional GNC architecture), designing a suitable landing trajectory taking into account the relevant mission and environmental constraints, and tailoring the existing guidance, navigation, and control algorithms to meet mission requirements.

Behavioural competencies

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

Education

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.

Knowledge and background in GNC simulator architectures and a basic knowledge of the Julia programming language is an asset.

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

During the recruitment process, the Agency may request applicants to undergo selection tests.

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.