Intern in the Future Missions Department - NoovaMoon Project

ESA; Noordwijk; On-site; EUR 10,000 - 17,000; Full time

Job summary

ESA invites an internship in the Future Missions Department (NoovaMoon Project) at ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands. You will join an internal R&D group working on lunar and Martian navigation concepts, with a focus on NovaMoon, GNSS-like lunar signals, and differential corrections.

The role includes developing software tools, setting up testbeds, and reporting findings to engineers. The internship requires enrollment for the full duration and good knowledge of English or French; knowledge of

Qualifications

• You must be a university student, preferably in your final or second-to-last year of your Master’s degree.
• You must be enrolled at your university for the entire duration of the internship.

Responsibilities

• Review state-of-the-art time-transfer techniques and navigation signal monitoring strategies for lunar missions like NovaMoon.
• Contribute to ESA software tools and simulation capabilities, including SDR receivers for navigation and timing engines.
• Participate in hands-on lab activities to design and set up a representative testbed integrated with the simulation environment.
• Plan and execute a test campaign to evaluate system performance under laboratory conditions.
• Document the test approach and results, and present key findings to the engineering team.

Job description

As part of the Future PNT Projects Division (RNC-FF), we lead the coordination of all Position, Navigation, and Timing contributions in the context of future lunar, Martian and Solar System exploration.

• Role: Intern in the Future Missions Department - NoovaMoon Project
• Location: ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands
• Type of appointment: Intern

Our team and mission

This is currently implemented through various programmes: Lunar Pathfinder satellite (which includes a GNSS demonstration payload), Moonlight Programme (which involves the development of a GNSS-like lunar constellation, in addition to communication services), NovaMoon Mission (which aims to deploy a lunar station at the south pole of the Moon to monitor and augment GNSS-like lunar constellations, provide timing services and perform scientific experiments) and the planned future MARCONI Mars-dedicated communication and navigation system (currently under assessment).

To support ESA's internal capability to follow up on these activities, the Division has established an ESA-internal R&D team fully dedicated to lunar and Martian navigation system engineering and performance analysis. This includes the development of specialised advanced exploration simulation models and tools, carried out in close collaboration with the ESA Technical Directorate.

As part of this internship, you will join this internal R&D group contributing to the analysis of on-going program activities and the development of future advanced PNT concepts for planetary exploration with a focus on the NovaMoon mission.

Field(s) of activity for the internship

This internship offers the opportunity to contribute to the NovaMoon mission, with a focus on three key areas of the payload: navigation signal monitoring, time transfer, and the generation of differential corrections.

As an intern, you will have the following tasks:

• reviewing state-of-the-art time-transfer techniques, navigation signal monitoring strategies, and differential correction methods for lunar navigation missions such as NovaMoon;
• contributing to the development of ESA software tools and simulation capabilities used to assess candidate models and processing approaches, including software-defined radio receivers for signal processing and positioning, navigation, and timing engines;
• taking part in hands‑on laboratory activities to design and set up a representative testbed aligned with the simulation environment;
• planning and conducting a test campaign to evaluate system performance under representative laboratory conditions;
• documenting the test approach and results, and presenting the key findings and recommendations to the engineering team.

Behavioural competencies

Result Orientation
Operational EfficiencyFostering CooperationRelationship ManagementContinuous ImprovementForward 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.

The following are considered assets:

• knowledge and background in satellite radio-navigation systems;
• knowledge and background in position estimation and/or sensor fusion;
• knowledge and background in signal processing, GNSS receivers and software‑defined radio;
• good knowledge of and experience with Python.

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

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.