Intern in the Mechanical Department - Mechanisms Section

ESA; Noordwijk; On-site; EUR 10,000 - 15,000; Part time

Job summary

ESA's ESTEC in Noordwijk invites a university student to join the Mechanical Department – Mechanisms Section as an intern. You will work on design, analysis, and testing of space mechanisms, using MATLAB/Simulink, CAD tools, and FEM software.

The role involves feasibility assessment, participation in R&D activities, and support for design reviews, CDF studies, and hands-on lab work at ESTEC's Hands-on Laboratory Facility. English or French required; multiple nationalities welcome.

Qualifications

• Must be a university student enrolled for the full duration of the internship.
• Good knowledge of English or French.
• Interest in space mechanisms and tribology.

Responsibilities

• Review design, analysis, simulation, and testing activities for space mechanisms.
• Assess feasibility of new mechanism concepts.
• Support R&D activities and project reviews.
• Participate in Concurrent Design Facility (CDF) studies.
• Assist in prototyping and testing using ESTEC facilities.

Skills

Mechanical engineering

Mechatronics

Analytical thinking

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

MATLAB/Simulink

FreeCAD

SolidWorks

Abaqus

ANYS Maxwell

COMSOL

ADAMS

LabVIEW

Job description

Location
ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands

• Workplace: Noordwijk, NL
• Type of Appointment: Intern

Intern in the Mechanical Department - Mechanisms Section

Our team and mission

The Structures, Mechanisms and Materials Division (TEC-MS) is the centre of competence of the Agency in all areas related to Spacecraft and Launcher Structures, Mechanisms, as well as Materials and Processes.

Within this frame, the Mechanism Section (TEC-MSM) is the focal point for matters relating to the design, engineering and verification of space mechanisms.

This entails in particular responsibility for:

• overall mechanisms definition, design and engineering;
• mechanisms performance evaluation, simulation and analysis (including hardware tests where appropriate);
• mechanisms technology research and development (addressing areas such as tribology/lubrication engineering, tribology free and compliant mechanisms, mechanical components including ball bearings and gears, position sensors, electric motors, new/alternative actuation principles e.g. by using active/smart materials, …);
• mechanism and actuator drive and control concepts targeting higher positioning accuracy and/or lower micro-disturbances;
• pyrotechnics.

Field(s) of activity for the internship

You will be given some specific tasks, which may include:

• critical review of design / analysis / simulation / optimisation / test activities / characterisation / validation (up to the correlation of analysis with test results) in the domain of space mechanisms;
• feasibility assessment of new mechanism design concepts;
• participation in the definition and implementation of R&D activities;
• participation in the project review process;
• participation in CDF (Concurrent Design Facility) studies;
• support of in-house research and technology investigations using hands-on laboratory facilities.

In the frame of above-mentioned activities, you may have to use the following software packages: MATLAB/Simulink®, CAD design tools (such as FreeCAD or SolidWorks) or other more specialised software tools (such as Abaqus, ANSYS Maxwell, COMSOL, ADAMS, LabVIEW, CABARET, RBS-DYN, OptiStruct, etc.), with particular emphasis on:

• time and frequency domain performance representation and analysis;
• multi-body system modelling and simulation;
• design (including topology optimisation) and FEM analysis of compliant mechanisms;
• electromagnetic system modelling and simulation;
• multiphysics modelling and simulation;
• ball bearing loading/strength and stiffness analysis;
• test data acquisition and post-processing

Furthermore, you may be involved in development, design, manufacturing and test activities using and extending the test benches of the Space Mechanisms Hands-on Laboratory Facility at ESTEC. You may also be involved in the prototyping of various mechanisms by utilising additive manufacturing capabilities available at ESTEC.

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.

Specific competence in one of the following disciplines will be considered an asset:

Mechanical and mechatronics engineering, with a good understanding of tribology, ball bearings, gears, electrical motors, sensors, smart materials and compliant mechanisms, as well as of instrumentation and testing of electro-mechanical equipment.

Proficiency in the use of engineering software tools would be very helpful.

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

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
• the United Kingdom