Intern in the Systems Department - Navigation Systems Implementation and Validation Section

EU Satellite Centre (SatCen); Noordwijk; On-site; EUR 7,800 - 12,000; Full time

Job summary

ESA's ESTEC in Noordwijk invites university students to join the End-To-End Systems Engineering Division in NAVLAB. You will perform an end-to-end system study on distributed in-space processing architectures and contribute to exploring AI/ML, edge computing, and on-board data handling.

This internship offers hands-on experience in space systems engineering, hardware-in-the-Loop testing, and laboratory integration.

Qualifications

• Must be a university student enrolled for the duration of the internship.
• Good knowledge of Python and data analysis tools.
• Familiarity with cloud computing, distributed computing, and AI/ML concepts.

Responsibilities

• Perform an end-to-end system study on distributed in-space processing architectures.
• Assess architectural trades: centralized vs distributed processing, edge computing in space, onboard AI/ML processing opportunities.
• Define representative use cases for ESA activities (GNSS, Earth observation, autonomous onboard decisions).
• Design and prepare a Hardware-in-the-Loop compute node to be installed in NAVLAB.

Skills

Python

Data analysis tools

Cloud computing

Distributed computing

AI/ML basics

Education

Master's degree enrollment required

Job description

Location
ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands

Our team and mission

The End-To-End Systems Engineering Division (TEC-SE) is responsible for supporting projects for the Engineering of E2E systems, the associated security aspects, E2E systems integration/verification activities (SIV), and service preparation. To serve these functions, the Head of the End-To-End Systems Engineering Division defines and executes the associated technology developments and studies, as well as the verification and validation laboratory facilities, and supports the preparation of the relevant engineering standards.

The E2E Systems Division consists of five sections and associated laboratory facilities:

• Navigation Systems Definition Section;
• Navigation Systems Implementation and Validation Section;
• Systems Security Engineering Section;
• Telecommunication Systems and Techniques Section;
• E2E System Comms Section.

The role will be within the Navigation Systems Implementation and Validation Section, which provides expert advice and engineering support to ESA projects, programmes, and studies in the fields of Navigation and Earth Observation.

Future space missions are increasingly moving from traditional ground-centric data processing towards Distributed In-Space Processing (DISP) architectures, where computational resources are deployed directly on satellites, constellations, orbital platforms, or distributed space infrastructures. Such architectures can significantly reduce latency, optimise communication links, improve autonomy, and enable advanced services for Navigation, Positioning, Timing (PNT), Earth Observation (EO), and future space data centre concepts.
Within TEC-SEI and NAVLAB, there is a growing need to assess the benefits, limitations, and implementation challenges of distributed computing architectures in space and to establish laboratory capabilities capable of demonstrating representative operational scenarios through Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) experimentation.

Candidates interested are encouraged to visit the ESA website: http://www.esa.int

Field(s) of activity for the internship

You will perform an end-to-end system study aimed at:

1. Identifying and analysing candidate distributed in-space processing architectures applicable to:
   
   • satellite Navigation and PNT services;
   • space-based augmentation and integrity monitoring;
   • earth observation data processing and analytics;
   • future space data centre and orbital cloud computing concepts.
2. Assessing key architectural trades, including:
   
   • centralised versus distributed processing;
   • edge computing in space;
   • data routing and communication requirements;
   • on-board AI/ML processing opportunities;
   • inter-satellite networking and resource sharing;
   • resilience, scalability, and cybersecurity considerations.
3. Defining representative use cases relevant to ESA activities, including:
   
   • GNSS signal processing and integrity monitoring;
   • collaborative navigation services;
   • earth observation image pre-processing and data reduction;
   • autonomous onboard decision-making;
   • multi-satellite cooperative processing.
4. Designing and preparing a Hardware-in-the-Loop compute node to be installed in the NAVLAB, enabling experimentation with representative distributed processing scenarios.

You will gain practical experience in:

• space systems engineering;
• distributed computing architectures;
• navigation and PNT systems;
• earth observation processing chains;
• hardware-in-the-Loop testing methodologies;
• high-performance embedded computing;
• AI/ML applications for space systems;
• laboratory integration and experimentation.

Behavioural competencies

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

For more information, please refer to ESA Core Behavioural Competencies guidebook

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.

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

You should also have:

• good knowledge of Python and data analysis tools;
• some familiarity with satellite systems and space communications;
• some familiarity with cloud computing, data centre architectures or distributed computing;
• basic understanding of artificial intelligence and high-performance computing concepts.

Familiarity with systems engineering and modelling/simulation tools would be 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.

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

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.