Internal Research Fellowship Opportunity in the Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality.

ESA is an equal opportunity employer, committed to achieving diversity within the workforce and creating an inclusive working environment. For this purpose, we welcome applications from all qualified candidates irrespective of gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, beliefs, age, disability or other characteristics. Applications from women are encouraged.

This post is classified F2 on the Coordinated Organisations’ salary scale.

Location
ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands  

Our team and mission

The Software Systems Division deals with development techniques for ground and space systems, covers all life cycle aspects from requirements specification to development, verification, validation and maintenance. The role of the Division’s Software Technology Section is to explore the use of new technologies in these areas, with a particular focus on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) techniques in space software engineering.

This includes several technology areas, such as:

• planning techniques to increase the onboard autonomy of spacecraft, in particular in telecommunication and Earth observation constellation missions;
• software engineering process optimisation using artificial intelligence techniques, for example requirement engineering, verification and validation of code and documentation generation;
• trustworthiness of AI, including generative AI, for the verification and validation of AI-based applications, uncertainty and robustness quantification.

As a Research Fellow, you will work in a team of experienced engineers in the domain of space software and AI. You will be able to interface with experts from other engineering disciplines for applications and potential demonstrations. You will be responsible for:

• prototype applications, proofs of concept and related tests in the departmental laboratory facilities to assess the technologies developed. This may be in the areas of mission management or software engineering processes, covering requirement engineering, model-based software engineering and software coding and validation;
• providing expertise in AI and/or machine learning (ML) for the development of AI/ML systems and their applications, supporting ESA missions and projects, ESA R&D activities, or ESA working groups on AI/ML;
• supporting the elaboration of an AI/ML strategy for use in space systems and processes, together with an associated roadmap and risks;
• disseminating the results of technical reporting through peer-reviewed journal publications, colloquiums and webinars;
• contributing to the development of advanced benchmark problems that can serve as baseline and reference cases for various R&D projects.

You are encouraged to visit the ESA website: https://www.esa.int/

Field(s) of activity/research for the traineeship

In line with the application areas and technology domains, you will be assigned to consolidating research and applying AI technology to a specific topic(s), which will be detailed and consolidated in accordance with your profile and experience.

Technical competencies

Behavioural competencies

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

Education

A PhD in artificial intelligence, software engineering or data science is required.
Preference will be given to applications submitted by candidates who have obtained their PhD in the past five years.

Additional requirements

You should also have:

• A good knowledge of critical software development processes is an asset.
• This position, located at the intersection between academic approaches and industrial applications, and between AI and software systems engineering, is at the core of the challenges relating to the current embedded systems. It also provides an opportunity to transition gradually from an academic context to an industrial setting.
• You should have good interpersonal and communication skills in order to interact with the systems engineering, AI and MBSE community and be able to work in a multicultural environment, both independently and as part of a team. A methodological approach and good organisational skills are required.
• You should demonstrate an interest in space, with the ability to and an interest in becoming actively involved in prospective interdisciplinary research.
   

The working languages of the Agency are English and French. A good knowledge of one of these is required. Knowledge of another Member State language would be an asset.     

Other information

For behavioural competencies expected from ESA staff in general, please refer to the ESA Competency Framework.

For further information on the Internal Research Fellowship Programme please visit: Internal Research Fellowship

The Agency may require applicants to undergo selection tests.

In addition to your CV and your motivation letter, please add your proposal of no more than 5 pages outlining your proposed research in the "additional documents" field of the "application information" section.

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 at contact.human.resources@esa.int.

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

According to the ESA Convention, the recruitment of staff must take into account an adequate distribution of posts among nationals of the ESA Member States*. When short-listing for an interview, priority will first be given to candidates from under-represented Member States*.

In accordance with the European Space Agency’s security procedures and as part of the selection process, successful candidates will be required to undergo basic screening before appointment conducted by an external background screening service. 

*Member States, Associate Members or Cooperating States.