Intern in Ai, Data Foundation and Digital Twins

Intern in AI, Data Foundation and Digital Twins- **Job Requisition ID**:19933- **Date Posted**:1 November 2025- **Closing Date**:30 November 2025 23:59 CET/CEST- **Publication**:External Only- **Type of Contract**:Intern- **Directorate**:Operations- **Workplace**:Darmstadt, DE**Location**
ESOC, Darmstadt, Germany
** Our team and mission**-
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The Ground Systems Engineering and Innovation Department is responsible for all the ground systems engineering and support activities required to support mission operations and implement innovation.
- The Department maintains and manages a full level of competences, technologies and services in all engineering disciplines related to ground systems, infrastructure, technology evolution and Engineering R&T and innovation. Moreover, it provides expert support in these areas to the Directorate of Operations for all current and potential missions and leads, in the role of architect, ground systems evolution and innovation implementation in the infrastructure and to other ESA programs. Furthermore it is responsible for the overall technical innovation and technical standardisation coordination for the ground segment.
You can see following domains of the department's expertise:

ground Station Engineering
- flight Dynamics and Mission Analysis
- mission Operations Data Systems Engineering
- navigation Support
- multi-Mission Infrastructure - Ground Segment Integration and Testing

** Field(s) of activity for the internship**-
-** You can choose between the following topics**:
-** Topic 1: Data Foundations and Structures**-Spacecraft and their associated ground data systems generate vast amounts of data during the monitoring and control process. This data is stored, processed, and analysed within the mission operations ground segment to ensure spacecraft health, correlate events, and support the development of artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms.-In this topic, you will explore the Agency's data foundations and structures, focusing on their role in advanced mission operations. This includes how data is ingested, managed, and curated, with emphasis on data governance, quality, lineage, accessibility, and compliance to enable data democratization. You can focus on the preparation of AI-ready datasets from existing operational or synthetically generated data, the verification and validation processes of AI, enhance AI model explainability, or address security challenges such as adversarial attacks and data poisoning. Overall, you will design and implement software to expand capabilities and resolve operational issues related to the Data Foundation of a Mission Operations Ground Segment.-** Topic 2: Artificial Intelligence for Space Operations**- --**Topic 3: Digital Twins, AI Enhanced Simulation Models and Machine Learning**--
- Simulators are complex software systems used to simulate the behavior of the spacecraft and ground equipment, and are used for testing of the ground segment and the training of the flight control team, as well as integration with operational simulators of other agencies (e.g. in the context of the planned international collaboration in the Moon/Mars programmes).
Advancements in simulation technologies includes the integration of Digital Twins concepts and the use of Machine Learning algorithms to process signals (time-series) and enhance the modeling of the complex spacecraft systems, predicting their behavior under various operational conditions and helping support and address resolution of operational issue.

** 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 studying 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.-
Topic 1: knowledge or academic specialization in data centric architectures and engineering is an asset.** Diversity, Equity and Inclusiveness**
- **Important Information and Disclaimer**
During the recruitment process, the Agency may request applicants to undergo selection tests.
- 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**
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