Intern in the Ground Station Department, Ground-Based Communication and Tracking Assets Section

Intern in the Ground Station Department, Ground-Based Communication and Tracking Assets Section

Job Requisition ID: 19976

Date Posted: 1 November 2025

Closing Date: 30 November :59 CET/CEST

Publication: External Only

Type of Contract: Intern

Directorate: Operations

Workplace:Darmstadt, DE

Location

ESOC, Darmstadt, Germany

Our team and mission

The Ground-Based Communication and Tracking Assets Section at the European Space Operation Centre is in charge of the ground station antennas used to transmit telecommands to the satellites operated by the centre and receive their telemetry and payload data.

In our team we take care of the design, procurement, maintenance and evolution of those antennas and their infrastructure. Our expertise spans from radio-frequency to mechanical and servo engineering, and from power generation and distribution to air conditioning systems.

Candidates interested are encouraged to visit the ESA website:

Field(s) of activity for the internship

Topic of the internship : Accurate Deep Space Antennas system performance characterization

ESA owns a network of so called Deep Space Antennas. These are 35m large reflectors antennas installed in Australia, Spain and Argentina to evenly cover the world's surface and provide the link to ESA's and third party's interplanetary and astronomical missions.

A precise characterization of their performance is key to the definition of link budgets for present and future space missions.

Your task will be to develop a tool to derive the antenna system performances for any given pointing position based on antenna location characteristics, antenna structural details and frequency of operation.

Antenna patterns calculations at the high frequency bands of use, such as Ka-Band GHz), require potentially an extremely high computational effort. For this reason it might be needed to evaluate the opportunity to use ESA's super-computer capabilities.

Your tasks shall be:

• to familiarize with the concepts of ground station antenna systems and simulation tools.
• to identify the hardware and software requirements necessary to carry out the requested task.
• to create an RF model of the antennas at the frequencies of interest.
• to use the RF model in conjunction with the environment and pointing conditions to derive the antenna performances.
• to define and describe the interfaces and possibly integrate the developed tools into the ESA official link budget tool.

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.

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

Knowledge of programming tools such as Python is an asset.

Knowledge of antenna simulation tools such as Ticra Tools (GRASP) is 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

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

Please note that applications are only considered from nationals of one of the following States: Austria, Belgium, 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. Applicants from Canada as a Cooperating State can apply as well as those from Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Malta as European Cooperating States (ECS).

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