Intern in the Commercialisation Department - Innovation Services Section - European Space Agency (Noordwijk)

About this position

The summary below is published by European Space Agency on the official vacancy notice. Our own analysis — salary realism, comparable openings, career trajectory, language profile — follows further down the page.

Key responsibilities

According to the vacancy notice, the role centres on the following duties:

• Support the ESA Innovation Services Section in developing digital tools for monitoring innovation activities
• Conduct requirement and feasibility assessment for tool development projects
• Develop and prototype dashboard for monitoring technology transfer activities
• Develop and prototype tool for discovering existing knowledge and technologies to solve problems
• Develop and prototype tool for expert forecasting on technical questions

Are you eligible?

Check these requirements from the notice before investing time in an application:

• Education: University student, preferably in final or second-to-last year of Master's level course
• Languages: English, French
• Key skills: Software engineering or data science, AI techniques and GenAI, Python programming, APIs and data processing, Data visualisation, Microsoft digital tools, AI and data science fundamentals including agents, RAG, Natural Language Processing (NLP), semantic search and embeddings, Technical architecture and rapid proof-of-concepts, Structured and unstructured data modelling and analysis, Cross-domain problem-solving
• Eligibility: Must be enrolled at university for the entire duration of the internship

Contract and working arrangements

Contract duration: Not stated.

Working arrangements: ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands.

Hiring unit: Commercialisation Department, Innovation Services Section.

Position details

Reference

1452919833

Last Verified

3 November 2026

Position overview

This is the official EU Careers listing for Intern in the Commercialisation Department - Innovation Services Section at ESA based in Noordwijk (Traineeship). The vacancy reference is 1452919833.

Job Requisition ID:20979

Date Posted:1 November 2026

Closing Date:30 November 2026 23:59 CET/CEST

Publication Method:External Only

Directorate:Commercialisation and Industry Partnership

Location ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands

Our team and mission

Within the Commercialisation Department and under the direct authority of the Head of ScaleUp Programme Division, the Innovation Services Section follows three main objectives:

1. nurturing innovation and de-risking projects through dedicated environment, expertise and funding; 2. brokering innovative (space) solutions to ESA programmes or European industry; 3. diversifying space as a business (New Space).

Among other tasks, the Innovation Services Section is in charge of the following business lines:

- ESA Phi-Lab NET, whose mission is to bring research closer to commercialisation by bridging disruptive research and commercial needs; - ESA Technology Brokers Network, whose mission is bridging the gap between space and terrestrial markets.

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

Field(s) of activity for the internship

You will support the ESA Innovation Services Section in developing digital tools for supporting the monitoring of innovation activities, and the innovation process itself.

Following a requirement and feasibility assessment, you will select one or more projects, for the development and prototyping of the following tools:

- dashboard for monitoring technology transfer activities; - tool for discovering existing knowledge and technologies to solve problems (e.g. lessons learnt from past R&D projects and analogous solutions to similar problems), leveraging existing databases and AI agentic capabilities. - tool for expert forecasting on technical questions, to efficiently inject collective intelligence into the design process.

Learning Objectives:

- apply your software engineering or data science skills to develop and refine tools supporting ESA’s innovation services; - gain practical experience in translating conceptual frameworks into operational software; - contribute to ESA’s efforts to provide technology intelligence and support technical innovation; - develop skills in AI and agentic systems, RAG, semantic search, knowledge engineering, and the analysis of structured and unstructured data.

Behavioural competencies

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 are a technically capable and curious problem-solver, able to design and prototype digital tools.

You should be familiar with AI techniques, software development, data visualisation, Microsoft digital tools and stakeholder-oriented innovation work.

Useful competencies include knowledge, skills and/or experience with:

- AI and data science fundamentals, including GenAI, agents, RAG, Natural Language Processing (NLP), semantic search and embeddings; - python, APIs, data processing, technical architecture and rapid proof-of-concepts; - structured and unstructured data modelling, analysis, abstraction and cross-domain problem-solving; - Microsoft Power Platform, dashboards, data visualisation and user-centered interfaces.

Application timeline

This vacancy was first listed on 3 November 2026, today.

The application deadline is 30 November 2026, 26 days from today. Late applications are not accepted, so submit through the official EU Careers portal well in advance.

Last verified against the EU Careers feed on 3 November 2026.

Where to learn more

For headcount, mission, and other open vacancies at ESA see the ESA institution page; for the cost of living, correction coefficient, and other postings in Noordwijk see our Noordwijk location page.

New to EU careers? Our beginner's guide walks through entry routes, EPSO competitions, and what to prepare. For application logistics see application tips and EPSO competitions.