Intern in the Earth Observation Projects Department - Event-Aware On-Board Processing for CHIME - 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:

• Define configurable processing modes for land, ocean and night-time observations
• Integrate existing compact detection methods into the mission end-to-end simulator
• Connect detection masks with selective compression and data-prioritisation policies
• Quantify detection performance, false alarms, scientific-data preservation and potential downlink savings
• Assess robustness across different geographic regions, seasons, illumination conditions and representative instrument effects
• Define operating limits, verification criteria, traceability information and fallback behaviour
• Deliver reproducible software, trained models, documented datasets and a technical report suitable for public presentation or publication
• Develop a staged validation concept using reference and candidate processing configurations

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; must be able to prove enrollment for entire internship duration
• Experience: Practical experience with Python and a deep-learning framework
• Languages: English, French
• Key skills: Background in machine learning, computer vision, signal processing or remote sensing, Python programming, Deep-learning framework experience, Hyperspectral data familiarity (asset), Transfer learning (asset), Model compression (asset), Uncertainty estimation (asset)

Selection process

The notice describes the following selection steps:

• Interview to explore motivation for applying to this role

Contract and working arrangements

Contract duration: Internship.

Hiring unit: Earth Observation Programmes Directorate.

Position details

Reference

1452878233

Last Verified

4 November 2026

Position overview

This is the official EU Careers listing for Intern in the Earth Observation Projects Department - Event-Aware On-Board Processing for CHIME at ESA based in Noordwijk (Traineeship). The vacancy reference is 1452878233.

Job Requisition ID:21179

Date Posted:1 November 2026

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

Publication Method:External Only

Directorate:Earth Observation Programmes

Location ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands

Our team and mission

Field(s) of activity for the internship

Topic of the internship: Event-Aware On-Board Processing for CHIME: From Detection to Operations

Join the Copernicus Hyperspectral Imaging Mission for the Environment and help turn two public research prototypes into an integrated mission-level on-board processing concept. Previous work produced public results on marine-anomaly screening and night-time fire detection. You will integrate these methods into a configurable decision layer that identifies scientifically valuable pixels and controls how data are preserved, compressed and prioritised for downlink.

Core activities:

- define configurable processing modes for land, ocean and night-time observations; - integrate the existing compact detection methods into the mission end-to-end simulator; - connect detection masks with selective compression and data-prioritisation policies; - quantify detection performance, false alarms, scientific-data preservation and potential downlink savings; - assess robustness across different geographic regions, seasons, illumination conditions and representative instrument effects; - define operating limits, verification criteria, traceability information and fallback behaviour; - deliver reproducible software, trained models, documented datasets and a technical report suitable for public presentation or publication.

Depending on the progress:

- develop a staged validation concept using reference and candidate processing configurations, including possible use of the two-satellite constellation.

Learning objectives

By the end of the internship, you will be able to:

- translate machine-learning prototypes into a mission-level processing and operations concept; - evaluate detection performance together with data-volume, product-quality and operational constraints; - design reproducible end-to-end simulation and validation campaigns; - understand how on-board processing interacts with satellite operations, data compression and ground processing; - define operational limits, verification evidence and safe fallback behaviour for configurable processing methods; - communicate results through clear technical documentation, well-structured software and quantitative evidence.

You will work with mission engineers, data-processing specialists and Earth-observation scientists. You will have access to mission simulation tools, curated datasets and the results of previous internships.

The principal outcome will be a reproducible prototype and validation package demonstrating how event-aware processing could increase mission value while maintaining scientific traceability and controlled operational complexity.

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 should also have:

- background in machine learning, computer vision, signal processing or remote sensing; - practical experience with Python and a deep-learning framework; - familiarity with hyperspectral data, transfer learning, model compression or uncertainty estimation is an asset.

Application timeline

This vacancy was first listed on 4 November 2026, 3 days ago.

The application deadline is 30 November 2026, 21 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 4 November 2026 (3 days ago).

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.