Intern in the Ground Systems Engineering & Innovation Department - Mission Analysis Section - European Space Agency (Darmstadt)

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:

• Develop a trajectory optimisation framework based on ESA's mission analysis software infrastructure
• Investigate transfer strategies under full-ephemeris dynamics of the Sun-Earth-Moon system
• Investigate the range of comet encounter geometries achievable within spacecraft propulsion capabilities
• Analyze the influence of parking orbit characteristics on transfer trajectories
• Exploit unstable manifolds associated with the parking orbit to reduce required ΔV
• Optimize encounter date and analyze its influence
• Assess impact of mission and operational constraints on encounter conditions
• Analyze sensitivity of transfer solutions to uncertainties in target orbit knowledge

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 (good kn…), French (good kn…)
• Eligibility: Must be enrolled at university for the entire duration of the internship

Contract and working arrangements

Contract duration: Not specified.

Working arrangements: ESOC, Darmstadt, Germany.

Hiring unit: Mission Analysis Section, Flight Dynamics Division, Ground Systems Engineering Department.

Position details

Reference

1452808933

Last Verified

10 November 2026

Position overview

This is the official EU Careers listing for Intern in the Ground Systems Engineering & Innovation Department - Mission Analysis Section at ESA based in Darmstadt (Traineeship). The vacancy reference is 1452808933.

Job Requisition ID:21142

Date Posted:1 November 2026

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

Publication Method:External Only

Location ESOC, Darmstadt, Germany

Our team and mission

You will be part of the Mission Analysis Section, Flight Dynamics Division, Ground Systems Engineering Department.

The Mission Analysis Section is entrusted with mission studies for future terrestrial, lunar and interplanetary missions as well as scientific missions located in planetary or lunar libration points. The emphasis is typically on trajectory and attitude related aspects, and on supporting ground segment design and operations. This includes trade-offs for selection of the nominal mission trajectory, definition of manoeuvering strategies, optimisation of orbital manoeuvres (low- and high-thrust propulsion, including rocket ascent trajectories), calculation of propellant budget, analysis of launch window, analysis of orbit perturbations and navigation. The task also includes the development of the necessary analytical and numerical methods and software tools.

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

Field(s) of activity for the internship

​Comet Interceptor, the first ESA F-class mission under the Cosmic Vision Programme, targets a yet-to-be-discovered dynamically new or long-period comet. To retain the ability to select a target even after launch, the spacecraft will wait in a parking orbit around the Sun-Earth L2 Lagrange point. Once a suitable comet is identified, the transfer trajectory may follow one of two baseline strategies: a direct escape from L2 or an escape assisted by a lunar gravity assist. A small number of particularly challenging targets may require more complex trajectories exploiting an Earth powered swing-by, the weak stability boundary, or a Delta-V Earth Gravity Assist (ΔVEGA).

​

​In this internship, you will develop a trajectory optimisation framework based on ESA's mission analysis software infrastructure to investigate the most suitable transfer strategies under the full-ephemeris dynamics of the Sun-Earth-Moon system. Even when formulated within the simplified Circular Restricted Three-Body Problem (CR3BP), the transfer trajectory optimisation problem exhibits a rich landscape of local optima and a wide variety of feasible trajectory geometries.

The study will investigate:

- T he range of comet encounter geometries in the ecliptic plane that can be achieved within the spacecraft propulsion capabilities; - t he influence of the parking orbit characteristics, including variations resulting from launch-window and injection conditions; - ​t he exploitation of the unstable manifolds associated with the parking orbit to reduce the required ΔV; - the influence of the encounter date optimisation; - t he impact of mission and operational constraints, as well as available flexibility on the optimisation of encounter conditions for scientific return; - t he sensitivity of transfer solutions to uncertainties in the target orbit knowledge and the evolution of these solutions as orbit determination improves; - ​t he trade-off between transfer time and ΔV through Pareto-front analysis, comparing at least the direct escape and lunar gravity-assist strategies.

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.

Application timeline

This vacancy was first listed on 10 November 2026, today.

The application deadline is 30 November 2026, 19 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 10 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 Darmstadt see our Darmstadt 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.