ESA Graduate Trainee in Computational Neuroscience

Our team and mission

The Technology Department is responsible for the technology strategy, the research and technology development
programmes, the education programme and the directorates communication activities.

In particular, this includes, together with all relevant directorates:

• developing and implementing ESA’s technology strategy;
• organising studies, research and developments to provide an integrated, continuous technology development path
  from TRL1 to TRL9 according to strategic and programmatic needs, available competences and resources;
• coordinating and harmonising technology developments with ESA’s application and programme specific technology
  development programmes, European and national technology development programmes;
• developing and implementing a resource and competence plan for conducting R&D activities, together with the
  Management Support Office and the other departments;
• preparing future missions and their technologies through early phase studies, system analyses, feasibility
  assessments, and establishing mission baselines for DG, Directorate, and Member State decisions;
• developing together with the TEC business partners, Senior Technical Authorities and System engineers effective
  R&D processes addressing user and programme needs;
• liaising with D/CIC on commercialisation and competitiveness aspects of R&D activities, and ensure the alignment
  of ESA's technology strategy with the strategies in these domains;
• liaising with D/OPS on ground system R&D activities;
• integrating relevant Education activities into the R&D management processes;
• communicating the value of ESA’s technical competence, infrastructure and facilities;
• coordinating in close cooperation with corporate communication at ESA, TEC communication activities;
• managing TEC internal communication activities.

This EGT will take place within ESA's Advanced Concepts Team (ACT).
ESA’s Advanced Concepts Team (ACT) monitors, performs, and promotes cutting-edge multidisciplinary research for space. It
explores innovative approaches to space-related R&D, including competitions, prizes, and games, as well as research aimed
at fostering disruptive innovation. The team develops an expert network within academia and provides rapid first-look
analyses of challenges, opportunities, and problems.

The ACT collaborates with universities and research centers, focusing on advanced topics of strategic relevance to the space
sector while experimenting with novel teamwork methods. To achieve its objectives, the ACT fosters a dynamic,
multidisciplinary research environment where early-career researchers—spanning postdoctoral and postgraduate levels in
science and engineering—contribute to the development of emerging technologies and innovative concepts.

You are encouraged to visit the ACT website: www.esa.int/act as well as the ESA website: http://www.esa.int

Field(s) of activity/research for the traineeship

Your primary work will focus on computational neuroscience and bio-inspired machine learning. The ACT has an
established research line in biomimetics for space applications [1], including work in neuromorphic computing [2],
retinomorphic vision [3], spiking neural networks for onboard processing [4], and vision-based scene modeling [5], on top
of the ELOPE challenge and Ariadna collaborations, including biologically inspired continuous onboard learning and lowenergy
spiking neural networks for scene classification.
These efforts highlight the interplay between biological and artificial systems. Neural networks, originally inspired by
biology, are the basis of modern AI, while computational tools increasingly deepen our understanding of real neural
circuits at both cellular and network levels. Despite progress, current neural networks still only loosely resemble their
biological counterparts: they use firing-rate approximations rather than spiking dynamics, rely on feedforward architectures
instead of recurrent circuits, and exclude key non-neuronal elements such as astrocytes.

While you are encouraged to propose your own projects, the following topics have been identified as potential areas of
research:

• fundamental spiking neural network research: conduct fundamental research on spiking neural network
  computation, focusing on efficient encoding and training in the spiking domain.
• bio-inspired neuromorphic computing: develop bio-inspired neuromorphic computing solutions, such as neural
  plasticity and novel neuron models, and retina-inspired neuromorphic sensors.
• biomimetic architectures and models: following ACT recent work on connectomics [6], investigate examples of
  biological neural networks and their properties. Extract what characteristics of biological brain can be reproduced in
• artificial environments and how such characteristics can be used for soft computational challenges such as online
  learning and resilience to damage.
  beyond neurons: brain and connectomes are so much more than just neurons. investigate the field of
  computational glioscience for alternative ways of implement and train neural networks.

As a member of the Advanced Concepts Team (ACT), you will contribute to the development and evaluation of innovative
space technologies and concepts. You will collaborate with experts across various disciplines, including biomimetics, artificial
intelligence, computer science, fundamental physics, and mission analysis. Depending on your background and interests, you
will engage in diverse initiatives, such as studies conducted under ESA’s Ariadna scheme, and assist in communicating
research findings both within ESA and to external audiences.

Finally, you will monitor—and if feasible, contribute to—ESA's Discovery and Preparation campaigns by refining early study
definitions and possibly participating in select activities.

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References:
1. Ayre, D.M. (2004). Biomimetics Applied to Space Exploration
2. Izzo, D., Hadjiivanov, A., Dold, D., Meoni, G., & Blazquez, E. (2022). Neuromorphic Computing and Sensing in Space,
arXiv:2212.05236
3. Pyrception for bio-inspired perception in Python: https://github.com/cantordust/pyrception
4. Kucik, A. S., & Meoni, G. (2021). Investigating Spiking Neural Networks for Energy-Efficient On-Board AI
Applications, CVPR Workshops, pp. 2020–2030
5. Mergy, A., Lecuyer, G., Derksen, D., & Izzo, D. (2021). Vision-based Neural Scene Representations for Spacecraft,
arXiv:2105.06405
6. Costi, L.; Hadjiivanov, A.; Dold, D.; Hale, Z.F.; Izzo, D. The Drosophila Connectome as a Computational Reservoir for
Time-Series Prediction. Biomimetics 2025, 10, 341.

Technical competencies

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 should have recently completed or be in the final year of your master’s degree in Computational Neuroscience, Computer Science, Biophysics, Biomedical Engineering or related subject.

Additional requirements

You should have good interpersonal and communication skills and should be able to work in a multicultural environment, both independently and as part of a team. Previous experience of working in international teams can be considered an asset. Your motivation, overall professional perspective and career goals will also be explored during the later stages of the selection process. 

The working languages of the Agency are English and French. A good knowledge of one of these is required. Knowledge of
another Member State language would be an asset.