ESA Graduate Trainee in End-to-End Space Systems Communications Engineering

Our team and mission

The purpose of the E2E Systems Engineering Division is to lead or provide support to the Agency’s activities that require expertise in the field of end-to-end systems engineering, in line with ESA’s strategic objectives.

The technical domain covers the:

• definition, design, implementation and validation of telecommunications and connectivity systems, radio navigation, localisation and PNT systems, formation flying and radio-frequency metrology;
• end-to-end engineering and performance of space systems of scientific and applied nature, performing remote sensing and observations in the radio-frequency and optical band;
• engineering activities related to the end-to-end communication capability of ESA missions, for system-internal and user-oriented data flows, including ranging, tracking and time-transfer, system aspects of telemetry, tracking and command and payload data transmission links, deep space and near-Earth communication links, proximity and intersatellite links;
• all aspects of security engineering, including cyber security, crypto, hardware and software security, link and data protection, frameworks, processes, vulnerability assessment, and countermeasures at system, element and application levels, including AI and quantum;
• ground mission segment and user segment, engineering, implementation and validation activities at segment and element level, and all related techniques and technologies;
• testing and monitoring of the system/segment/service performance and signal in space quality during preparation and operational phases.

The domain also covers the design, development and testing of the associated pre-commercial and commercial ground (user/mission) infrastructure and equipment.

The Division covers system/segment/end-to-end payload concepts, architectures and trade-offs, performance and budget analysis, techniques and algorithms (coding, modulation, access, synchronisation, networking, etc.), signal in space, and signal processing, digital/analogue communication, networks and protocols across the full stack, from the physical to the application layer, for radio-frequency and optical links/observation of passive and active instruments, interfaces and data flows, for the ground-to-space, space-to-space and space-to-user links.

The E2E Systems Division consists of five sections and associated laboratory facilities:

1. Navigation Systems Engineering Section
2. Navigation Systems Implementation Section
3. Systems Security Engineering Section
4. Telecommunication Systems and Techniques Section
5. E2E System Comms Section

The traineeship will be within E2E System Comms Section and will mainly focus on end-to-end communications, including certain security aspects, covered by the third and fourth sections listed above.

The E2E Systems Division is currently supported by five laboratories:

1. E2E Engineering Laboratory
2. Navigation Laboratory
3. Secure Navigation Laboratory
4. Telecommunication Laboratory
5. Cyber Laboratory

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

Field(s) of activity/research for the traineeship

As an ESA Graduate Trainee in the End-to-End (E2E) System Engineering Division, you will work on the end-to-end engineering of space communication system architecture across the full stack, from radio-frequency or optical transmission links to networking and mission data delivery. 

Your activities will support missions ranging from navigation, telecommunications and Earth observation to science and human and robotic exploration, in environments from near-Earth to deep space, and in projects such as Galileo, LEO-PNT, IRIS2, ERS, Moonlight, Copernicus etc.

Your activities will include tasks among the following:

• defining and assessing end-to-end communication architectures for single spacecraft and constellations across ground-to-space, space-to-ground and space-to-space links (including intersatellite crosslinks, relay scenarios and proximity links);
• developing and using high-fidelity end-to-end simulation models, including “digital twin” style representations of spacecraft or constellations from early mission phases, to support trade-offs, verification and risk reduction;
• performing end-to-end performance analyses and budgets, linking physical-layer choices to mission constraints and service performance;
• engineering higher-layer networking and data transport for challenged environments, including delay- and disruption-tolerant networking, bundle-based forwarding and reliable file delivery, with attention to interoperability and operations concepts;
• addressing the resilience and security of communications, including protection of links and data, robustness to disruptions and interference, and systematic testing through fault and threat scenario injection;
• implementing, upgrading and maintaining simulation software (mainly in Python or similar languages), integrating representative models (spacecraft subsystems, onboard software, ground interfaces and environment effects) within a reusable simulation framework capable of real-time execution;
• validating simulation results through laboratory activities, including experiments with software-defined radios and representative equipment, and interfacing the simulator with external systems under test.

Learning objectives: consolidate skills in space systems engineering applied to space communications across the full stack, gain experience in modelling, simulation and laboratory validation, and apply these methods to the design of resilient, secure and flexible communication architectures. This role offers a unique comprehensive view of space system applications, bridging the gap between theoretical design and practical mission implementation while gaining hands-on experience with laboratory hardware. 

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 just completed, or be in the final year of your master’ s degree in in telecommunications engineering, electronics engineering or computer engineering, with a focus on communications, networking or systems engineering.

Additional requirements

You should have:

• strong programming skills in Python (or similar languages) and an interest in developing engineering simulation tools;
• knowledge of communications engineering fundamentals;
• familiarity with networking concepts and end-to-end data delivery, including protocols for challenged or intermittent connectivity;
• awareness of resilience and security topics for communication systems, including protection of links and data and robustness to disruptions and interference;
• an interest in aerospace systems engineering and in translating technical design choices into end-to-end performance and operational impacts.

Hands-on experience with laboratory testing (for example using software-defined radios or representative test equipment) would be considered an asset.

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.