ESA Graduate Trainee in Operational and Organisational Support in the CAVES and PANGAEA Team

Our team and mission

The EGT will be based at the European Astronaut Centre (EAC) in the Space Training CAVES and PANGAEA team.

EAC’s task is to focus on the 'human' component of human spaceflight: astronaut selection, training, medical support and surveillance, as well as support for astronauts and their families in preparation for and during space missions to the International Space Station (ISS). 

The CAVES & PANGAEA team specialises in training programmes that equip astronauts and mission developers with scientific, expeditionary and behavioural skill sets for current and future space exploration. The group’s primary output is focused around two training programmes:

• CAVES (Cooperative Adventure for Valuing and Exercising human behaviour and performance Skills) reinforces astronaut human performance and behavioural skills for exploration tasks through an expedition into a natural cave system. Cave systems present environments and situations very similar to spaceflight, making them ideal for this type of training.
• PANGAEA (Planetary ANalogue Geological and Astrobiological Exercise for Astronauts) is a geological and astrobiological field training course for astronauts and mission developers. It develops fundamental knowledge and skills in these disciplines, as well as observational and decisional skills such as identifying important geological features in the field, conducting efficient sampling and effectively communicating with scientists on Earth. 

The CAVES & PANGAEA team has been working on several tools to enhance these training programmes, as well as to support the next phases of human spaceflight to planetary surfaces. This includes the Electronic Field Book (EFB) tool suite for supporting scientific field activities. This tool suite is composed of software running on tablets and laptops that interface with external instruments such as COTS spectrometers, 360° cameras, microscopes, and bespoke 3D printed hardware to gather scientific information in the field and then distribute it to mission support elements. The EFB incorporates the PANGAEA Minerological Database and Machine Learning tools, a separate set of tools which enable accurate mineral recognition from analytical tool data collected on the Earth, the Moon and Mars. The development and testing of these tools during the CAVES and PANGAEA has branched into several studies and industrial contracts that are now working to develop a range of capabilities for the next generation of missions to the Moon and Mars. 

You are highly encouraged to visit the CAVES and PANGAEA websites at ESA - CAVES and Pangaea 

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

Field(s) of activity/research for the traineeship

You will be integrated into the CAVES & PANGAEA project team supporting course organisation and documentation; operations and maintenance of equipment, including inventory management; preparation of documentation and training materials, management of digital data related to the courses. 

You will be involved in the following activities:

• Management of the team’s inventory;
• Travel preparation of the equipment to be used during the campaigns;
• Testing of network infrastructure prior to training implementation;
• Monitoring and troubleshooting (if needed) the network during field operations;
• Continuous improvement of the network implementation and monitoring tools;
• Ensuring the correct flow of data between the media team, crew and training leads;
• Maintenance of bespoke hardware equipment: 3D printing of replacement parts, replacement of harness, etc;
• Supporting the development of new hardware by junior team members;
• Preparation of training materials;
• Preparation of operational products;
• Preparing course documentation;
• Preparation of equipment before each lesson;
• On-site training support;
• Supporting field testing of the EFB tool suite and other tools prior to and during training implementation.

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 a technical or scientific topic.

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. 

You will demonstrate motivation, aptitude, and experience in one or more of the following areas:

• Inventory management;
• Field testing and operations;
• Database operation and maintenance;
• Digital media archiving (photo, video, VR);
• Maintenance and troubleshooting of electronic equipment;
• Testing, monitoring and troubleshooting of wireless networks;
• CAD and 3D printing.

These competencies may have been developed through university studies, internships, professional roles, or personal projects.