Intern in the Science Operations Department - Mission Management and Science Operations Division

Location
ESAC, Villanueva de la Cañada, Spain

Our team and mission

Under the direct authority of D/SCI, the Head of the Science Operations Department is responsible for the development of the science operations infrastructure under the Directorate responsibility, the operation of the Directorate’s missions once successfully commissioned, and the curation of all scientific data in the missions’ legacy phase. These responsibilities are discharged in full coordination with the Directorate’s Departments and Offices and as appropriate, with the Directorate of Operations (D/OPS).

In implementing their duties, SCI-S is supported by the:

• Mission Management and Science Operations Division (SCI-SO);
• Science Operations Development Division (SCI-SD);
• Data Science and Archives Division (SCI-SA).

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

Field(s) of activity for the internship

Topic of the internship: Future-proofing access to Gaia’s treasure trove

Gaia is one of the most scientifically productive space science missions ever undertaken. Its highly successful data releases - DR1, DR2, DR3 and, in December 2026, DR4 - are the most visible products of a complex data processing system involving several major processing centres and expert groups across Europe. These public releases, however, represent only part of Gaia’s scientific data legacy.

At the foundation of the processing system lies the Gaia Main Database (MDB), hosted at one of Gaia’s main data-processing centres at ESAC near Madrid. The MDB contains the basic input and intermediate data used throughout the Gaia processing chain. Its underlying storage format, known as GBin, was developed specifically for the Java-based processing systems. While this solution has served the mission well, it is closely tied to a particular programming language and was not designed primarily with long-term accessibility and preservation in mind.

Following the conclusion of Gaia in 2030, the mission will enter its legacy phase. The MDB is expected to be preserved so that it may remain accessible for future scientific investigations, reprocessing activities and other uses that cannot yet be anticipated. To facilitate such access, it would be desirable to represent the data in a well-supported, programming-language-independent and durable format, such as Parquet, HDF5, Zarr or another suitable technology.

The objective of this internship is to investigate and compare possible approaches for converting the MDB from GBin into a modern, long-lived data format. It is expected that prototype conversion and validation tools/concepts are developed. You will work closely with Gaia mission and data-processing experts at ESAC and across Europe in a technically challenging and collaborative environment.

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 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:

• solid background in computer science, software engineering, data science;
• good programming skills, preferably in Python, Java or both;
• understanding of structured data, data models and serialisation concepts.

Desirable:

• experience with scientific data formats or storage technologies such as Parquet, HDF5, Zarr, FITS;
• familiarity with large-scale data processing, distributed computing or database systems.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusiveness
ESA is an equal opportunity employer, committed to achieving diversity within the workforce and creating an inclusive working environment. We therefore welcome applications from all qualified candidates irrespective of gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religious beliefs, age, disability or other characteristics.

At the Agency we value diversity, and we welcome people with disabilities. Whenever possible, we seek to accommodate individuals with disabilities by providing the necessary support at the workplace. The Human Resources Department can also provide assistance during the recruitment process. If you would like to discuss this further, please contact us via email at ESA.Student.Internships@esa.int.

Important Information and Disclaimer
During the recruitment process, the Agency may request applicants to undergo selection tests.

The information published on ESA’s careers website regarding internship conditions is correct at the time of publication. It is not intended to be exhaustive and may not address all questions you would have.

Nationality

Please note that applications are only considered from nationals of one of the following States: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Applicants from Canada as a Cooperating State can apply as well as those from Bulgaria, Croatia and Malta as European Cooperating States (ECS).