The European Space Agency (ESA) is offering an internship in the Evaluation Office of its Audit and Evaluation Department at ESTEC in Noordwijk, Netherlands. The intern supports evaluations, organisational reviews and analytical studies, combining research methods with data analytics and Power BI. Applications close on 30 November 2026 at 23:59 CET/CEST. At Youth Works Hub we went through the full vacancy and set out every detail.
The Vacancy at a Glance
The internship sits in the Director General's Services directorate and is based at ESTEC in Noordwijk. These are the formal details of the vacancy:
🆔 Job Requisition ID: 20938
🎓 Type of appointment: Intern
🏛️ Directorate: Director General's Services
📍 Workplace: Noordwijk, NL
🏢 Location: ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands
📣 Publication method: External Only
⏳ Closing date: 30 November 2026, 23:59 CET/CEST
The Evaluation Office and Its Mission
The Evaluation Office is responsible for conducting objective and independent evaluation projects and providing appraisal services to the Director General (DG) and ESA management. Its aim is to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Agency's activities, by:
🔎 conducting a thorough examination of the status of a defined set of activities and assessing their achievements against requirements and objectives, resource constraints, benchmarks and previous lessons learned
💡 providing recommendations and optimisation advice on how to achieve intended outcomes
🧭 providing specialised advisory services for the timely implementation of transformation actions
Candidates interested are encouraged to visit the ESA website, which is listed in the Links section below.
What You Will Do as an Intern
You will support the Evaluation Office in conducting evaluations, organisational reviews and analytical studies aimed at improving organisational performance, efficiency and effectiveness. The team leverages a broad spectrum of analytical approaches, ranging from social science research methods to advanced data analytics and artificial intelligence, to produce evidence-based recommendations. As a result, you will contribute to a diverse set of evaluation and analytics activities.
Research and Evaluation Activities
Research and evaluation activities may include:
📚 conducting research, literature reviews and environmental scans
🧮 collecting, analysing and synthesising qualitative and quantitative information
🎤 supporting interviews and surveys
⚖️ contributing to benchmarking studies
📝 assisting in the preparation of analytical reports, presentations and management briefings
Data Analytics and Business Intelligence Activities
Data analytics and business intelligence activities may include:
🗂️ analysing administrative datasets
🏗️ supporting data modelling and business intelligence
📈 developing visualisations using Power BI
🔄 helping transform structured and unstructured data into actionable insights
────────────────────────────────────────
🌍 All opportunities in Netherlands →
────────────────────────────────────────
What This Internship Offers
This internship offers practical experience at the intersection of research, evaluation, data analytics and organisational transformation within an international public-sector environment.
Duration and Start Date
According to ESA's announcement of its 2027 student internships, an ESA internship lasts 3 to 6 months. Internships start from February 2027 onwards, and the exact start date is agreed with the ESA tutor.
Who Can Apply: Education
You must be a university student, preferably in your final or second-to-last year of university course at Master's level. You must also be able to prove that you will be enrolled at your university for the entire duration of the internship.
Background That Counts as an Asset
A background in Economics, Statistics, Data Analytics, Business Administration, or a related quantitative or social science discipline would be an asset.
Language 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.
Which Nationalities Can Apply
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).
Behavioural Competencies
Six behavioural competencies are listed. For more information, the vacancy refers candidates to the ESA Core Behavioural Competencies guidebook.
🎯 Result Orientation
⚡ Operational Efficiency
🤝 Fostering Cooperation
🧩 Relationship Management
🔁 Continuous Improvement
🔭 Forward Thinking
Selection: Motivation Interview and Tests
During the interview, your motivation for applying to this role will be explored. During the recruitment process, the Agency may also request applicants to undergo selection tests.
How Many Vacancies You Can Apply For
ESA's 2027 student internship announcement states that a candidate can apply for a maximum of two vacancies.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusiveness at ESA
ESA is an equal opportunity employer, committed to achieving diversity within the workforce and creating an inclusive working environment. Applications are welcome from all qualified candidates irrespective of gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religious beliefs, age, disability or other characteristics.
Support for Applicants With Disabilities
At the Agency diversity is valued, and people with disabilities are welcome. Whenever possible, ESA seeks 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, and its contact address is listed in the Links section below.
A Note on the Published Conditions
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.
Applying Through the Official ESA Careers Page
Applications go through ESA's own careers website, and the full vacancy text is published there. You can find more opportunities like this one in the internships section of Youth Works Hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the Evaluation Office internship based?
The internship is based at ESTEC in Noordwijk, Netherlands, within the Audit and Evaluation Department of ESA's Director General's Services directorate. The workplace is listed as Noordwijk, NL.
What will I do in the Evaluation Office?
You will support the Evaluation Office in conducting evaluations, organisational reviews and analytical studies. Research and evaluation tasks include literature reviews, interviews and surveys, benchmarking studies and analytical reports, while data tasks include analysing administrative datasets, business intelligence and Power BI visualisations.
Who can apply in terms of education?
You must be a university student, preferably in your final or second-to-last year of a Master's level course. You must be able to prove that you will be enrolled at your university for the whole duration of the internship.
Which academic background is an asset?
A background in Economics, Statistics, Data Analytics, Business Administration, or a related quantitative or social science discipline would be an asset.
Which nationalities can apply?
Applications are only considered from nationals of ESA's participating 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).
Which languages do I need?
The working languages of the Agency are English and French, and a good knowledge of one of them is required. Knowledge of another ESA Member State language is an asset.
How long does the internship last?
According to ESA's 2027 student internship announcement, ESA internships last 3 to 6 months and start from February 2027 onwards. The start date is agreed with the ESA tutor.
How many internship vacancies can I apply for?
A candidate can apply for a maximum of two vacancies, according to ESA's 2027 student internship announcement.
Does the vacancy mention an allowance?
The vacancy page does not state any allowance or stipend. It also does not mention Erasmus+.
What happens after I apply?
The Agency may request applicants to undergo selection tests during the recruitment process. During the interview, your motivation for applying to this role will be explored.
What is the application deadline?
The closing date is 30 November 2026 at 23:59 CET/CEST.
Deadline
⏳ 30 November 2026 (23:59 CET/CEST)
Links
🔗 Job description and application: https://jobs.esa.int/job/Noordwijk-Intern-in-the-Audit-and-Evaluation-Department-Evaluation-Office/1452918233/
🌐 European Space Agency: http://www.esa.int
🛰️ ESA Student Internships 2027 announcement: https://www.esa.int/About_Us/Careers_at_ESA/ESA_Student_Internships_2027_are_now_open
📨 ESA Human Resources (disability support and recruitment assistance): ESA.Student.Internships@esa.int
