The European Space Agency (ESA) is offering an internship in the Flight Dynamics Division, Science Mission Support Section, at ESOC in Darmstadt, Germany. Applications close on 30 November 2026 at 23:59 CET/CEST, and the role is open to university students from ESA's participating states. At Youth Works Hub we went through the full vacancy and set out every task, requirement and selection detail below.
The Internship at a Glance
The internship sits in ESA's Operations directorate and is based at ESOC in Darmstadt. These are the formal details of the vacancy:
🆔 Job Requisition ID: 21146
🎓 Type of appointment: Intern
🏛️ Directorate: Operations
📍 Workplace: Darmstadt, DE
🏢 Location: ESOC, Darmstadt, Germany
📣 Publication method: External Only
⏳ Closing date: 30 November 2026, 23:59 CET/CEST
Where You Will Be Based: ESOC, Darmstadt
The internship is located at ESOC in Darmstadt, Germany. The vacancy lists Darmstadt, DE as the workplace, and the role belongs to the Flight Dynamics Division within the Operations directorate.
How Long the Internship Lasts
According to ESA's announcement for its 2027 student internships, the following conditions apply to this round of internships:
🗓️ Duration: 3 to 6 months
🚦 Earliest start: February 2027 onwards
🤝 Start date: agreed with your ESA tutor
🔢 Number of applications: one candidate can apply for a maximum of 2 internship vacancies
Our Team and Mission: The Science Mission Support Section
The Science Mission Support Section is responsible for flight dynamics work on a wide range of ESA science missions. The vacancy lists the following responsibilities:
🚀 mission preparation, LEOP (Launch and Early Orbit Phase), critical and routine operations in the field of flight dynamics for future interplanetary and Lagrange missions, including Plato, Rosalind Franklin, Ramses, Comet Interceptor, Ariel, Envision, Argonaut and LISA
🪐 critical and routine flight dynamics operations for the inner solar system missions Bepi-Colombo and Solar-Orbiter
🌕 critical and routine flight dynamics operations for Juice, the Jupiter moons mission
☄️ critical and routine flight dynamics operations for the Hera asteroid mission
🔴 routine operations for the Mars missions ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter and Mars Express
🔭 routine operations for the Euclid observatory mission
🛠️ development, validation and utilisation of operational solutions for the above science missions
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The Topic: Interplanetary Plasma and Deep-Space Tracking
Tracking of interplanetary spacecraft suffers from plasma effects along the signal's line of sight, and the effect is larger the closer the signal gets to the Sun. In the last decade ESA and other external entities have made significant progress in modelling the interplanetary plasma distribution in quasi real-time, based on data from space weather observatories.
What You Will Investigate
You will exploit this data and verify whether it can be suitably used to improve deep-space orbit determination of ESA spacecraft. The internship is therefore a hands-on test of whether space weather information can make the tracking of ESA's interplanetary missions more accurate.
Your Tasks, Step by Step
The vacancy spells out the following tasks for this activity:
📥 retrieve and extract relevant interplanetary plasma data from ESA Space Weather products
🧮 implement functionality to compute total plasma content along the line-of-sight from a ground station to an ESA interplanetary spacecraft, making use of in-house astrodynamics software
⏱️ derive plasma delays for Doppler and range data based on the physical interaction along the signal path
🔁 apply the mechanism on historic data, trying to reproduce and verify the methodology
🔮 produce predictions of plasma effects on radiometric data based on current Space Weather data
📡 configure a near-realtime nowcasting functionality to flag current tracking data of deep-space missions for impact of interplanetary plasma effects in the routine orbit determination
🏗️ if the method is proven to be successful, extend it to an operational tool for orbit determination to compute interplanetary plasma corrections
From Experiment to Operational Tool
The tasks follow a clear path: first the data is retrieved and the line-of-sight computation is built, then the method is tested on historic data, and finally it is used for predictions and near-realtime flagging of tracking data. Only if the method proves successful does the work extend to an operational orbit determination tool that computes interplanetary plasma corrections.
Education Requirement
You must be a university student, preferably in your final or second-to-last year of university course at Master's level.
Proof of Enrolment
You must be able to prove that you will be enrolled at your university for the entire duration of the internship.
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.
Working Languages
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.
Your Motivation Will Be Explored
During the interview, your motivation for applying to this role will be explored.
Behavioural Competencies
The vacancy lists six behavioural competencies. For more information, it refers candidates to the ESA Core Behavioural Competencies guidebook.
🎯 Result Orientation
⚙️ Operational Efficiency
🫱 Fostering Cooperation
🧩 Relationship Management
🔄 Continuous Improvement
🔭 Forward Thinking
Selection Tests
During the recruitment process, the Agency may request applicants to undergo selection tests.
Export Control and Sanctions Regulations
Applicants must be eligible to access information, technology and hardware which is subject to European or US export control and sanctions regulations.
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.
Internship Conditions Information
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. If you want to know how we check that every listing has a working, official application route, our guide on how we verify every opportunity explains our process. If you are comparing traineeships and internships abroad, our hub guide to how funded traineeships really work is a useful starting point.
Browse more internships and traineeships on Youth Works Hub →
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the ESA Flight Dynamics internship based?
The internship is based at ESOC in Darmstadt, Germany, within the Flight Dynamics Division of ESA's Operations directorate. The vacancy lists Darmstadt, DE as the workplace.
What will I work on during the internship?
You will work on using interplanetary plasma data from ESA Space Weather products to improve deep-space orbit determination of ESA spacecraft. The tasks range from retrieving the data and computing total plasma content along the line-of-sight to deriving plasma delays for Doppler and range data and testing the method on historic data.
Why does plasma matter for tracking spacecraft?
Tracking of interplanetary spacecraft suffers from plasma effects along the signal's line of sight, and the effect is larger the closer the signal gets to the Sun. The internship checks whether modelled plasma data can correct for these effects in orbit determination.
How long is the internship and when does it start?
According to ESA's announcement for its 2027 student internships, internships last 3 to 6 months and start from February 2027 onwards. The exact start date is agreed with your ESA tutor.
Who can apply?
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.
Which nationalities can apply?
Applications are only considered from nationals of 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.
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 many ESA internships can I apply for?
According to ESA's announcement for its 2027 student internships, one candidate can apply for a maximum of 2 internship vacancies.
Is the internship paid?
The vacancy text does not mention an allowance or any other financial terms. The information published on ESA's careers website is not intended to be exhaustive, so check the full vacancy and the ESA announcement for further details.
Will there be tests or an interview?
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/Darmstadt-Intern-in-the-Flight-Dynamics-Division-Science-Mission-Support-Section/1452809733/
📰 ESA Student Internships 2027 announcement: https://www.esa.int/About_Us/Careers_at_ESA/ESA_Student_Internships_2027_are_now_open
🌐 European Space Agency: https://www.esa.int
📨 ESA Human Resources (disability support and recruitment assistance): ESA.Student.Internships@esa.int
