🇩🇪 Mission Analysis Section Intern 🛰️ ESA Ground Systems Engineering & Innovation Department Internship in Darmstadt, Germany 🚀

The European Space Agency (ESA) is offering an internship in the Ground Systems Engineering & Innovation Department, Mission Analysis Section, at ESOC in Darmstadt, Germany. The intern will build a trajectory optimisation framework for the Comet Interceptor mission, and 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 task, requirement and condition in one place.

The Internship at a Glance

These are the formal details of the vacancy as ESA lists them:

🆔 Job Requisition ID: 21142

🎓 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, within ESA's Operations directorate. You will be part of the Mission Analysis Section, Flight Dynamics Division, Ground Systems Engineering Department.

Duration and Start Date

According to ESA's announcement of its 2027 student internships, an internship lasts between 3 and 6 months and starts from February 2027. The exact start date is agreed with your ESA tutor.

Our Team and Mission: The Mission Analysis Section

The Mission Analysis Section is entrusted with mission studies for future terrestrial, lunar and interplanetary missions, as well as scientific missions located in planetary or lunar libration points. The emphasis is typically on trajectory and attitude related aspects, and on supporting ground segment design and operations.

What the Section Works On

The section's work includes the following areas:

⚖️ trade-offs for the selection of the nominal mission trajectory

🧭 the definition of manoeuvering strategies

🔥 the optimisation of orbital manoeuvres, both low- and high-thrust propulsion, including rocket ascent trajectories

⛽ the calculation of propellant budgets

🕰️ the analysis of launch windows

🌀 the analysis of orbit perturbations and navigation

💻 the development of the necessary analytical and numerical methods and software tools

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The Mission Behind Your Project: Comet Interceptor

Comet Interceptor is the first ESA F-class mission under the Cosmic Vision Programme. It targets a yet-to-be-discovered dynamically new or long-period comet. To retain the ability to select a target even after launch, the spacecraft will wait in a parking orbit around the Sun-Earth L2 Lagrange point.

How the Spacecraft Could Reach a Comet

Once a suitable comet is identified, the transfer trajectory may follow one of two baseline strategies:

🏹 a direct escape from L2

🌙 an escape assisted by a lunar gravity assist

A small number of particularly challenging targets may require more complex trajectories. These could exploit the following techniques:

🌎 an Earth powered swing-by

🧲 the weak stability boundary

🔁 a Delta-V Earth Gravity Assist (ΔVEGA)

Your Project: A Trajectory Optimisation Framework

In this internship, you will develop a trajectory optimisation framework based on ESA's mission analysis software infrastructure. The aim is to investigate the most suitable transfer strategies under the full-ephemeris dynamics of the Sun-Earth-Moon system.

Why the Problem Is Hard

Even when formulated within the simplified Circular Restricted Three-Body Problem (CR3BP), the transfer trajectory optimisation problem exhibits a rich landscape of local optima and a wide variety of feasible trajectory geometries.

What the Study Will Investigate

The study will look at the following questions:

☄️ the range of comet encounter geometries in the ecliptic plane that can be achieved within the spacecraft propulsion capabilities

🛸 the influence of the parking orbit characteristics, including variations resulting from launch-window and injection conditions

🌊 the exploitation of the unstable manifolds associated with the parking orbit to reduce the required ΔV

📅 the influence of the encounter date optimisation

🔬 the impact of mission and operational constraints, as well as available flexibility, on the optimisation of encounter conditions for scientific return

📉 the sensitivity of transfer solutions to uncertainties in the target orbit knowledge, and the evolution of these solutions as orbit determination improves

📊 the trade-off between transfer time and ΔV through Pareto-front analysis, comparing at least the direct escape and lunar gravity-assist strategies

Education Requirement

You must be a university student, preferably in your final or second-to-last year of university course at Master's level.

Enrolment Throughout the Internship

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.

🍁 Cooperating State: applicants from Canada can apply as well

🤲 European Cooperating States (ECS): applicants from Bulgaria, Croatia and Malta can apply as well

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.

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

Interview and Selection 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 Applications Can You Submit?

According to ESA's announcement of its 2027 student internships, a candidate can apply for a maximum of 2 internship 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.

About the Internship Conditions Published by ESA

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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the ESA Mission Analysis internship based?

The internship is based at ESOC in Darmstadt, Germany. The vacancy lists Darmstadt, DE as the workplace within ESA's Operations directorate.

What will I work on during the internship?

You will develop a trajectory optimisation framework based on ESA's mission analysis software infrastructure. It is used to investigate the most suitable transfer strategies for the Comet Interceptor mission under the full-ephemeris dynamics of the Sun-Earth-Moon system.

What is Comet Interceptor?

Comet Interceptor is the first ESA F-class mission under the Cosmic Vision Programme. It targets a yet-to-be-discovered dynamically new or long-period comet, and the spacecraft will wait in a parking orbit around the Sun-Earth L2 Lagrange point until a suitable comet is identified.

Which transfer strategies will be compared?

The two baseline strategies are a direct escape from L2 and an escape assisted by a lunar gravity assist. The study compares at least these two through a Pareto-front analysis of transfer time against ΔV.

How long does the internship last and when does it start?

According to ESA's announcement of its 2027 student internships, it lasts 3 to 6 months and starts from February 2027. The 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. Applicants from Canada, Bulgaria, Croatia and Malta can apply as well.

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 internships can I apply for?