The European Space Agency (ESA) is looking for an intern in the System Engineering Section of its Galileo and EGNOS Programme Department at the EGNOS Project Office in Toulouse, France. You would develop, integrate and validate an EGNOS Engineering ToolKit with AI agents and engineering tools, and the internship ends with an AI-assisted proof of concept. The internship lasts 3 to 6 months, starts from February 2027 and is open to university students. At Youth Works Hub, we reviewed the full vacancy: applications close on 30 November 2026 at 23:59 CET/CEST.
Internship at a Glance: ESA Galileo and EGNOS Programme Department, Toulouse
🏛️ Organisation: European Space Agency (ESA)
🛰️ Role: Intern in the Galileo and EGNOS Programme Department, System Engineering Section
🆔 Job requisition ID: 21000
🗂️ Directorate: Resilience, Navigation and Connectivity
📍 Location: EGNOS Project Office, Toulouse, France
🎓 Type of appointment: Intern
⏱️ Duration: 3 to 6 months
📆 Start: from February 2027, with the exact start agreed with your ESA tutor
🌐 Publication method: external only
🔚 Closing date: 30 November 2026, 23:59 CET/CEST
The EGNOS and SBAS Programme Division: Mission and Role
The EGNOS and SBAS Programme Division is responsible for the development of the EGNOS system and its qualification, in its role as Design and Procurement Agent, under the programme management of the European Commission (EC). Version 3 of the EGNOS system is currently under development and qualification.
The Division is also managing several research and development activities under the Horizon Europe and NAVISP Programmes and is supporting ASECNA in the procurement of the African SBAS. The vacancy invites interested candidates to visit the ESA website (listed in the Links section below).
What the System Engineering Section Does
The vacancy places the System Engineering Section within the GNSS Regional Augmentation System Division. It is responsible, in particular, for the following activities:
✅ Ensuring the compliance of the system design with upper-level requirements (Mission & Performance, security, operations)
🧰 Developing and maintaining system engineering tools and associated databases
🏭 Managing the corresponding industrial activities and ensuring that system engineering activities are performed according to agreed development plans, in compliance with the applicable system requirements, standards and system engineering requirements
What the Security Service Does
You would interact closely with the Security Service of the EGNOS and SBAS Programme Division. It is responsible, in particular, for the following activities:
🔐 Establishing and maintaining the security baseline and security requirements for all releases procured by ESA
🚨 Identifying and managing security issues
📁 Preparing security accreditation files for the ground segment
🛡️ Managing security activities within the EGNOS Project Office
Inside EGNOS V3: Stations, Control Centres and Satellites
The EGNOS V3 System is composed of:
📡 39 Remote reference stations
🏢 2 Main Control Centres, hosting in particular the central processing facilities
⬆️ 6 Uplink Stations connected to 3 EGNOS geostationary satellites
🌐 A dedicated real-time wide-area network that interconnects everything
The vacancy describes the EGNOS V3 design as the result of a complex multidisciplinary exercise implementing stringent performance, safety, security and operability requirements across several interconnected subsystems.
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A New Engineering Approach for EGNOS Evolutions
Based on this first EGNOS V3 version, an enhanced engineering approach is being implemented for the definition of EGNOS evolutions, typically including:
🧩 Enhanced modularity of the system design through a system-of-segments approach
🔀 Parallel engineering of evolutions across different EGNOS system releases
🔗 Multidisciplinary consolidation within and across segments
🤖 Interactive incremental validation and report generation using AI
Your Place in the Team
You would be integrated into the System Engineering Section of the EGNOS and SBAS Division and would interact closely with the Security Service. You would also interact with other teams and disciplines: Product and Safety, Development and IVQ, and Operations.
The EGNOS Engineering ToolKit: What You Would Develop
You would develop, integrate and validate an EGNOS Engineering ToolKit. It aims at demonstrating and providing an initial engineering capability in an integrated and shared environment, including:
📋 A requirements engineering COTS tool
🗺️ A Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) COTS tool
🧠 Upgrading internal AI agents and tools from previous activities to provide engineering support capabilities exploiting the current document-centric engineering approach (engineering artefact consistency checks, cybersecurity analysis, vulnerability and security patch identification, etc.) and extending these capabilities to cover standard security inventories
🔄 Import/export functionalities to interface with external stakeholders
Your Tasks During the Internship
To reach this goal, you would:
🤝 Consolidate the System Engineering Team and Security Team user needs
🔎 Analyse available technical documentation and identify relevant information
⚖️ Select and justify the choice of OSS/COTS tools complementing the current selected System Engineering tools
🛠️ Design, develop, integrate and validate the EGNOS Engineering ToolKit
🎯 Demonstrate the capability of the EGNOS Engineering ToolKit to conduct security and system engineering activities
📖 Document the user manual
What You Will Have Contributed by the End
At the end of the internship, you will have contributed to an AI-assisted proof of concept demonstrating the capability to support security and system engineering activities.
Education Requirements
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.
Languages and Skills
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.
Under additional requirements, the vacancy lists three areas:
💻 Software engineering with AI Agent
☁️ Cloud computing
⚙️ System Engineering tools and processes
During the interview, your motivation for applying to this role will be explored.
Behavioural Competencies
The vacancy lists six behavioural competencies and refers to the ESA Core Behavioural Competencies guidebook for more information:
🏆 Result Orientation
📈 Operational Efficiency
👥 Fostering Cooperation
💬 Relationship Management
🔁 Continuous Improvement
🔮 Forward Thinking
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).
Duration, Start Date and Application Limit
According to ESA's 2027 student internships announcement:
🗓️ The internship lasts 3 to 6 months
🚀 It starts from February 2027, and the exact start date is determined with your ESA tutor
📝 A candidate can apply for a maximum of 2 internship vacancies
Selection Process
During the recruitment process, the Agency may request applicants to undergo selection tests. Your motivation for applying to this role will be explored during the interview.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusiveness
ESA is an equal opportunity employer, committed to achieving diversity within the workforce and creating an inclusive working environment. It welcomes applications from all qualified candidates irrespective of gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religious beliefs, age, disability or other characteristics.
The Agency values diversity and welcomes people with disabilities. Whenever possible, it 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. If you would like to discuss this further, you can contact ESA at ESA.Student.Internships@esa.int.
Important Information and Disclaimer
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.
Find more opportunities like this in our internship and traineeship listings on Youth Works Hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does the ESA Galileo and EGNOS internship take place?
The internship takes place at the EGNOS Project Office in Toulouse, France. The role belongs to the System Engineering Section of the Galileo and EGNOS Programme Department, within the Resilience, Navigation and Connectivity Directorate.
What will I work on?
You would develop, integrate and validate an EGNOS Engineering ToolKit. It includes a requirements engineering COTS tool, a Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) COTS tool, upgraded internal AI agents and tools, and import/export functionalities to interface with external stakeholders.
What do the AI agents in the toolkit do?
The vacancy describes upgrading internal AI agents and tools from previous activities to provide engineering support capabilities. Examples listed are engineering artefact consistency checks, cybersecurity analysis, and vulnerability and security patch identification, extended to cover standard security inventories.
Which teams will I work with?
You would be integrated into the System Engineering Section and interact closely with the Security Service. You would also interact with the Product and Safety, Development and IVQ, and Operations teams.
What will I have achieved by the end of the internship?
You will have contributed to an AI-assisted proof of concept demonstrating the capability to support security and system engineering activities.
How long is the internship and when does it start?
According to ESA's 2027 student internships announcement, the internship lasts 3 to 6 months and starts from February 2027. The exact start date is determined with your ESA tutor.
Who can apply for this internship?
You must be a university student, preferably in your final or second-to-last year of a Master's level course. 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?
ESA considers applications only from nationals of its listed 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.
Which languages do I need?
A good knowledge of English or French is required, as these are the working languages of the Agency. Knowledge of another ESA Member State language is an asset.
Which skill areas does the vacancy list?
The vacancy lists software engineering with AI Agent, cloud computing, and system engineering tools and processes under additional requirements.
Can I apply for more than one ESA internship?
A candidate can apply for a maximum of 2 internship vacancies, according to ESA's announcement.
Is the internship paid?
The vacancy page does not state an allowance. ESA notes that its published information on internship conditions is not exhaustive.
What is the application deadline?
Applications close on 30 November 2026 at 23:59 CET/CEST.
Will there be selection tests?
The Agency may request applicants to undergo selection tests during the recruitment process, and your motivation for applying will be explored during the interview.
Deadline
⏳ 30 November 2026
Links
🔗 Apply now (official vacancy): https://jobs.esa.int/job/Toulouse-Intern-in-the-Galileo-and-EGNOS-Programme-Department-System-Engineering-Section/1452922933/
📢 ESA Student Internships 2027 announcement: https://www.esa.int/About_Us/Careers_at_ESA/ESA_Student_Internships_2027_are_now_open
🌐 ESA website: https://www.esa.int
📧 ESA internships contact: ESA.Student.Internships@esa.int
