The European Space Agency (ESA) is recruiting an intern for the Microelectronics Section of its Electrical Department at ESTEC in Noordwijk, Netherlands. Applications close on 30 November 2026 at 23:59 CET/CEST. At Youth Works Hub, we reviewed the full vacancy: you can choose between two topics, both applying Artificial Intelligence (AI) to the design of space-grade FPGAs and ASICs.
Vacancy at a Glance
🆔 Job Requisition ID: 21024
🎓 Type of appointment: Intern
🚀 Directorate: Technology, Engineering and Quality
🏙️ Workplace: Noordwijk, NL
📍 Location: ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands
🌐 Publication method: external only
⏳ Closing date: 30 November 2026, 23:59 CET/CEST
Inside the Avionics and EEE Division
The Avionics and EEE Division plays a pivotal role in ensuring the reliability and advancement of spacecraft avionics and component technologies. Its mission spans design assurance, qualification, and testing of EEE components, as well as radiation hardness assurance for space systems in its domain of responsibility.
The division operates specialised laboratories and provides expertise to ESA projects, industry, and research partners. It actively disseminates knowledge through internal and external training, conference participation, and tutoring of PhD students, ESA Graduate Trainees (EGTs), and National Trainees, fostering innovation and professional growth.
The Components Section
The vacancy describes the Components Section as responsible for ensuring that all EEE components (passive and active) flown on ESA missions are suitable for their application and the environment for which they are intended. It leads the development of EEE components and their qualification.
The section works with the European Space Component Coordination (ESCC) executives and actively supports European Cooperation for Space Standardisation (ECSS) standardisation activities. It also conducts Research and Development (R&D) activities in its domain of responsibility.
The Radiation and Component Reliability Section
This section assesses all aspects of EEE component radiation effects, so that components flown on ESA missions are suitable for the radiation environment and their assigned application for the duration of the mission. It is also responsible for all EEE component laboratory test and analysis activities.
The section conducts R&D activities in its domain of responsibility, manages the EEE Component Laboratory Facility, and actively supports ESCC and ECSS standardisation activities.
Your Home Team: The Microelectronics Section
The internship sits in the Microelectronics Section. It is responsible for the development and verification of all microelectronic devices flown on ESA missions. The vacancy names these examples:
🤖 AI accelerators
🔲 FPGAs
🧩 ASICs
⚡ Microprocessors
🧱 Microelectronic processes
📐 Instruction Set Architecture (ISA)
☢️ Radiation-aware design
🔧 Prototyping and test for space-grade microelectronics
The section conducts R&D activities in its domain of responsibility, manages the Microelectronics Laboratory Facility, and actively supports ECSS standardisation activities.
The Avionic Architecture Section
The Avionic Architecture Section is responsible for supporting all ESA missions in the area of avionics sub-system development, their verification and validation, and their qualification within the framework of the agency's strategic objectives.
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The Data Handling Section
The Data Handling Section is responsible for on-board data handling sub-systems, both Platform and Payload. It develops and qualifies equipment for data acquisition, processing, and distribution. The vacancy lists these examples:
🚌 Buses
🔌 Interfaces
💽 Mass-memory
⛓️ Data-processing chains
📟 Remote interface units
On-board data processing is an important focus of the section, including the development of turn-key AI hardware solutions for ESA missions. The section conducts R&D activities in its domain of responsibility, manages the Data Handling Laboratory Facility, and actively supports ECSS and CCSDS standardisation activities.
The Flight Software Section
The Flight Software Section designs and maintains flight software for spacecraft control and payload management. It addresses real-time operating systems, fault detection and recovery, and software validation frameworks.
The team also explores advanced concepts such as AI-assisted on-board processing, ensuring adaptability and resilience in increasingly complex missions. The section conducts R&D activities in its domain of responsibility, manages the Flight Software Laboratory Facility, and actively supports ECSS and CCSDS standardisation activities.
Candidates interested are encouraged to visit the ESA website.
Choose Between Two Internship Topics
The vacancy states that you can choose among the following topics:
🧪 Topic 1: Smarter Verification for Space Systems: Evaluating AI Approaches for FPGA Design Validation
🧰 Topic 2: Towards fast FPGA Demonstrators: AI-Assisted IP Integration and Automated System Assembly for ESA Microelectronics
Topic 1: Why Verification Needs Smarter Tools
The increasing complexity of FPGA and ASIC developments for space applications makes digital design verification one of the most resource-intensive phases of the development cycle. At the same time, recent advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI), particularly Large Language Models (LLMs), offer new opportunities to automate verification activities and improve engineering productivity.
Topic 1: What the Internship Will Investigate
This internship will investigate the applicability of AI tools to support the verification of digital designs used in future space systems. The work will evaluate how AI can assist engineers in creating and maintaining verification environments using modern frameworks such as UVVM and cocotb.
Representative case studies may include:
🧠 RISC-V processors
📡 Communication interfaces
🎛️ Digital signal-processing functions
🚀 Hardware accelerators
Topic 1: Traditional Versus AI-Assisted Verification
The study will compare traditional and AI-assisted verification approaches, focusing on these tasks:
🧱 Testbench generation
✅ Test creation
🐞 Debugging
📊 Coverage analysis
📝 Documentation
Particular attention will be given to the trade-offs between UVVM's VHDL-based methodology and cocotb's Python-based flexibility.
Topic 1: The Expected Outcome
The outcome will be a set of recommendations for the adoption of AI-assisted verification techniques in future ESA microelectronics developments.
Topic 2: The Challenge of Reusing FPGA and ASIC IP
ESA and European developments have produced a growing portfolio of reusable FPGA and ASIC Intellectual Property (IP) cores. However, integrating these assets into complete systems often requires significant manual effort, limiting reuse and increasing development time.
Topic 2: How AI Can Support IP Integration
This internship will investigate how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can support the integration and reuse of digital IP cores for FPGA-based demonstrators. The work will explore how AI can help engineers:
🔎 Understand IP capabilities
🔗 Identify compatible interfaces
⚙️ Generate integration artefacts
🏗️ Propose system architectures
🚧 Detect integration issues
📄 Produce technical documentation
Topic 2: Machine-Readable IP Descriptions
Particular attention will be given to the role of machine-readable IP descriptions, including the feasibility of using standards such as IP-XACT and tools such as Kactus2 to enable AI-assisted design assembly.
Representative case studies may include communication interfaces, processor subsystems, digital signal-processing functions, and other ESA-developed IP blocks, with special focus on European FPGAs design flows.
Topic 2: Demonstrators on the TEC-EDM FPGA Farm
The resulting workflows will be evaluated through the creation and deployment of FPGA demonstrators on the TEC-EDM FPGA Farm. The outcome will be recommendations for future ESA digital engineering practices, enabling faster IP reuse, automated demonstrator generation, and more efficient validation of microelectronics developments.
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. In addition, you must be able to prove that you will be enrolled at your university for the entire duration of the internship.
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.
During the interview, your motivation for applying to this role will be explored.
Six Behavioural Competencies ESA Looks For
The vacancy lists these ESA Core Behavioural Competencies:
🎯 Result Orientation
🛠️ Operational Efficiency
🤝 Fostering Cooperation
📞 Relationship Management
♻️ Continuous Improvement
🔭 Forward Thinking
For more information, the vacancy refers to the ESA Core Behavioural Competencies guidebook.
Nationality Requirement
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.
Length, Start Date and Number of Applications
According to ESA's announcement for the 2027 student internships, an internship lasts 3 to 6 months and starts from February 2027 onwards. The exact start date is agreed with the ESA tutor.
A candidate can apply for up to two ESA internship opportunities.
Selection Tests
During the recruitment process, the Agency may request applicants to undergo selection tests.
Export Control and Sanctions
Applicants must be eligible to access information, technology, and hardware which is subject to European or US export control and sanctions regulations.
Equal Opportunities at ESA
ESA is an equal opportunity employer, committed to achieving diversity within the workforce and creating an inclusive working environment. It therefore welcomes applications 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. The contact email for this is listed at the end of this post.
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. The vacancy does not state an allowance for this internship.
Find more opportunities like this in our internship and traineeship listings on Youth Works Hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does the ESA Microelectronics Section internship take place?
The internship is based at ESTEC in Noordwijk, Netherlands, within the Microelectronics Section of ESA's Electrical Department in the Technology, Engineering and Quality directorate.
Which topics can I choose from?
The vacancy offers two topics. Topic 1 is "Smarter Verification for Space Systems: Evaluating AI Approaches for FPGA Design Validation". Topic 2 is "Towards fast FPGA Demonstrators: AI-Assisted IP Integration and Automated System Assembly for ESA Microelectronics".
What does the verification topic study?
It investigates how AI tools, particularly Large Language Models, can support the verification of digital designs for future space systems, using frameworks such as UVVM and cocotb. It compares traditional and AI-assisted approaches for testbench generation, test creation, debugging, coverage analysis, and documentation.
What does the IP integration topic study?
It investigates how AI can support the integration and reuse of digital IP cores for FPGA-based demonstrators, including understanding IP capabilities, identifying compatible interfaces, generating integration artefacts, proposing system architectures, detecting integration issues, and producing technical documentation.
Which standards and tools are mentioned?
Topic 1 names UVVM (a VHDL-based methodology) and cocotb (Python-based). Topic 2 names IP-XACT and Kactus2 for machine-readable IP descriptions, and the TEC-EDM FPGA Farm for deploying demonstrators.
What will the internship deliver?
For Topic 1, the outcome is a set of recommendations for adopting AI-assisted verification techniques in future ESA microelectronics developments. For Topic 2, the outcome is recommendations for future ESA digital engineering practices, enabling faster IP reuse, automated demonstrator generation, and more efficient validation.
Who is eligible to apply?
You must be a university student, preferably in your final or second-to-last year at Master's level, and you must be able to prove that you will be enrolled at your university for the entire duration of the internship. You must also be a national of one of the States listed in the vacancy.
Which languages do I need?
The working languages of ESA 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 is the internship and when does it start?
According to ESA's 2027 student internships announcement, internships last 3 to 6 months and begin from February 2027 onwards. The exact start date is agreed with the ESA tutor.
How many ESA internships can I apply for?
A candidate can apply for up to two ESA internship opportunities, according to ESA's announcement for the 2027 student internships.
What happens after I apply?
The Agency may request applicants to undergo selection tests. During the interview, your motivation for applying to this role will be explored.
Does the vacancy mention a stipend?
The vacancy does not state an allowance for this internship. ESA notes that the information on its careers website regarding internship conditions is correct at the time of publication but is not intended to be exhaustive.
What is the application deadline?
Applications close on 30 November 2026 at 23:59 CET/CEST.
Deadline
⏳ 30 November 2026
Links
🔗 Apply now (ESA vacancy 21024): https://jobs.esa.int/job/Noordwijk-Intern-in-the-Electrical-Department-Microelectronics-Section/1452880333/
📰 ESA Student Internships 2027: https://www.esa.int/About_Us/Careers_at_ESA/ESA_Student_Internships_2027_are_now_open
🌌 ESA website: https://www.esa.int
📧 Contact for disability support: ESA.Student.Internships@esa.int
