EUMETSAT, Europe's meteorological satellite agency, is recruiting an intern for its Process Assurance and Management Support Division in Darmstadt, Germany. The internship focuses on the development and enhancement of cost models for ground segment systems, combining technical documentation, data engineering, statistical modelling, and prototype tool development. The position lasts 6 months starting in 2027, and is open to nationals of EUMETSAT's 30 Member States. Applications close on 19 November 2026. Youth Works Hub reviewed the full vacancy below.
About EUMETSAT
🛰️ EUMETSAT is Europe's meteorological satellite agency. Its role is to establish and operate meteorological satellites to monitor the weather and climate from space: 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
🌦️ Meteorological data is supplied to the National Meteorological Services of the organisation's Member States in Europe, as well as other users worldwide
🌍 EUMETSAT also operates several Copernicus missions on behalf of the European Union and provides data services to the Copernicus marine and atmospheric services and their users
🏛️ As an intergovernmental European Organisation, EUMETSAT has 30 Member States
The Internship: Context and Scope
The intern will work in the Process Assurance and Management Support Division on a project centred on improving how EUMETSAT understands, documents, and estimates the costs of its ground segment subsystems across different satellite missions.
The work covers three interconnected areas:
🔍 Technical understanding: developing a sound knowledge of selected ground segment subsystems — their functions, interfaces, operational context, and implementation logic — by engaging with scientific, engineering, project control, and technical experts, and consolidating the findings into clear technical descriptions for expert review and future reuse
📋 Data collection and structuring: collecting, structuring, and analysing relevant technical and financial information for the selected subsystems and mission contexts, including engineering documentation, contracts, procurement information, economic assumptions, and historical cost data, organised in a consistent, database-ready format to support traceability, comparability, and future cost analysis
📈 Cost model development: contributing to the development and enhancement of subsystem cost models by identifying key cost drivers, deriving cost-estimating relationships, supporting statistical or data-driven methods, and helping design scalable data workflows and prototype tools — including a user interface concept — to estimate subsystem costs and forecast future ground segment implementations
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Duties and Responsibilities
The intern will carry out the following tasks throughout the placement.
🗂️ Review and consolidate technical information on selected ground segment subsystems across different missions
🤝 Collaborate with scientists, engineers, technical experts, and data engineering teams throughout the project
📝 Prepare concise technical notes, summaries, and presentations to communicate findings and support expert reviews
🗃️ Support the collection, structuring, and organisation of technical and financial data from contracts, procurement records, engineering documentation, and other relevant sources
📉 Assist in identifying key cost drivers and preparing data to support the development of subsystem cost models using statistical approaches (e.g. Bayesian statistics)
🗄️ Contribute to the design and population of a database for structured storage of subsystem and cost-related information
🤖 Support the development and testing of machine-learning-based approaches for cost estimation and forecasting
💻 Develop a prototype user interface for cost estimation and forecasting of future ground segment implementations
Eligibility: Who Can Apply
🎓 The internship is open to bachelor and master students with mandatory internship requirements in relevant disciplines such as engineering, ideally with solid knowledge of space or aeronautic systems, system engineering, IT, data engineering, and applied mathematics
🌍 Only nationals of EUMETSAT Member States may apply. The 30 Member States are listed below in the Eligible Countries section. As EUMETSAT's Convention requires that staff shall be recruited on the basis of qualifications and account being taken of its international character, nationality is a formal eligibility condition.
📌 If the internship is not a mandatory part of the curriculum, consideration may also be given, for a maximum duration of three months
Skills and Experience
Required:
🗣️ Ability to work effectively in English (the official working language of EUMETSAT, alongside French)
💡 Intrinsic motivation and curiosity about the internship subject
🤝 Ability to work independently and collaboratively
🔎 Ability to take the initiative in researching ideas
📄 Ability to collect, collate, conceptualize and present information clearly
💻 Computer literacy
Advantageous:
⭐ First experience in cost analysis within industry, agencies, or international organisations, particularly in the aeronautics or space sectors and involving complex technological systems
📊 Ability to process high volumes of data and synthesize complex information using Excel and other tools with a high degree of accuracy
🛸 Knowledge of space systems development lifecycles, system engineering and/or main project management processes
Employment Conditions and Financial Support
📆 Length of internship: 6 months
🗓️ Anticipated start date: 2027
📍 Location: Darmstadt, Germany
📄 Non-disclosure agreement: required due to the sensitivity of the information provided; a basic background check may also be required
💶 Daily allowance: EUR 25 per day (for interns still in studies; no salary is paid)
🚛 Relocation cost reimbursement: up to EUR 400
🏠 Accommodation cost reimbursement: up to EUR 1,000 per month
⚕️ Interns are responsible for their own health and accident insurance and for finding their own accommodation in Darmstadt
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can apply for this EUMETSAT internship?
Only nationals of EUMETSAT's 30 Member States may apply. The list includes Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and the United Kingdom.
Is this internship paid?
No salary is paid to interns who are still in studies. However, interns may receive a daily allowance of EUR 25 per day, relocation cost reimbursement of up to EUR 400, and accommodation cost reimbursement of up to EUR 1,000 per month. Interns are responsible for their own health and accident insurance and for arranging their own accommodation in Darmstadt.
What academic background is required for this internship?
The internship is open to bachelor and master students with mandatory internship requirements in relevant disciplines such as engineering, ideally with solid knowledge of space or aeronautic systems, system engineering, IT, data engineering, and applied mathematics.
What is the internship duration and start date?
The internship lasts 6 months. The anticipated start date is 2027. If the internship is not a mandatory part of the curriculum, consideration may also be given for a maximum duration of three months.
What will the intern work on?
The intern will document and analyse ground segment subsystems across EUMETSAT satellite missions, collect and structure technical and financial data, contribute to subsystem cost model development using statistical and machine-learning approaches, and develop a prototype user interface for cost estimation and forecasting.
Where is the internship based?
The internship is based at EUMETSAT headquarters in Darmstadt, Germany. The vacancy does not list any remote or hybrid option.
Deadline
⏳ 19 November 2026
Link
https://eumetsat.onlyfy.jobs/apply/4c382ddhicfotu3a55f7drk7k4ob2vt
