Job Description

ESA Graduate Trainee in Project Portfolio Analysis & Support in Real Estate & Facilities Management

Job Requisition ID: 20222

Date Posted: 1 February 2026

Closing Date: 28 February 2026 23:59 CET/CEST

Publication: External Only

Type of Appointment: ESA Graduate Trainee

Directorate: Resources and Services

Workplace:

Noordwijk, NL Darmstadt, DE

Grade Band: F1 - F1

Location

ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands, or ESOC, Darmstadt, Germany

Our team and mission

The Real Estate and Facilities Management (REFM) Department has responsibility for eight sites across Europe, with a total of approximately 250,000 sqm of working space as well as technical facilities, and a population of over 7,000 staff and contractors.

The Development and Coordination Office (DCO) is a staff function within the REFM Department ensuring cross departmental alignment of activities as well as support the development of scope and strategic initiatives of the department. Within the DCO is the Project Portfolio Management Office, which provides structured control and governance over the REFM project portfolio, supporting alignment of projets with departmental and Agency objectives.

Reporting to the Head of the REFM Development and Coordination Office, you will provide support to the PPMO team across a broad portfolio of projects.

You are encouraged to visit the ESA website: http://www.esa.int

Field(s) of activity/research for the traineeship

In this role, your specific tasks and responsibilities will include:

In support of department activities and projects, gather and verify the quality and completeness of real estate and facilities project-related data (for example ESA Green Agenda projects, Common Infrastructure Plan projects) from REFM teams across ESA sites.
Collect and analyse operational metrics to support planning, performance tracking, and long-term improvement inititatives within the REFMs portfolio.
Contribute to the preparation of management reports and visual summaries, such as dashboards, charts, and data visualisations, to support communication with senior management and other stakeholders.
Build effective working relationships with relevant internal stakeholders to support smooth, coordinated and reliable data-collection and reporting processes.
Coordinate the annual assessment of environmental impacts, including gathering and consolidating data needed for greenhouse gas reporting and other environmental performance indicators.
Assist in maintaining documentation and procedures, indluding those related to REFM projects, environmental or energy-management frameworks and support internal/external audit activities when required.
Support awareness and communication activities that promote REFM projects, efficient operations, and responsible resource use across the built environment.
Assist in the adoption and use of digital tools and software that improve data integrity, streamline reporting, and enhance visibility of facilities performance.
Collaborate with external service providers and suppliers to improve products, services, and processes that contribute to a more resilient, efficient, and sustainable facilities portfolio.

Technical competencies

Knowledge of relevant technical/functional domains

Relevant experience gained during internships, project work and/or extracurricular or other activities

General knowledge of the space sector and relevant activities

Knowledge of ESA and its programmes/projects

Behavioural competencies

Result Orientation

Operational Efficiency

Fostering Cooperation

Relationship Management

Continuous Improvement

Forward Thinking

For more information, please refer to the ESA Core Behavioural Competencies guidebook

Education

You should have just completed, or be in the final year of your master’s degree in real estate and facilities management, project management, sustainability, environmental science, data science, engineering, or a related field.

Additional requirements

You should have good interpersonal and communication skills and should be able to work in a multicultural environment, both independently and as part of a team. Previous experience of working in international teams can be considered an asset. Your motivation, overall professional perspective and career goals will also be explored during the later stages of the selection process.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusiveness
ESA is an equal opportunity employer, committed to achieving diversity within the workforce and creating an inclusive working environment. We therefore welcome applications from all qualified candidates irrespective of gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religious beliefs, age, disability or other characteristics.

At the Agency we value diversity, and we welcome people with disabilities. Whenever possible, we seek 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, please contact us via email at contact.human.resources@esa.int.

Important Information and Disclaimer

During the recruitment process, the Agency may request applicants to undergo selection tests. Additionally, successful candidates will need to undergo basic screening before appointment, which will be conducted by an external background screening service, in compliance with the European Space Agency's security procedures.

The information published on ESA’s careers website regarding working conditions is correct at the time of publication. It is not intended to be exhaustive and may not address all questions you would have.

Nationality and Languages
Please note that applications can only be considered from nationals of one of the following States: Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Nationals from Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia as Associate Member States, or Canada as a Cooperating State, can apply as well as those from Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Malta as European Cooperating States (ECS).

According to the ESA Convention, the recruitment of staff must take into account an adequate distribution of posts among nationals of the ESA Member States*. When short-listing for an interview, priority will be given to external candidates from under-represented Member States*.

The working languages of the Agency are English and French. A good knowledge of one of these is required. Knowledge of another Member State language would be an asset.

*Member States, Associate Members or Cooperating States.