Job Description

German National Graduate Trainee in Direct to Device (D2D) Mission and System Engineering

Job Requisition ID: 20517

Date Posted: 22 April 2026

Closing Date: 20 May 2026 23:59 CET/CEST

Publication: External Only

Type of Appointment: National Graduate Trainee

Directorate: Connectivity and Secure Communications

Workplace:

Noordwijk, NL

Grade Band: F1 - F1

Location

ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands

Our team and mission

As a National Graduate Trainee, you will join the Direct to Device (D2D) ELEOSYS and SELYCE Partnership Projects Team under the supervision of the Mission Manager and support the Team in implementing the D2D workplan and industry-initiated activities. ELEOSYS and SELYCE are part of the Satellite Programmes Department of the Directorate of Connectivity and Secure Communication. The Department manages and implements public-private partnership projects with key European satcom operators and industrial partners.

Non-terrestrial network (NTN) connectivity for D2D presents one of the greatest potential growth opportunities in satcom. The objective of the D2D partnership projects is to design, develop, qualify, integrate and validate innovative satellite payload, platform and ground network technologies using ESA Member States’ supply chain solutions in a pre-operational system showcasing emerging D2D services.

Our team plays a key role in supporting the development of state-of-art, game-changing and competitive innovative solutions in the field of D2D technologies ensuring the global competitiveness of the European space eco-system.

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

Field(s) of activity/research for the traineeship

As a National Graduate Trainee, you will gradually build up expertise in mission and system engineering and collaborative project work. Your main activities will include the following:

Learning to evaluate mission and system design architectures by supporting reviews and understanding how complex architectures are developed and validated;
Learning to generate link budget and system trade-offs to assess the overall mission and system performances;
Developing user stories and use cases to capture operational needs and translate them into test scenarios guided by experienced engineers;
Contributing to the definition of functional test cases that will later be used for verifying the mission and system requirements, gaining insight into verification planning and processes;
Contributing to the Directorate's D2D workplan and the implementation of industry-initiated activities;
Developing internal tools to improve collaboration and efficiency within the project team and with external partners;
Participating in technical discussions and documentation activities, learning how large-scale programmes are managed and delivered.

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 ESA Core Behavioural Competencies guidebook

Education

You should have just completed, or be in the final year of your master’ s degree in space systems engineering, telecommunications engineering, computer science or software engineering.

Additional requirements

Experience in telecommunications and 5G/6G networking would be an asset.

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 may be considered an asset. Your motivation, overall professional prospects 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 Germany or permanent residents of Germany with the nationality of an ESA Member State, Associate Member or Cooperating State.

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.