Our team and mission

You would join the Data & Apps Factory team, part of the Data & AI Office, working on the ESA Data Factory: the data platform that powers data-driven decisions and the integration of artificial intelligence across the organisation. Our mission is to make the organisation's data discoverable, trustworthy and ready for use by both people and intelligent systems.

Alongside the core platform, we are building new initiatives that extend it beyond traditional structured data: a store that makes the knowledge held in written documents readable by intelligent systems and a context layer that captures the relationships and meaning between different data sources. You would be part of a collaborative, curious environment, contributing to real, ongoing activities and seeing your results used across the organisation.

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

Field(s) of activity for the internship

​​As an intern, you would collaborate with experienced colleagues on innovative topics within the data platform, contributing to real, ongoing activities. Your tasks may include:

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• ​contributing to the development of a store that makes the knowledge held in written documents readable by intelligent systems, with the correct access controls;
• ​helping to build the context layer that captures the relationships and meaning between different data sources;
• ​supporting the design and development of the interfaces through which colleagues explore and understand the organisation's data;
• ​exploring and testing new tools and techniques in applied artificial intelligence related to data systems;
• ​documenting approaches so they can be understood and reused by others.

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​Through this internship, you would:

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• ​gain hands-on experience of how a modern data platform is designed and operated;
• ​develop practical skills in applied artificial intelligence, including how written information is made usable by intelligent systems;
• ​learn how meaning, relationships and access control are applied to data in a complex organisation;
• ​strengthen your ability to document and communicate technical information clearly.

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 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.

Additional requirements

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.

Knowledge and background in data systems and applied artificial intelligence is an asset.

It is also useful if you have experience in the following areas, including through university or school projects:

• databases and structured data;
• cloud services, particularly Microsoft Azure, or on-premise environments such as virtual machines;
• vector stores or retrieval-based systems that make documents usable by intelligent systems;
• programming, data handling, or building small applications or interfaces;
• a general interest in applied artificial intelligence and how it is used with real data.