Our team and mission

The Directorate of Human and Robotic Exploration Programmes is a programme directorate within the ESA matrix structure. Using a partnership between humans and robots, the Directorate is dedicated to exploring destinations in space where humans are already living and working – or will live and work in the future – for the purpose of scientific research, economic development, international cooperation and public inspiration.

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

Field(s) of activity/research for the traineeship

Reporting to the Commercialisation and Innovation Team Leader, you will join ESA’s efforts to shape and grow the emerging commercial economy in Low Earth Orbit and around the Moon. You will contribute to the Business in Space Growth Network (BSGN) and its ambition to scale research and production in space, connecting new space capabilities with demand, investment and innovation from industries on Earth.

You will work closely with the LEO Services and Lunar Projects Teams, the Chief Exploration Scientist, the European and International Stakeholder Relations Team, the Studies and Technology Team, and experts across the Directorates of Commercialisation, Industry and Procurement, Technology, Engineering and Quality, and Space Transportation.

As a Luxembourgish National Graduate Trainee, you will have the opportunity to:

Explore the emerging LEO and lunar economy, analysing new commercial stations, transportation systems, free-flyers, payload-hosting facilities and in-orbit services, as well as evolving institutional and commercial demand;

Work with emerging commercial ventures supported through the BSGN Industry Accelerators and follow innovative projects towards commercially viable services;

Engage with industries beyond the traditional space sector, including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, cosmetics, advanced materials, in-space manufacturing,agrifood, mining and construction to understand where research and production in space can create value and what customers need;

Help identify strategic ESA–industry partnerships, including ambitious, long-term initiatives that mobilise companies, researchers and investors around major challenges and new market opportunities;

Support commercially relevant in-orbit projects, gaining first-hand experience of how opportunities are identified, assessed, selected and translated into concrete activities;

Help bring the ecosystem together through ESA conferences, workshops, industry days and stakeholder consultations involving institutional partners, space companies, terrestrial industries and investors;

Develop practical skills in space commercialisation, market assessment, emerging infrastructures, business models and investment cases, while understanding how public and private actors can jointly create and scale new markets.

Above all, you will have the opportunity to address a defining question for the next generation of space exploration: how can Europe turn its excellence in science, technology and exploration into scalable commercial activities and sustainable markets in space?

You will not only observe this transition — you will help shape it.

Technical competencies

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 recently completed or be in the final year of your master’s degree in business, economics or a relevant scientific or technical discipline.

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.