ESA Graduate Trainee in RF Equipment and Technologies

Our team and mission

The Radio Frequency Payloads & Technology Division (TEC-EF) is responsible from early definition to full qualification of RF payloads, TT&C subsystems, RF instruments and technologies for space and ground applications, including all equipment having a Radio Frequency space/ground interface and its associated Laboratories. 

The division consists of four sections covering the following domains:

• Payloads with RF interface exploiting different technologies (e.g., analogue, digital, optical) including design and performance analysis tools and testing;
• RF active and passive instruments, including design and performance analysis, engineering and testing up to sub-millimetre waves; 
• Telemetry, tracking and control (TT&C) subsystems, payload data transmission (PDT) subsystems including deep space and near Earth transponders, proximity and intersatellite (ISL) link antennas and equipment, high speed downlink modulators, digital communication equipment;
• Wave-propagation and interaction, including signal impairments and regulatory aspects;
• Performance assessment of RF and Optical remote sensing data products (including spurious effects mitigation and calibration techniques) at Level-1 and Level-2, and associated data processing techniques;
• Antenna systems, architecture, technologies, and techniques for all space applications, including space vehicle TT&C and user segment terminals, sub-millimetre wave instruments and associated technologies, as well as antenna engineering, and RF testing of antenna and materials; 
• RF equipment and technologies, including RF passive technologies, RF active technologies, vacuum electronics and high power RF phenomena (multipactor, corona, power handling and passive intermodulation).
• RF Payload digital equipment, and on-board Payload Signal and Data Processing algorithms and techniques for RF payloads and instruments in close collaboration with TEC-ED; and
• Time and frequency generation and distribution equipment  (e.g. microwave and optical with RF interfaces), techniques, performance tools, measurements and characterisation.

The Division manages laboratories to test/proof concepts soundness and validation as well as to enable research and development of novel concepts or techniques. They cover:

• Microwave and millimetre wave (https://technology.esa.int/lab/microwave-laboratory)
• Payload engineering (https://technology.esa.int/lab/remote-sensing-laboratory)
• TT&C and PDT laboratory (https://technology.esa.int/lab/communication-and-ttc-laboratory)
• Antenna testing (https://technology.esa.int/lab/antenna-laboratory)
• High power RF phenomena and high power space material characterisation (https://technology.esa.int/lab/high-power-lab).

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

Field(s) of activity/research for the traineeship

Ready for the challenge?

You will have the opportunity to work in one of the following disciplines, depending on your background and interest:

• RF Active technologies: in few years time, next generation SATCOM systems will deploy satellites, ground station equipment and ground terminals in the W-band frequency allocation. Today, our team is evaluating the technologies of tomorrow for their use in those novel systems. Within our Section, the trainee will assess state-of-the-art semiconductor technologies as well as vacuum tube electronics for their use in W-band SATCOM systems. The assessment will include analytical work, simulations with Industry standard tools as well as a number of innovative test campaigns on real hardware within our Microwave Laboratory.

• RF Passive technologies: Numerous satellite mega-constellations are under development. Accommodation and cost are a big concern for small platform satellites when considering high performance RF passive hardware (filters, isolators, switches, beamforming networks, etc.). The challenge is therefore to achieve high level of integration of several RF functions, to develop innovative solutions comprising novel synthesis methods for filters and the use of advanced technologies/materials for mass production. Advanced manufacturing (AM) of RF parts such as 3D printing plays an increasing role in this domain. Within our team, the trainee will assess state-of-the-art advanced manufacturing techniques for the development of spaceborne RF passive hardware. The assessment will touch upon the above topics and will involve design, analysis with circuit and/or full-wave electromagnetic simulations, breadboarding and experimental validation of novel RF passive equipment within our Microwave Laboratory.

• Time and Frequency technologies: Oscillators, atomic clocks, clock signal processing techniques, timescale realization and time transfer techniques require extensive characterization and performance analysis in a wide range of operational and environmental conditions. The trainee will support the development of innovative techniques for robust timescale generation and monitoring, clock performance tools, time transfer techniques and tests beds for the verification of Time and Frequency equipment including SDR-based time transfer, miniature and next generation high performance atomic clocks within our Microwave Laboratory.

• Assembly, Integration and Test: if you are willing instead to develop skills as an AIT engineer and be the one to test novel prototypes and even full RF Payloads, then do not hesitate to apply! Within the Microwave and RF Payload laboratory, you will join a team of excellent Test Engineers who will train you in testing of different RF equipment and Payloads. You will also have the opportunity to actively contribute to our testing activities under the supervision of our personnel. For next year, we have interesting testing requests for future Navigation, Science, Earth Observation and Telecommunication missions at ESA!
   

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 just completed, or be in the final year of your master’ s degree in Telecommunications/Electrical/Electronic/Microwave Engineering or Physics.

Additional requirements

Specific competence in one of the following disciplines is considered an asset: 

• Knowledge of design and simulation tools such as ADS, MWO, HFSS, CST or MICIAN.
• Experience in RF testing as well as programming e.g. MATLAB, LabView, Python.

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.