Intern in the Quality Department, Knowledge Management Unit

Our team and mission

The Quality and Product Assurance Management Division is responsible for:

• Providing Product Assurance support for ESA projects and R&D activities in close cooperation with the Product Assurance & Safety Offices;
• Quality Assurance, product surveillance (including audits) and Product Assurance support to product qualification and certification, software Product Assurance and RAMS (Reliability, Availability, Maintainability, and Safety);
• Supporting Supply Chain Management in close cooperation with CIC-IP and developing and implementing of Product- and Quality Assurance methodologies, techniques, and tools;
• Coordinating European Test Centres accreditation and operating the ESA Alert System;
• Supporting the ESA's Quality Management Organisation; Managing ESA’s corporate Knowledge Management Team (including ESA Libraries).

ESA Knowledge Management Unit (TEC-QPK), located in ESTEC, is a Corporate Knowledge Management function, operating under the authority of the Directorate of Technology, Engineering & Quality (D/TEC), and reporting to the Head of the Quality and Product Assurance Management Division (TEC-QP). It supports the entire Agency, serving the customers across all the Directorates at any location, while collaborating closely with Points of Contact within each Directorate (Knowledge Management, Lessons Learned and Records Management).
The KM unit’s mission is to ensure that ESA’s critical knowledge is developed, captured, shared and reused for continuous improvement and success of ESA.
The key activities include among others: support to lessons learned (continuous learning and improving of ESA practices based on project experiences) and knowledge transfer (securing ESA critical knowledge and ensuring business continuity particularly in case of expert retirement.)
The Knowledge Management Unit is also responsible for developing, implementing and maintaining knowledge management expertise and standards, and managing corporate knowledge management activities.

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

Field(s) of activity for the internship

Topic of the internship: Improving Learning from Experience in Space Missions: Enhancing Knowledge Capture and Usability of ESA’s Lessons Learned Portal

You will play an important role in enhancing how the European Space Agency captures and shares valuable experiences from its space missions to support future initiatives. By working closely with the knowledge management team, you will contribute directly to improving processes that help ESA’s projects benefit from past successes and challenges.

Your main task will be to improve the usability and content of our SharePoint-based Lessons Learned portal by creating detailed, standardised factsheets for each mission. These factsheets will fill current gaps by systematically providing essential technical and operational data, such as:

• Mission class;
• Orbit;
• Size and mass of the satellite;
• Launcher used;
• Instruments onboard (new or previously flown on other missions);
• Challenges faced, particularly regarding M&P, EEE or suppliers.

To build these factsheets, you will:

• Review existing project profiles and identify missing but valuable information;
• Research mission documentation and technical reports;
• Conduct interviews with project teams and stakeholders;
• Design and develop clear, accessible project profiles on SharePoint that present key data effectively;
• Analyze project review records to uncover additional lessons or challenges to be integrated.

Throughout the internship, you will gain hands-on experience in research, stakeholder engagement, and knowledge curation, while developing practical skills in SharePoint design and content management. Most importantly, you will gain valuable insights into the complexity of space missions, deepening your understanding of how these ambitious projects are brought to life. Your contribution will support ESA’s continuous improvement by helping ensure that key lessons are preserved, shared, and applied across future missions.

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 studying 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 English 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.

You should also have:

• A background in aerospace engineering, space sciences, or a closely related discipline;
• Strong research and analytical skills, including experience with document analysis and conducting interviews, are required;
• Familiarity with space technology;
• Familiarity with project management concepts or tools;
• Good understanding of data organisation and information architecture;
• Experience in content design or digital content management is required;
• Familiarity with Microsoft 365 tools, including SharePoint and automation features (e.g. Power Automate), is an asset;
• Good understanding of automation and workflow optimisation within digital platforms is beneficial;
• Excellent communication skills and ability to collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders;
• Attention to detail and a methodical, problem-solving approach;
• Passion for space, technology, innovation, and knowledge management.