Intern in the Science Engagement and Oversight Office, Astrophysics Section
Noordwijk, NL
Location
ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands
Our team and mission
Under the direct authority of D/SCI, the Head of the Science Engagement and Oversight Office is responsible for overseeing the scientific content of the Programme, interfacing with the scientific community and providing scientific expertise to studies, projects and missions, also in other Directorates as needed.
Candidates interested are encouraged to visit the ESA website: http://www.esa.int
Field(s) of activity for the internship
Topic of the internship: Science communication (videomaking, visualization, inclusive communication, and/or story writing)
For the detailed topic descriptions please go to this web page:
The Gaia mission was built to map the Milky Way with unprecedented precision and has brought a golden age for astronomy. Its data cover more than 2 billion stars and other objects, extending from the Milky Way to the Solar System and to remote quasars and galaxies. The next data release, Gaia DR4, is planned for December 2026 and will consist of a huge catalogue with diverse data products on stars, exoplanets, black holes, variable stars, asteroids, galaxies, quasars, moons, and much more.
You will work with the Gaia mission scientists team while it prepares for this major milestone. This internship offers a unique chance to take part in the preparation of outreach and communication material. In parallel to the preparations for Gaia Data Release 4, general science communications for the Gaia mission continue. Dependent on the skills and interest of the intern, the project can be focused on videomaking, visualization, inclusive communication, and/or story writing. Potential topics are: writing outreach stories on scientific results based on Gaia data, preparatory outreach activities for Gaia DR4 including story design, material creation, organization, etc., creation of Gaia posters, creation of promotional short videos, creation of visualizations and/or infographics, creation of sonifications based on Gaia data, and more.
Some examples of the material produced and coordinated by the Gaia mission team can be found at https://www.cosmos.esa.int/web/gaia/dr3-stories.
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 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.
Candidates for this position should have:
- the internship is most suitable for candidates with an education in media/communication with some knowledge of astronomy or for candidates with a broad knowledge of astronomy with some affinity for media/communication.
- we expect the candidate to be interested in science story writing, and to ideally have one out of these three skills: visualization, video making, sonification.
- since we are producing material in English, we expect a C2 level in reading, writing, and speaking.
- knowledge of other languages is an asset.
- the topics will be ranging across different areas of astronomy, so the ability to understand new concepts quickly will be helpful.
- because we are producing material based on the Gaia catalogue, experience working with Gaia data would be an asset.
- we expect the intern to be proactive and to have some skills to work with the distributed and diverse groups in our Gaia community.
- experience with the development of educational material is an asset.
- some knowledge or experience with web development, mostly being quick to learn new website tools, would be an asset.
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.
The information published on ESA’s careers website regarding internship 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
Please note that applications are only considered from nationals of one of the following States: Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Applicants from Canada as a Cooperating State can apply as well as those from Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Malta as European Cooperating States (ECS).
