Junior Professional in Thermo-Mechanical Engineering - Leo Cargo Return Service
Porz-Wahn, DE
This post is part of ESA’s Junior Professional Programme. We are looking for enthusiastic candidates with up to 2–3 years of relevant professional experience after their Master's degree to join ESA for a four-year assignment. During this time, you will be actively working and learning on the job and will benefit from valuable mobility and developmental opportunities that will prepare you for a successful career at ESA. Subject to performance, it is therefore the intention to offer you an indefinite contract which will start at the end of the four years.
The selection process for the 2025 cohort of Junior Professionals will take place during Spring 2025, with a projected start date in October or November 2025.
Recruitment will take place at the A1 grade. At the end of the fourth year and if you are offered an indefinite contract at the end of your Junior Professional assignment, you will be upgraded to the A2 grade.
Location
EAC, Porz-Wahn, Germany or other site, as required.
Developmental assignments form an integral part of the JP Programme and may entail a temporary relocation to another ESA establishment or other location.
Description
The Leo Cargo Return Service (LCRS) Team manages two industrial contracts aimed at developing a cargo resupply vehicle that will fly to the International Space Station by 2029. The Team provides support and expertise to the contractors and monitors the progress of the companies through appropriate reviews, in many cases with the participation of NASA. During Phase 1 of LCRS (May 2024–May 2026), contracts have been awarded to The Exploration Company and Thales Alenia Space (Italy). Part of the LCRS Core Team is based at the European Astronaut Centre (EAC), while the rest of the Core Team and the wider support team from the Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality (D/TEC) is based at ESTEC.
The Junior Professional will be based at EAC, reporting hierarchically to the Team Lead and providing functional support to the Thermo-Mechanical Lead Engineer for the core tasks.
You will have the opportunity to support the management of the development of LCRS structures, MMOD protection systems, mechanisms, the thermal protection system, the thermal control system and the parachute system. You will also provide support to other vehicle systems, such as propulsion, avionics, flight instrumentation and payload integration, for the thermo-mechanical aspects.
Duties
During the Junior Professional Programme, your duties will include:
- participating in regular working group meetings involving the LCRS contractors, as well as ESA and NASA experts, in the thermo-mechanical disciplines, including structures, mechanisms, fracture control, the MMOD protection system, the thermal control system, the thermal protection system and parachute systems. The main objective is to become familiar with the LCRS Project;
- participating in progress meetings and project reviews associated with programmatic milestones. The main objective is to support the LCRS Project Team while becoming familiar with the project’s critical activities;
- following specific topics assigned by the Thermo-Mechanical Lead Engineer, such as parachute system development, the MMOD protection system and the manufacturing and testing of development hardware. The main objective is to support the Thermo-Mechanical Lead Engineer in specific topics requiring special attention;
- reviewing data packages associated with project technical milestones, such as development tests and qualification tests, and attending manufacturing readiness reviews, test readiness reviews and post-test reviews. The main objective is to support the Project Team in the achievement of technical milestones of particular importance;
- supporting general team activities, such as the planning and implementation of progress meetings and reviews and Phase 2 proposal evaluation. The main objective is to support the Project Team in the preparation of Phase 2 of the Project.
Development programme
In addition to your daily work, you will take part in an extensive learning and development programme. From day one, you will learn on the job and benefit from tailored development opportunities, including participation in technical and key skills training courses.
Furthermore, there is a mobility component to the Junior Professional Programme that can be either an internal rotation to another team within ESA, an external secondment outside of ESA or a combination of both. Internal rotations aim to boost your professional experience and knowledge of the European Space Agency, whereas external secondments aim to boost your professional experience and knowledge of the European space sector.
While not an exhaustive list of opportunities, potential rotations within the Agency may include:
- a rotation to any other engineering discipline relevant to the development of the LCRS vehicles, and in particular guidance, navigation and control (GNC), propulsion or software, for which you may rotate to ESTEC under the mentorship of one of the LCRS Core Team members;
- a rotation in ISS operations with a team within the Directorate of Human and Robotic Exploration (D/HRE) based in Munich and EAC, in order to develop a better understanding of human spaceflight operations and engineering, payload integration and operations.
Regardless of the specific topic, you may also potentially complete a rotation as a resident with one of the LCRS contractors in accordance with the ESA LCRS Project needs.
This programme represents a significant investment by ESA in your personal and professional development and is designed to provide you with the required knowledge and skills for a career at ESA. You can expect to be given many opportunities to develop your professional experience and competencies, to learn from ESA experts and to contribute to ESA activities.
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
A master’s degree in a relevant engineering discipline is required for this post.
A PhD in a relevant engineering field is considered an asset.
Additional requirements
You should have between two and three years of professional experience, preferably in a relevant domain, obtained following completion of your master’s degree.
Direct experience with the development of Human Spaceflight products is considered 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, beliefs, age, disability or other characteristics. Applications from women are encouraged.
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
Applicants must be eligible to access information, technology, and hardware which is subject to European or US export control and sanctions regulations.
During the recruitment process, the Agency may request applicants to undergo selection tests. Additionally, successful candidates will need to undergo basic screening before appointment, which will be conducted by an external background screening service, in compliance with the European Space Agency's security procedures.
Note that ESA is in the process of transitioning to a Matrix setup, which could lead to organisational changes affecting this position.
The information published on ESA’s careers website regarding working 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 and Languages
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, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Canada, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia.
According to the ESA Convention, the recruitment of staff must take into account an adequate distribution of posts among nationals of the ESA Member States*. When short-listing for an interview, priority will first be given to internal candidates and secondly to external candidates from under-represented Member States*.
The working languages of the Agency are English and French. A good knowledge of one of these is required. Knowledge of another Member State language would be an asset.
*Member States, Associate Members or Cooperating States.