Listed on Orbital Diplomat 2 Sept 2026
This ESA Graduate Traineeship is based at ESTEC in Noordwijk and sits within the Space Resilience Office of the Directorate of Resilience, Navigation and Connectivity. The role involves monitoring and analysing technical, security, policy and geopolitical developments relevant to European satellite navigation and secure connectivity programmes, including threats such as jamming, spoofing, cyberattacks and supply-chain vulnerabilities. The trainee will contribute to risk and resilience assessments, support geopolitical risk analysis related to international partnerships and critical technologies, and prepare strategic briefings for management and governing bodies. The position operates at the intersection of engineering, security analysis and policy, making it suitable for candidates from either technical or policy backgrounds. It offers an opportunity to develop multidisciplinary skills in threat analysis and institutional cooperation within Europe's broader space security and defence framework.
Master's degree (completed or in final year) in aerospace engineering, telecommunications engineering, systems engineering, cybersecurity, computer science, security engineering, security studies, international relations, political science, geopolitics or a relevant discipline Good analytical, interpersonal and communication skills Ability to synthesise complex technical or policy information for different audiences Ability to work independently and as part of a multicultural team Genuine interest in space security, resilience, geopolitics and European space affairs Candidates combining technical background with security policy knowledge especially encouraged; policy candidates should show interest in space systems and technical threats Relevant experience through internships, university projects, research or extracurricular activities is an asset Familiarity with open-source research, risk/threat analysis, cybersecurity, satellite communications, navigation systems or European security and defence policy is an asset Good knowledge of English or French; knowledge of another ESA Member State language is an asset Nationality of an ESA Member State, Associate Member State, Cooperating State or European Cooperating State May be subject to security clearance and export control requirements