Our team and mission

This position is based at the European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) – Noordwijk, Netherlands

Under the direct authority of the Leader of the Lunar Projects Group, the Leader of the Argonaut Team:

• Executes to performance, schedule and budget requirements all the activities associated with the design, development, assembly, testing and verification of the LDE and its potential options;
• Manages all the Argonaut industrial contracts, taking account of industrial policy requirements;
• In the event of RPS selection, ensures the LSAP process management in coordination with STS and coordinates other relevant activities with the ENDURE project;
• Manages mission-specific development activities for the first Argonaut and subsequent missions from phase A onwards (CDF studies, pre-phase A studies and technology studies up to TRL5 are coordinated with and managed by ExPeRT);
• Liaises with the Lunar Resource & Infrastructure Team and Lunar Science Team for the ESA led payload on-board Argonaut;
• Supports the Argonaut passenger selection and manages the mission integration and operations;
• If the passenger is an ESA development, manages its definition and development to performance, schedule and budget requirements;
• Contributes to the definition and implementation of cooperation agreements with NASA and other international partners;
• Selects and procures the Argonaut launch service for each mission;
• Prepares the launch campaign and operations for Argonaut missions including use of ESOC and industrial operations capabilities as appropriate;
• Coordinates the potential use of Lunar Pathfinder and Moonlight services;
• Supports the analysis of potential Argonaut evolutions.

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

Field(s) of activity for the internship

Topic of the internship: Argonaut Mission 1 –  ArgoNET System Engineering Model

In this internship, you will play a crucial role in developing a comprehensive system model for a lunar surface mission, using Model-Based Systems Engineering. This model will serve as a foundational tool to understand and manage the complex interactions and interfaces between various mission components. The work you do will directly contribute to the planning and execution of future lunar missions, providing you with hands-on experience in the field of space systems engineering.

Key Activities:
1. System Modelling:

• Develop a detailed model representing the architecture and components of a lunar mission;
• Use specialized tools to build a scalable model aligned with mission requirements.

2. Requirements Management:

• Collaborate with teams to define and manage system and interface requirements;
• Ensure all requirements are linked to the model, maintaining traceability.

3. Interface Definition:

• Define and integrate mechanical, electrical, thermal, and data interfaces into the model;
• Ensure smooth interaction between subsystems;

4. Collaboration and Documentation:

• Work with multidisciplinary teams and document your modeling process.

5. Testing and Validation:

• Assist in testing the model to ensure it meets all requirements;
• Refine the model based on test results.

During this internship, you will gain hands-on experience in systems engineering, focusing on model development and requirements management. You will strengthen your ability to collaborate with diverse teams and enhance your skills in creating and validating complex system models for space 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 in your final or second-to-last year of a university course at Master’s level and you need to remain 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 Member State language would be an asset.

Knowledge and background in system engineering and model based system engineering is an asset.