Young Graduate Trainee in Inclusive Science Communication

EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY

Young Graduate Trainee Opportunity in the Directorate of Science.

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.

This post is classified F1 on the Coordinated Organisations’ salary scale .

Location

ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands 

Our team and mission

ESA maintains a world-leading Science Programme with missions in heliophysics, planetary science, astrophysics and fundamental physics. Its mission is to ‘Empower Europe to lead space science’. The Department for Science and Operations hosts the scientists and engineers that oversee the space missions, from study to end of operations. It develops the science operation systems for the missions and operates the missions in space, as well as archiving and curating their data during operations and beyond. Our main objective is to maximise the scientific output of the missions for the benefit of humankind. Our team includes communication and outreach specialists working on key events and science related to ESA’s Space Science missions for the general public and science communities.

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

Field(s) of activity/research for the traineeship

What do stars sound like? What does the shape of a planetary nebula feel like?

Working in Inclusive and Accessible Science Communication in the Science Division, you will focus especially on developing new approaches and products for inclusive and accessible communication. Examples of such work could be the design design and production of sonification of astrophysical data or 3D prints of astronomical images or planetary features to make them more accessible to the visually impaired community and at the same time to broaden the sensory experience of how our cosmos is perceived and understood by the general public. You will not only support the overall communication efforts but also define a focus project of your own that suits your strengths and interests and serves the communication aims of ESA’s science directorate. We will encourage you to liaise with the communities your project aims to reach as intrinsic part of the development of inclusive and accessible formats.

You will be embedded in our overall communication efforts and part of an interdisciplinary team with people from different background and expertise, bringing the latest in cutting-edge space science and astrophysics to a wide audience. You will work closely with the Liaison Scientist and the Science Programme Communication officer as well as the Editorial Staff as part of the ongoing communication efforts. You would also work closely with scientists involved in our space science missions, for example exoplanet mission such as Plato. Through your involvement in various projects and with our support, you will, in particular, gain experience in:

• working with scientists and other stakeholders within and outside ESA;
• inclusive and accessible communication approaches;
• working as part of an interdisciplinary science communication team including writers, graphic and information designers, web editors, etc.;
• development and implementation of communication campaigns;
• how a large international organization works in practice.

You will additionally gain knowledge about different aspects of space science with a special focus on astrophysics and obtain insights into the workings of the international astronomy and astrophysics scientific community.

Technical competencies

Knowledge of relevant technical domains

Relevant experience gained during internships/project work

Breadth of exposure coming from past and/or current research/activities

Knowledge of ESA and its programmes/projects

Behavioural competencies

Result Orientation

Operational Efficiency

Fostering Cooperation

Relationship Management

Continuous Improvement

Forward Thinking

Education

You should have just completed or be in the final year of your master’s degree in a relevant technical discipline and have either completed a course in science communication or have extracurricular science communication experience.

Additional requirements

Previous experience with or proven interest in inclusive and accessible communication would be an asset.
A degree in physics or astronomy is not a requirement, but a fair knowledge in the area of (astro)physics/space science is a plus.

You should have good interpersonal and communication skills and should be able to work in a multicultural environment, both independently and as part of a team.

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.

During the interview motivation and overall professional perspective/career goals will also be explored.

Other information

For behavioural competencies expected from ESA staff in general, please refer to the ESA Competency Framework .

For further information on the Young Graduate Programme please visit: Young Graduate Programme andFAQ Young Graduate Programme

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 email [email protected] .

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Please note that applications are only considered from nationals of one of the following States: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Nationals from Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia and Slovenia, as  Associate Member States, or Canada as a Cooperating State, can apply as well as those from Bulgaria, Croatia and Cyprus as European Cooperating States (ECS).

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 candidates from under-represented Member States *. 

In accordance with the European Space Agency’s security procedures and as part of the selection process, successful candidates will be required to undergo basic screening before appointment conducted by an external background screening service. 

*Member States, Associate Members or Cooperating States.