Our team and mission

This position is based at the ESA HQ - Paris, France

The ESA Chief Diversity Officer, who reports to the Director for Strategy, Legal and External Affairs, will provide advice on how to embed diversity and inclusion in strategy and leadership, based on best practice and relevant research:

• Cooperating closely with the Human Resources Department on the integration of diversity and inclusion in Human Resources policies and practice;
• Fostering internal and external networking;
• Raising ESA’s visibility as a key player on D&I, fostering i.a. initiatives, aimed at increasing the attractiveness of STEM and space subjects to girls and a more diverse pool of talents;
• Increasing managers’ awareness.

In this capacity, the Chief Diversity Officer has direct access to the Director General, keeping the Director for Strategy, Legal and External Affairs informed.

The ESA Chief Diversity Officer is also a Special Advisor.

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

Field(s) of activity for the internship

Topic of the internship: Diversity and Inclusiveness

Diversity and Inclusiveness are topics that have been receiving more and more attention in the space sector, and a strong D&I strategy has key to ensuring a space agency’s competitiveness and attractiveness in this field. This is an even more presseing issue considering the challenges posed to the European space sector by factors such as the stagnation of the population and diversity of STEM students and the impact of the brain drain, which are reducing the pool of talents for space in Europe. The link between Diversity and Space careers has to be reinforced,  especially in younger generations, who are increasingly attentive to the values hold by an organisation, as factors relevant for their choices to attempt at a career or studies in this field. Therefore, a schematic outlook on the future of STEM through a D&I perspective is of fundamental importance for ESA.  
 

In the Diversity & Inclusiveness team, your tasks would include: 

• supporting assessment and policy reflections about enlarging inclusion in STEM subjects, also in the perspective of preparing the future skilled, and diverse, pool of talents for space in Europe;  
• establishing and maintaining a database with information, statistics, and analysis on D&I in the space sector and in STEM fields;
• supporting analysis including benchmarking of best practices relevant to D&I for the space sector and other comparable organizations;  
• supporting organization of events with other organizations/agencies; 
• support implementation and follow-up of communication on D&I. 

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.

The following would be an asset: 

• Knowledge and experience of policy analysis and statistical analysis;
• Understanding of an international context and international exposure.