Intern in the Strategy and Development Office

Our team and mission

The Strategy and Development Office contributes to the strategic thinking at programmatic level, consolidates programmatic proposals and ensures a coordinated approach at ESA.

It is responsible for:

- monitoring the implementation of the Director General’s strategic policies, notably ESA Agenda 2025;
- establishing and maintaining the ESA Long-Term Plan (LTP);
- supporting the Director General with the coordination of reporting at programmatic level;
- submitting to Council an annual report on the Agency’s performance;
- preparing the ESA Annual Report and the Director General’s reports to Council;
- overseeing the programmatic preparation and coordination of the Council meetings at ministerial level;
- contributing to the preparation of high-level meetings such as Space Summits;
- identifying space and non-space challenges which could be supported by future activities and programmes, proposing transversal initiatives addressing specifically non-space actors and the civil society at large (e.g. Arctic, Blue Worlds, Sustainable Development Goals), proposing and supporting multi-domain activities (i.e. ESA projects shared among several Directorates) and coordinating the preparation of flagship programmes;
- analysing the strategic evolution of the ESA footprint in the Member States;
- managing and reinforcing the ESA_Lab@ network.

Interested candidates are encouraged to visit the ESA website: www.esa.int/ESA

Field(s) of activity/research for the traineeship

Topic 1:
Support to the work of the Office related to the follow-up of actions stemming from the implementation of the ESA Agenda 2025, the preparation of reports and documents on ESA programmes and activities, and associated research / analysis work.
 

Topic 2:
Support to the identification of space and non-space challenges which can be addressed by future programmes, help to elaborate the relevant narrative and support to the promotion of transversal initiatives at coordinated level across ESA, in particular for what concern the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the Oceans, Security on Earth or the Arctic.
 

Topic 3
Support the work of the Office related to specific activities (depending on the background of the candidate) e.g. the development of partnerships with external actors, the development of relations with NGOs and the civil society, the management and the reinforcement of the ESA_Lab@ network.

Behavioural competencies

Result Orientation
Operational Efficiency
Fostering Cooperation
Relationship Management
Continuous Improvement
Forward Thinking

Education

Candidates must have student status and be enrolled at university for the entire duration of the internship. Applicants should preferably be in their final or second to last year of a University course at Masters Level in a technical or scientific discipline.

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 Political Science, Strategy studies, Economy, as well as in the structure of the organisation is an asset.