Our team and mission

The Advanced Concepts and Studies Office ensures the overall coordination, coherence and performance of programme and studies in support to the preparation of the Agency’s future activities, in line with its long-term strategic objectives and priorities. This includes discovery activities via the Open Space Innovation Platform (OSIP) and the Advanced Concepts Team (ACT), ESA’s in-house research think tank.

ACT performs beyond-the-horizon multidisciplinary research for space, exploring new approaches to space-related R&D (including competitions, prizes and games) and research for disruptive innovation, developing an expert network in academia and providing a capability for fast first-look analysis of problems, challenges and opportunities. ACT engages in collaborative research relations with universities and research institutes, focusing on advanced research topics of potential strategic interest to the space sector and in experimenting with new forms of teamwork. To this end, a multidisciplinary research environment is provided, in which young scientific and engineering post-doctoral and post-graduate researchers carry out work on emerging technologies and innovative concepts.

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Field(s) of activity/research for the traineeship

You will develop most of your activity in the field of biomimetics, focusing on space applications. Biomimetics, or biomimicry, is the systematic study (with the emphasis on “systematic”) of the animal and plant kingdoms in search of inspiration and ideas to be transferred to technological devices, algorithms or engineering systems. Since living organisms have evolved over millions of years in a competitive environment, biomimetic ideas and practices inherently possess interesting traits, such as efficiency in terms of energy, use of resources and sustainability. These traits make biomimicry a compelling inspirational pool for space applications. Recent ACT projects have included spider-silk based sensors, exploratory behaviour inspired by seed dispersal, improved light-trapping microstructures for solar cells, neuromorphic sensing of optical flow for autonomous landing and undulatory aquatic locomotion for underwater robotics.

You are expected to suggest your own new biomimetic projects and ideas, typically based on insight from monitoring advanced biomimetics trends (candidates are encouraged to consult the Bioinspiration & Biomimetics Journal or other biology-related resources, such as the Journal of Experimental biology).

You will then typically:

• Select and develop at least one specific research project focusing on a new engineering system or algorithm of relevance to space and derived from the outstanding properties of a specific natural system, and

• consolidate and further develop at least one project, typically in close collaboration with the ACT Research Fellow in Biomimetics.

Depending on the nature of the project, you may also be required to interface with the relevant academic community. You will be a full member of ACT and therefore expected to contribute to the development and assessment of new concepts and technologies for space applications in close interaction with ACT researchers, who work on a broad range of disciplines, including informatics, artificial intelligence, climate modelling, energy systems, fundamental physics, biomimetics, computational management science and mission analysis. On the basis of your detailed background and interests and the needs of and opportunities presented by the team, you will be involved in a number of other ACT initiatives, including studies conducted via the Ariadna scheme (www.esa.int/ariadna), and will also participate in reporting and communicating the team’s results, both internally and externally.

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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 your final year of, a university course at Masters level in a technical or scientific discipline, specifically in biomimetics, biology, natural sciences, bioengineering or another discipline having a solid biomimetics focus.

Additional requirements

Experiences in computational analysis/modelling of biological systems are considered strong assets.

You should have good interpersonal and communication skills and should be able to work in a multi-cultural 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.

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Location

ESTEC, Noordwijk, The Netherlands

The closing date for applications is 1 March 2021.

For more information, and applying, see this website.

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