Intern in the Science Engagement and Oversight Office - CESAR Telescope Operations and Education

Location

ESAC, Villanueva de la Cañada, Spain

Our team and mission

Under the direct authority of D/SCI, the Head of the Science Engagement and Oversight Office is responsible for overseeing the scientific content of the Programme, interfacing with the scientific community and providing scientific expertise to studies, projects and missions, also in other Directorates as needed.

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

Field(s) of activity for the internship

CESAR (Cooperation through Education in Science and Astronomy Research) is a joint educational programme developed by the European Space Agency (ESA), the Spanish National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA) and the public company ISDEFE. It is based at ESA’s European Space Astronomy Centre (ESAC) in Villanueva de la Cañada, Madrid, Spain. Its main goal is to provide students and teachers from European schools with hands-on educational materials and resources about Astrophysics and Space Sciences, to be carried out in the classroom, as well as easy access to ESA´s data archive and to optical and radio telescopes.

1) Topic 1: Support in the pedagogical development of CESAR’s educational activities, with a special focus on the educational campaign for the upcoming solar eclipses.

The CESAR team carries out continuous work on transforming its activities and educational materials, adapting them to new formats and pedagogical strategies that are more engaging for students. Some examples include the development of new activities such as online labs, VR applications, and e-learning platforms. In this context, we follow the principles and guidelines already established by our colleagues at ESA Education, with whom the CESAR team is in regular contact. These updates are also carried out with the aim of making the materials progressively more accessible, inclusive, and diverse. In addition to continuing our usual educational activities, in 2026 the CESAR project launched a specific educational campaign in preparation for the total and annular solar eclipses that were going to be visible from Europe over the next three years. After a successful first phase related to the total solar eclipse of August 2026, we are now continuing the development of this campaign in preparation for the total solar eclipse of August 2027 and the annular solar eclipse of January 2028.

The goal of this internship would be

• to collaborate in the development and revision of CESAR’s educational resources, with a particular focus on inclusion;
• to take part specifically in the design and implementation of CESAR’s educational campaign related to the solar eclipses visible from Europe in 2027 and 2028;
• to design and develop new multimedia material for the educational activities of the CESAR project, as well as its publication and impact monitoring on the project’s website and social media channels.

2) Topic 2: Support for the operation and educational implementation of CESAR’s telescopes

The CESAR Project comprises three observatories: a solar observatory with three telescopes, currently operational; a 0.5 m optical telescope at the Cebreros Observatory, fully refurbished and operational since summer 2026; and two smaller optical telescopes. These telescopes serve as resources for the CESAR project's educational activities.

The main objectives of this internship are

• support for the educational implementation of the 0.5 m optical telescope at the Cebreros Observatory, by creating observational cases and developing the system that will allow educational institutions to request and carry out their own observations;
• support for the operation of the solar and Cebreros telescopes, as well as the development of software to manage the acquired data. This includes the support in the design of a CESAR data archive, with data curation and search tools.

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 university course at Master's level. In addition, you must be able to prove that you will be 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 ESA Member State language is an asset.

During the interview, your motivation for applying to this role will be explored.

Technical and/or scientific competences

Required

• good understanding of astronomical concepts;
• interest in Planetary Science, Space Science and Communications;
• fluency in English and Spanish (reading and writing);
• pedagogical skills and experience working with primary- and secondary-school students;
• familiarity with inclusive and diverse environments;
• creativity and ability to work both independently and in international teams;
• good communication skills;
• general multimedia and social media knowledge.

Desired

• experience designing educational materials for inclusive and diverse audiences;
• experience in the design of AR/VR tools and/or mechanical experiments;
• knowledge of graphic design and basic HTML;
• good level of editing pictures and videos;
• experience and/or knowledge in UX Design.

Required

• good understanding of astronomical concepts;
• interest in Planetary Science, Space Science and Communications;
• familiarity with the use of telescopes;
• programming skills in astronomical software, such as Python and ASCOM;
• familiarity with computer hardware and ability to add new components when required;
• pedagogical skills applicable to school observations;
• capable of working in international teams;
• fluency in English (required) and Spanish (desired) (reading and writing);
• creative, capable of meeting milestones within schedules.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusiveness

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, religious beliefs, age, disability or other characteristics.

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 via email at ESA.Student.Internships@esa.int .

Important Information and Disclaimer

During the recruitment process, the Agency may request applicants to undergo selection tests.

The information published on ESA’s careers website regarding internship conditions is correct at the time of publication. It is not intended to be exhaustive and may not address all questions you would have.

Nationality

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