Intern in the Spaceship ECSAT Team

About the role

The European Space Agency is looking for a motivated intern to join the Spaceship ECSAT team at Harwell, United Kingdom. The internship supports the Directorate of Human and Robotic Exploration in developing low‑TRL technologies for future cislunar missions and lunar surface activities.

Key responsibilities

• Assist research projects on Virtual and Augmented Reality applications for space exploration.
• Support collaborative robotics experiments and evaluate their potential use cases.
• Contribute to studies on Space Resources and In‑Situ Resource Utilisation for sustainable human missions.
• Help develop and maintain the VULCAN analogue sample facility, including simulant handling and documentation.
• Participate in multidisciplinary team meetings and disseminate findings within ESA and partner networks.

Required profile

• UK citizen, UK‑based university student, or holder of pre‑settled status in the UK.
• Strong interest in human spaceflight, robotics, or immersive technologies.
• Ability to work in a collaborative, research‑driven environment.

Required skills

• Virtual Reality
• Augmented Reality
• Collaborative robotics

What we offer

• Hands‑on experience with cutting‑edge space technologies.
• Mentorship from ESA researchers and engineers.
• Opportunity to contribute to ESA’s future exploration roadmap.