YPP, Space Innovation & Engineering

Job Details

Primary

Location:

Belgium – Brussels

Other Locations: Netherlands – The Hague, United States of America – Norfolk

NATO Body: NATO International Staff (NATO IS)

Schedule: Full-time

Final date to receive applications: 31-May-2026, 11:59:00 PM

Salary (Pay Basis): 5,234.63

Grade: NATO Grade G11

This 3‑year programme offers a rotating assignment across three NATO bodies, providing an opportunity to develop a career in a diverse and inclusive environment. The programme focuses on Space Innovation & Engineering and emphasizes leadership, innovation and cross‑disciplinary collaboration.

• Respond with unity, strength and resolve to growing dangers to our security across the Euro‑Atlantic area and in all domains – land, sea, air, space and cyberspace.
• Build stronger defences by investing more in defence and accelerating defence production and innovation.
• Harness new technologies for our security, and stay ahead in cutting‑edge domains such as cyber and space.
• Leverage partnerships, including with the European Union, individual countries and the private sector, to protect our freedom and shared interests.
• Contribute to fighting terrorism and rampant instability in NATO’s southern neighbourhood.

Year 1: Allied Command Transformation (ACT)

Year 2: NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA)

Year 3: NATO International Staff (IS) – NATO HQ (Defence Industry, Innovation and Armaments Division (D2IA))

Innovation & Emerging Technology – Space Innovation & Engineering

• Work with Allies, the NATO space enterprise and industry to support the development and delivery of space capabilities and their implementation.
• Develop research and analysis of new space technology, focusing on military applications.
• Provide products needed to establish framework agreements between NATO, nations and industry on multinational or common‑funded programmes.
• Develop and implement policy, doctrine, direction and guidance in the space area.
• Understand and exploit benefits offered by space.
• Contribute to public information efforts that highlight the importance of the space domain for Alliance societies, economies and military.
• Research opportunities for innovation in the space domain by engaging with stakeholders – within NATO, allied governments, academia, start‑ups, venture investors and other tech actors.
• Research how adversaries may develop and leverage the space operational domain and new EDTs, and attempt to acquire NATO’s own EDTs.
• Examine convergence between different EDTs and their potential impact.
• Support teams at NATO working toward a culture of innovation by embracing agile approaches to decision‑making and uncovering institutional barriers to the Alliance’s tech readiness.
• Establish an understanding of the NATO Enterprise’s ways of working to integrate innovative approaches for NATO stakeholders to adapt to dynamic trends.
• Support and facilitate discussion, development and implementation of innovative initiatives in the form of policies, processes or technologies.
• Support NATO’s efforts in systematically introducing innovation in defence planning and capability development processes and activities in the space area.
• Contribute to public diplomacy efforts on NATO’s innovation & space activities, including reaching communities traditionally considered beyond the Alliance’s reach.
• Inform strategic level about military implications of technological space innovation.
• Research new trends within the responsibilities of the space, innovation & EDTs areas.

• At least one year of professional experience.
• Masters’ degree in STEM, Telecommunications/Space Engineering, Security Studies, International Relations, Political Science, Law, or Public Administration.
• Other degrees that can be applied to the area of space engineering and innovation – provide how the knowledge applies.
• Professional experience with space engineering, innovation or policy in the private sector, academia, think‑tank, or government innovation arms in NATO member or partner countries.
• Knowledge of space basics (orbital mechanics, satellite products, main space programmes), space technologies…