Junior Professional in Digital Manufacturing

This post is part of ESA’s Junior Professional Programme. We are looking for enthusiastic candidates with up to 3 years of relevant professional experience after their Master's degree to join ESA for a four‑year assignment. During this time, you will be actively working and learning on the job and will benefit from valuable mobility and developmental opportunities that will prepare you for a successful career ject to performance, it is therefore the intention to offer an indefinite contract at the end of the four years.

Recruitment will take place at the A1 grade on the Coordinated Organisations’ salary scale. At the end of the fourth year, and if you are offered an indefinite contract, you will be upgraded to the A2 grade.

Location
ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands or another site as required. Developmental assignments may entail temporary relocation to another ESA establishment.

Description
The Structures, Mechanisms and Materials Division is the Agency’s centre of competence for all areas related to spacecraft and launcher structures, mechanisms, tribology and pyrotechnic devices, as well as materials and processes. Its responsibilities include engineering support for all ESA missions and the implementation of technology development programmes to enable future missions. The division is equipped with world‑class computational facilities and has direct access to ESTEC’s Materials and Electrical Components Laboratory and the Mechanisms Hands‑On Laboratory for space mechanisms and micro‑vibration characterisation and modelling.

Duties

Develop micro‑structural models/analyses, materials and process modelling/verification frameworks, and mechanism modelling and testing, with a clear focus on state‑of‑the‑art digitalisation and evolution opportunities.

Define all currently adopted digital twin, artificial intelligence, and machine learning practices in the three above‑mentioned areas.

Foster cooperation between materials and process engineering, mechanical engineering, and mechanism development where a digital twin and virtual testing application will provide the highest benefit, identifying figures of merit in design, performance, lead time, and cost reduction.

Develop digital models for those three case studies and define/perform a verification test campaign for each of the three elements, targeting a well‑identified spacecraft/launcher qualification test campaign.

Develop a virtual test campaign to be performed in a fully virtual environment, reproducing the physical test defined above, and compare the results obtained with the outcome of the physical test campaign.

Define all associated guidelines to help change industrial practices with respect to digital twins and virtual testing, starting with manufacturing and then extending to assembly and verification phases for the three selected components.

Start drafting guidelines/handbooks for digital twin use and virtual testing in the Division’s areas of competence.

Disseminate the results obtained in the form of scientific papers and participation in conferences and symposiums in the relevant areas.

Development Programme
In addition to your daily work, you will take part in an extensive learning and development programme. From day one, you will learn on the job and benefit from tailored development opportunities, including participation in technical and key skills training courses. The programme includes a mobility component, which may take the form of an internal rotation to another team within ESA, an external secondment outside ESA, or a combination of both.

Technical Competencies

General background and specific experience in the technical domains covered by the position.

Knowledge and/or experience of Digital Twins and/or Artificial Intelligence applied to mechanical engineering.

Knowledge and/or experience in modelling or simulation.

Knowledge and/or experience in verification and validation methods and processes.

Experience with the design, development and application of relevant tools and methods.

Knowledge of related technologies, R&D trends and the industrial landscape.

Behavioural Competencies

Result Orientation

Operational Efficiency

Fostering Cooperation

Relatio…