ESA Graduate Trainee in the Earth Observation & Connectivity Contracts Division

ESA Graduate Trainee in the Earth Observation & Connectivity Contracts Division Job Requisition ID: 20238 Date Posted: 17 August 2026 Closing Date: 7 September 2026 23:59 CET/CEST Publication: External Only Type of Appointment: ESA Graduate Trainee Directorate: Controlling, Finance and Operational Procurement Workplace: Noordwijk, NL Grade Band: F1 - F1 Location ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands Our team and mission Within the Contracts Department, the CIC-CE Contracts Division is in charge of procurement implementation in support of the Earth Observation Programme Directorate’s activities at ESTEC. The complexity of the contracts handled varies greatly, ranging from R&D activities of several hundred thousand euros to large satellite projects totalling hundreds of millions of euros. The Division implements all related procurement tasks, from tendering, planning and issuing invitations to tender through to evaluating proposals, negotiating contracts and overseeing their signature and monitoring. In parallel, the Division contributes to the improvement of the overall regulatory framework in the Contracts Department, while supporting the Department’s general efforts to improve time-to-contract. In this context, the Division pays particular attention to supporting consistency in contract management among the different Programme Directorates as well as in other Procurement Divisions. You are encouraged to visit the ESA website: http://www.esa.intField(s) of activity/research for the traineeship You will receive training in the role of Contracts Officer, encompassing support for the preparation of requests for offers/invitations to tender, participating in the evaluation of proposals, preparing and possibly negotiating the resulting contracts, and participating in the monitoring of the implementation of the contracts. You will also support the handling of administrative, contractual, legal and industrial problems arising from procurement implementation. In addition, you will help organise activities within the Contracts Department or to the benefit of the programme directorates.Technical competencies Knowledge of relevant technical/functional domainsRelevant experience gained during internships, project work and/or extracurricular or other activitiesGeneral knowledge of the space sector and relevant activitiesKnowledge of ESA and its programmes/projectsBehavioural 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 should have just completed, or be in the final year of your master’ s degree in law, preferably with some knowledge of contracts and/or procurement law.Additional requirements You should have good interpersonal and communication skills and should be able to work in a multicultural environment, both independently and as part of a team. Previous experience of working in international teams can be considered an asset. Your motivation, overall professional perspective and career goals will also be explored during the later stages of the selection process. 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 contact.human.resources@esa.int. Important Information and Disclaimer Applicants must be eligible to access information, technology, and hardware which is subject to European or US export control and sanctions regulations. During the recruitment process, the Agency may request applicants to undergo selection tests. Additionally, successful candidates will need to undergo basic screening before appointment, which will be conducted by an external background screening service, in compliance with the European Space Agency's security procedures. The information published on ESA’s careers website regarding working 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 and Languages Please note that applications can only be considered from nationals of one of the following States: Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Nationals from Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia as Associate Member States, or Canada as a Cooperating State, can apply as well as those from Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Malta as European Cooperating States (ECS). According to the ESA Convention, the recruitment of staff must take into account an adequate distribution of posts among nationals of the ESA Member States*. When short-listing for an interview, priority will be given to external candidates from under-represented Member States*. 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. *Member States, Associate Members or Cooperating States. Who we recruit » Recruitment Process » What we offer » Life at ESA » FAQ »