ESA Careers Spotlight
With ESA’s campaign to recruit over 300 new colleagues this year underway, you might be curious to know what life at ESA is like. We will be bringing you interviews with people from across the Agency to share their first-hand experiences of life at ESA. First up is Max Ghiglione, based at ESTEC, who talks about relocating to a new country to work for ESA, the path that led him to his current role, his typical day at ESA and more!
What is your position at ESA and what does it involve?
I am a Digital Payload Engineer in the Radio Frequency Payloads department, which means that I provide technical consultancy for on-board data or signal processing in Navigation or Telecommunication missions. As part of the Technology Directorate (TEC), I also initiate and manage R&D activities, so innovation is an important part of my role too.
What does a typical day at ESA look like for you?
Every day at ESA is different as we work on various projects. On a normal day, I meet my colleagues at the ESTEC cafeteria before heading to my office. I take the first part of the morning for correspondence and organising my day. The second part of the day is usually dedicated to reviewing technical documentation, like project deliverables or tenders, and meetings with the industry on on-going projects or new ideas.
What was your career path up to now?
After graduating from the Politecnico of Torino, I worked for four years in Airbus Defence and Space, starting as firmware developer in Munich. Gradually I expanded my responsibilities to equipment development for Galileo and project management for studies in on-board processing. This experience helped me to better understand the space industry in my current job.
Did you always aspire to work in the space industry?
I was always fascinated by physics and science, but I did not expect to work in the space industry when I started my studies. I studied digital electronics due to my passion for technology and realised that my skills could be applied to tackling the incredible challenges facing the space industry.
What motivated you to apply to ESA?
I believe that at the European Space Agency, we can play a strong role in developing the space industry in the interest of Europe and beyond.
How was your experience of adjusting to life at ESA? Did this involve relocating to a new country?
I moved to the Netherlands from Germany and ESA supported me with my relocation, finding an apartment and answering my many questions. The work environment is very international and I speak Italian, German and English every day. Moreover, ESTEC is a very welcoming site, offering space for leisure and meeting new colleagues.
Which part of your job do you find most exciting?
A great thing about my job at ESA is that I have a chance to make an impact even as a young engineer in developing the European space industry.
What is a little-known fact about your area of expertise or ESA in general that you would like to share?
Many people do not realise that ESA and the EU are separate entities. While they have common goals, share funding and work together often, ESA is an independent space agency and not under the jurisdiction of the EU.
What did you expect when you joined ESA? What didn’t you expect?
I knew that moving from industry to an agency would mean a change in mindset in terms of how projects and technical work are addressed, but I didn’t expect that ESA would allow such freedom regarding which activities to focus on.
What makes ESA a unique place to work?
ESA is one of the few places in Europe where you can meet colleagues from all Member States and work with companies from all over Europe, which makes it a unique place to work.
ESA recruits – and not only astronauts!
In 2023, ESA will be recruiting over 300 new colleagues to join our teams and support our mission of the peaceful exploration and use of space for the benefit of everyone. Vacancies across different areas will be published throughout the year, so if you are ready to take the next step in your career, this is your chance! Explore our vacancies and apply today. You can also set up a job alert to receive a notification when a position matching your profile is published.
