Hear from Hasse Hansen, YGT for the Fly Your Satellite! Programme
Want to learn more about the various exciting projects YGTs are working on today? We’ve gathered several YGTs to give us the inside scoop of what a day in the life of an ESA YGT is all about.
Tell us a little about yourself
I’m a young Dane who graduated with a Master’s in Astronomy from Aarhus University, Denmark and worked with telescopes and a CubeSat during my time at university. I now work as a Systems Engineer trainee at the Fly Your Satellite! Programme, where I support university students with their CubeSat missions.
What encouraged you to apply to become an ESA YGT?
A friend of mine applied during my Master’s and I became aware of the YGT Programme and I thought I might as well give it a go and apply for something I find interesting. My supervisors and professors also encouraged me to try.
What does your role at ESA entail?
I am in the Fly Your Satellite! Programme, which is a programme for University student teams that want to design, build, launch and operate their own CubeSat. I support them through the various stages, but as with every space mission, everything takes a long time. I have been lucky enough to have one team launch their CubeSat in the August of last year (LEDSAT from Sapienza University) and hopefully, I’ll see another team launch before my contract ends.
What is working at ESA like, for you?
Working at ESA has been a great experience. My colleagues in the Fly Your Satellite! team are great, and they have made the experience joyful from the start. It has been a great transition to “the other side of the table”, since I worked with my university’s CubeSat during my Master years and now I help other student get the same experience.
Which ESA establishment are you located at?
I am situated at ESTEC in the Netherlands and I live in the city of Leiden, close to ESTEC. Leiden is a lovely city with heaps of life from all the students at the local university. And even though the pandemic has taken its toll on the city, the people there still make it a lovely place to live.
What is your best memory so far as a YGT?
Me and some of my closest YGT friends went to the beach in the summer of 2021 before they had to move on to new exciting projects. We went in the ocean and had a lovely day together. Other good memories are the online quizzes arranged during the lockdown and curfew times which kept the spirit high.
What has been the biggest challenge for you?
The biggest challenge must be not really seeing your colleagues. I have been working as a YGT for 1.5 years now but have sadly not had many days on site with my colleagues, because my work is not critical on-site work. So the small chats during the day and the smile of a colleague have been missed. But my colleagues have still been great at arranging Friday chats and events like Secret Santa to keep the spirit up.
What advice do you have for future YGT applicants?
Find a position that “speaks to you”, that you find interesting, and write a good application. If you get the position, get ready for a great year with new passionate friends, exciting work and hopefully a year without COVID!
Hear from YGTs
Want to learn more about the work ESA YGTs are doing today? Keep reading about other YGTs and their exciting projects in this two-part article (part one and part two).
How do I apply for a YGT opportunity?
- Explore our Young Graduate Trainee opportunities here.
- Select the one opportunity that genuinely interests you and fits best with your educational background. Due to the high number of applications received each year, we can only accept a maximum of two applications per person. Should you apply to more vacancies, all your applications will be disregarded. If your profile is of interest for another position, we will share it with the hiring manager.
- Register and create your candidate profile with your CV and motivation letter.
- Apply! You will be able to track the status of your application throughout the process.
Learn more about the YGT Programme.
