Junior Professional Programme
The ESA Junior Professional Programme (JPP) is ESA’s latest entry-level programme targeting Master’s degree graduates with two to three years of professional experience. Junior Professionals join ESA as staff members for three years and benefit from tailored learning and development opportunities to prepare them for a permanent position at the European Space Agency at the end of their JP assignment.
The first opportunities were published in November 2021 and, as a result, ESA’s first class of Junior Professionals are now fully on board. The next selection is currently foreseen to be launched at the end of 2024.
This programme is a unique opportunity to launch your career at ESA and join the future of space in Europe.
What we offer
The Junior Professional Programme offers:
- A unique professional experience as part of a team of scientists, engineers and business professionals from all over Europe, working together on inspiring space missions in an international, multicultural and friendly environment.
- A three-year ESA contract at A1 level, with the perspective of a permanent ESA contract at the end of the programme.
- Excellent employment conditions, including salary exempt from national income tax in ESA Member States.
- A tailored development programme, including exposure to different business areas of ESA and participation in technical and key skills training courses.
- Tutoring by ESA experts.
- Rotation scheme offering the opportunity to learn about ESA projects and processes from different perspectives. Please read our dedicated FAQ for more information.
- 2.5 days paid leave per month and 12 public holidays per year. Expatriate staff can benefit from an additional eight days' home leave every two years, under certain conditions.
- Relocation package including an installation allowance if you move from another country. Travel and removal expenses are also reimbursed.
- Comprehensive health cover under ESA’s social security scheme.
More about life at ESA
Find out everything you need to know about life at ESA and work-life balance on our pages. For more information about the different ESA sites, check out the ESA establishments page.
Who can apply?
To be eligible for the Junior Professional Programme, you must meet the following criteria:
- Graduate of a Master’s level degree programme.
- Two to three years of professional experience. If you took part in one of our Entry-Level programmes (i.e. Young Graduate Trainee, National Trainee or Research Fellow), the time spent on the programme counts towards the experience requirement.
- Citizen of one of the following ESA Member States: Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Nationals from Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia and Slovenia, as Associate Members, or Canada as a Cooperating State, can apply as well.
Please note that basic eligibility pre-screening questions regarding nationality and qualifications are asked on completion of the ESA online application form.
Recruitment process
How do I apply for a Junior Professional position?
- Explore our vacancies here.
- Select the opportunity that interests you and fits best with your educational background and aspirations.
- Register and create your candidate profile and upload your CV and motivation letter.
- Apply and track the status of your application throughout the process.
ESA Junior Professional timeline:
- November – December: Junior Professional positions are published online
- January – April: pre-selection and interviews of shortlisted candidates
- May – June: outcome of interviews and final selection
- June - October: successful candidates begin the programme
More information
Check out our Junior Professional Programme dedicated FAQ page.
Next publication of opportunities
The next publication of opportunities is currently foreseen for the end of 2024.
Be the first to be notified about the publication of the Junior Professionals vacancies by creating a job alert on our recruiting website and/or subscribe to our careers news!
Find your path at ESA
ESA offers a number of entry-level programmes targeting students (Master or PhD), recent graduates and young professionals, alongside its vacancies for experienced professionals. One of them could be your path to space! Quickly find outwhich programme could be the best fit for you by following the pathways at ESA on our entry-level flowchart.
