Ready to apply to become a YGT at ESA?

Open to students in their final year at Master’s level and those who have just graduated in engineering, sciences or business studies, the YGT programme lasts for one year (with possible extension to a second year) and offer a unique opportunity to work on inspiring space missions at the heart of European space activities!

We are six days away from the launch of the call for application, so here are six important pieces of information.

1.      Who can apply?

We are looking for future colleagues who are curious, passionate about space, with strong team spirit skills and inspired by working in a friendly, diverse and multicultural environment.

To be eligible for the YGT programme, you must be:

• a student in the final year of  a Master’s degree at university or an equivalent institute or have just graduated in engineering, science, IT and business services (law, finance, human resources, facility management etc.).
• a citizen of one of the following ESA Member States: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, 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 and Slovenia, as Associate Members, or Canada as a Cooperating State, can apply as well as those from Bulgaria, Cyprus, Lithuania and Slovakia as European Cooperating States.

2.      What the YGT Programme offers

• A unique professional experience as part of a family of scientists, engineers and business professionals from all over Europe, working together on inspiring space missions in an international, multicultural and friendly environment.
• A great opportunity to gain extensive experience that could open doors to a career within Europe’s space sector.
• A one-year contract (with possible extension to a second year) with 2.5 days paid leave per month.
• A salary of of €2300 - €2700 per month (depending on location of the ESA establishment) exempt from national income tax in ESA Member States, as well as excellent employment conditions.
• Travel expenses at the beginning and end of the contract.
• Expatriation allowance and/or an installation allowance on arrival if  you move from another country. Excess luggage costs are also reimbursed.
• Comprehensive health cover under ESA’s social security scheme. Please note that the traineeship period is not considered as service conferring entitlement to pension benefits under ESA’s pension schemes.

The YGT Experience

What is it like to be a YGT at ESA? Watch the video interviews about the YGT experience to find out more about our YGT programme and working life at ESA!

3.      How to apply to the YGT Programme

• 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.

4.      How does the COVID-19 pandemic impact the recruitment process?

The  health and wellbeing of our colleagues is our utmost priority.  ESA has taken a range of precautionary measures in order to minimise the spread of the virus while also ensuring business continuity within the organisation. Learn more about our recruitment process during COVID-19.

5.      When will I start if I am selected?

The pre-selection and interview of shortlisted candidates will take place between March and May. In June, the final selection is made by ESA and the take-up-duty takes place by mutual agreement, usually around September or October.

6.      How can I know as soon as the opportunities are published? 

Keep up to date with our latest news articles. The quickest way to be informed about the publication of ESA YGT opportunities is to subscribe to our careers news!
You can also create a job alert on our recruiting website.  

Learn more about the YGT programme.

Who we are?

We are the European Space Agency. Our mission is the peaceful exploration and use of space for the benefit of everyone. We watch over the Earth, develop and launch inspiring and unique space projects, train astronauts and push the boundaries of science and technology, seeking answers to the big questions about the Universe. We are a family of scientists, engineers and business professionals from all over Europe working together in a diverse and multinational environment. We are dedicated to united space in Europe and united Europe in space.