Internal Research Fellow

Internal Research Fellow in Safety Assurance of AI-Enabled Autonomous Systems for Human Spaceflight

Job Requisition ID: 20889 Date Posted: 17 September 2026 Closing Date: 8 October 2026 23:59 CET/CEST Publication: External Only Directorate: Technology, Engineering and Quality

Workplace: Noordwijk, NL

Location ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands

Our team and mission

The Product Assurance Sections coordinate and supervise Product Assurance and Safety (PA&S) activities for the relevant programmes and projects within their respective application directorates. They also represent the directorates in all corporate PA&S activities, including quality management.

The Exploration & Science PA Section is responsible for the quality management and PA&S functions throughout the design, development, and operation of projects within the Directorate of Human and Robotic Exploration Programmes (HRE). As a Research Fellow, you will lead the development of advanced assurance methodologies for the safe use of artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomous functions in human spaceflight systems. Your work will bridge the gap between conventional deterministic safety assurance approaches and emerging data-driven and autonomous technologies, helping to define future ESA frameworks, standards, and practices for crewed missions.

Field(s) of activity/research for the traineeship

In particular, your research activities will include:

• conducting a comprehensive literature survey and state-of-the-art assessment of AI and autonomy assurance approaches across relevant domains, including space, aviation, automotive and other safety-critical industries, and identifying their applicability to, and gaps in relation to, ESA practices;
• defining a classification framework for AI-enabled and autonomous functions in human spaceflight systems, distinguishing between advisory, supervisory and safety-critical roles, and establishing the associated levels o...