I'm an ESA YGT and I work on ESA Accelerators

The programme offers recently graduated Master’s students a unique opportunity to work on inspiring space missions at the heart of European space activities. Young Graduate Trainees will join our team of scientists, engineers and business professionals from all over Europe working together in an international and friendly environment.

Here we learn more about the programme with Sophie Pâques, who joined us in September 2022 as a Young Graduate Trainee in Strategy and is currently working on ESA Accelerators.

Tell us a little about yourself, e.g. your university studies, any internships you have carried out
Hi, I’m Sophie! I grew up in Angers in the west of France and came to Paris to study sociology and political science, specifically at the Ecole Normale Supérieure. This gave me good critical thinking skills and an interest in looking at history to shed light on the present. Following a student-led seminar on space affairs at my university, I enrolled in the Space Law and Policy Master's degree of Paris-Saclay University, which in addition to knowledge gave me access to a very useful network of space professionals. In parallel, I worked part time in European affairs for the Space and Defence Department of the French Ministry of Research.

What encouraged you to apply to become an ESA Young Graduate Trainee?
I loved my experience working on space affairs for the French government, which gave me the feeling of being at the heart of policymaking, although bureaucratic and political inertia can sometimes be challenging. Applying to ESA was a natural follow-up because of the great work we get to contribute to and our mission as a public entity to make the best choices for all citizens, which I consider to be very noble and rewarding. ESA is also one of the few organisations in the space sector to have a programme dedicated to onboarding young professionals, which was certainly attractive to me.

What does your work at ESA entail?
My team develops the ESA Accelerators, which establish partnerships with key organisations in the green transition, crisis response and space safety sectors to drive the uptake of space solutions in these sectors. We help Earth to benefit from space! Until recently, we were looking for support and partners to start collaborating with, so it was a lot of work around defining the concept of action and getting people on board. For example, I supported my team in the creation of a group dynamic in ESA so all colleagues in Earth Observation, Secure Communications, Operations, etc. could work together and help gather support from Member States who fund most of our activities here at ESA. I also dealt with communication matters, especially for the Space Summit in Seville where my colleagues and I created an exhibition space, videos and flyers for Member State ministers to see. Now that we have partners on board, I will support the Accelerators’ rollout and development of new projects with partners.

What is working at ESA like for you?
Generally speaking, working at ESA is very fulfilling because the topics and people are interesting. I also feel part of the team as a Young Graduate Trainee and get along well with my management. The environment and conditions are great compared to other companies or national organisations – just one of the perks, but as a young professional it is rare to find an entry-level job with a salary like this along with good medical insurance and holidays, and I don’t take it for granted.

Can you tell us more about life at ESA HQ?
Working at ESA Headquarters in Paris is great. We are at the heart of political and strategic decisions since the Director General is based here with some of his advisors and directors, and we get to interface with Member State delegations often as the ESA Council and some programme boards and committees gather here in HQ. The main HQ building, in rue Mario Nikis, has been fully renovated and reopened last year and it is a pleasure to work in: we have a rooftop terrace, an Eiffel Tower-view and modern open-space offices – this is not for everyone, but I really enjoy that I can communicate with my team and get problems solved easily. I’m biased because I’ve been living here for a while, but Paris is also a great city to live in and we never get bored!

What is your best memory so far as a Young Graduate Trainee?
One of the highlights of my traineeship is definitely ESA’s young community. We have an amazing group of young people here with whom I’ve navigated the first few months of working at ESA and shared a lot of precious memories. The fact that most of us are internationals away from families and friends and come from different cultural backgrounds creates mutual respect and meaningful connections. Through Young ESA, the association of young professionals at ESA, I’ve also had the opportunity to visit the French Guiana spaceport and see Ariane 6, which was definitely my 2023 highlight. Young ESA also organises events and workshops to engage with management and factor in the perspective of young professionals in the development of key ESA strategies – in fact, up to 10% of our time as Young Graduate Trainees can be dedicated to these types of activities, which is really cool.

What has been the biggest challenge for you?
I would say there are challenges that come with working in an organisation like ESA if you haven’t worked in a similar environment before. As a Young Graduate Trainee, the work culture can feel a bit outdated at times, which ESA is working on improving as part of the ESA Transformation. Accelerators have a collaborative nature and it has sometimes been a challenge to take them forward since they require communication and exchanges between departments that don't otherwise interact so much. Overall, the ESA YGT experience has also challenged me personally to transition from trainee to young professional and I went through different phases in my traineeship as I learnt and took on more responsibilities. As ESA staff, we also answer to our Member States and we have to accept that they are ultimately in the driving seat, which can lead to changing priorities and budgets. To give a personal example: one of our Accelerators is focused on the green transition and I sometimes wish European green policies were more ambitious so we could take space projects to another level – but there are always things you would do differently if you could, in any company or organisation.

What advice do you have for our readers who might be interested in pursuing a career in strategy at ESA?
The space sector is not only looking for professionals with technical backgrounds, so go for it if you have a background in political sciences, international relations, security, etc. Profiles of people who have a technical background but want to bring their skills to the space strategy and policy domain are also valued. Previous experiences (e.g. summer schools, internships, research papers, associations) help. I would say working in the field of space strategy, governance and policy is not only about being knowledgeable: it’s about being tactful, diplomatic and understanding the logic of power and the interplay of interests – which is something you mostly learn on the job. So don’t be worried. I also earned my first position in space affairs at the French Ministry of Research when I submitted an unsolicited application, so don’t hesitate to put yourself out there and talk to people!

Want to learn more?

Find detailed information on the Young Graduate Trainee Programme and answers to your most common questions on the dedicated FAQ page. Check out this page to discover other programmes available at ESA!

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