Intern in the Vega and Space Rider Mechanical and Propulsion Engineering - Pumps

Our team and mission

This position is based at the ESA Centre for Earth Observation (ESRIN) - Frascati, Italy

The Space Transportation Flight Programmes team is responsible in particular for: 

• preparing and implementing the Space Transportation Flight Programmes;
• leading the development activities related to Ariane, Vega and Space Rider and managing the exploitation accompaniment of the related flight programmes, except those entrusted to other departments;
• complementing the Ariane 6 development and implementing the Ariane 6 Competitiveness improvement programme, preparing all elements related to the Ariane 5/6 transition, implementing Prometheus as from the Ariane 6 Maiden Flight onwards and implementing the ESA responsibilities with regard to Ariane 5 and Ariane 6 exploitation;
• complementing the Vega C development, implementing the Vega C Competitiveness improvement programme and the Vega Evolution preparatory activities, implementing the ESA responsibilities with regard to Vega and Vega C transition and exploitation;
• completing the development of the P120C and preparing and implementing activities related to solid propulsion of the products and systems described above; establishing the Launch System Master Files resulting from the Ariane 6 and Vega C developments, among other tasks.

Candidates interested are encouraged to visit the ESA website: http://www.esa.int

Field(s) of activity for the internship

Topic of the internship: Liquid Rocket Engines Pumps design rules harmonization and preliminary modelling

In the frame of the VEGA program, the development of engineering tools is necessary to have a continuous follow up of the design loops of liquid rocket engines and their main components. The internship here proposed is related to the development and validation of an in-house tool for the predesign of turbopumps main components (pumps and turbines) basing on a preliminary analysis and harmonization of turbomachinery design rules (including their specificity linked to the use on Liquid Rocket Engines).
The in-house tool will be, firstly, validated with results obtained from commercial tools, and, secondly, used to run several case studies coming from the different turbopumps in development for LRE of the future VEGA launchers.
Your work will be focused on the following turbopumps components: inducers and impellers.

Behavioural competencies

Result Orientation
Operational Efficiency
Fostering Cooperation
Relationship Management
Continuous Improvement
Forward Thinking

For more information, please refer to ESA Core Behavioural Competencies guidebook

Education

You must be a university student, preferably in your final or second-to-last year of a university course at Master’s level and you need to remain enrolled at your University for the entire duration of the internship.

Additional requirements

The working languages of the Agency are English and French. A good knowledge of one of these is required. Knowledge of another Member State language would be an asset.

Educational knowledge in the below areas are required:

• Fluid dynamics / Gas dynamics;
• Thermodynamics and Heat transfer;
• Knowledge and background in Turbomachinery;
• Space propulsion is an asset.