Intern in the Science Operations Department
- Discovering Astronomical Anomalies with AnomalyMatchNo espere a enviar su solicitud después de leer esta descripción; se espera un gran volumen de candidaturas para esta oportunidad.
Job Requisition ID: *Date Posted: 1 November **Closing Date: 30 November *:59 CET/CESTPublication Method: External OnlyType of Appointment (learn more):Directorate: ScienceWorkplaceVillanueva de la Cañada, ESLocationESAC, Villanueva de la Cañada, SpainOur team and missionUnder the direct authority of D/SCI, the Head of the Science Operations Department is responsible for the development of the science operations infrastructure under the Directorate responsibility, the operation of the Directorate's missions once successfully commissioned, and the curation of all scientific data in the missions' legacy phase.
These responsibilities are discharged in full coordination with the Directorate's Departments and Offices and as appropriate, with the Directorate of Operations (D/OPS).
In implementing their duties, SCI-S is supported by the:Mission Management and Science Operations Division (SCI-SO); Science Operations Development Division (SCI-SD); Data Science and Archives Division (SCI-SA).
Candidates interested are encouraged to visit the ESA website: (s) of activity for the internshipTopic of the internship: Beyond Images: Discovering Astronomical Anomalies in Light Curves and Spectra with AnomalyMatch.
Astronomical archives contain vast collections of spectra and light curves that may hide rare objects, unusual variability, and unexpected physical phenomena.
This project will extend AnomalyMatch, a semi-supervised and active-learning framework for finding scientifically interesting anomalies from only a few labelled examples, to support such one-dimensional data.




AnomalyMatch recently received general press attention after discovering hundreds of previously unknown anomalies in the Hubble archive and has demonstrated the capacity to trawl hundreds of millions of astronomical cutouts.
It is also integrated into ESA Datalabs, allowing researchers to apply the tool directly to large astronomical datasets and scalable computing resources.
So far, AnomalyMatch has been limited to image data.
You will adapt its machine-learning methodology and software for spectra and/or light curves and validate the resulting approach on real astronomical datasets.
The project may also explore combining measurements from different telescopes or instruments, opening new possibilities for discovering objects that appear ordinary in one dataset but unusual when multiple observations are considered together.
Behavioural competenciesResult OrientationOperational EfficiencyFostering CooperationRelationship ManagementContinuous ImprovementForward ThinkingFor more information, please refer to ESA Core Behavioural Competencies guidebookEducationYou must be a university student, preferably in your final or second-to-last year of university course at Master's level.
In addition, you must be able to prove that you will be enrolled at your university for the entire duration of the internship.
Additional RequirementsThe working languages of the Agency are English and French.




A good knowledge of one of these is required.
Knowledge of another ESA Member State language is an asset.
During the interview, your motivation for applying to this role will be explored.
You should also have:strong Python programming skills; background in machine learning and neural networks; experience withPyTorch or a similar deep-learning framework; familiarity with astronomical spectra, light curves, or scientific data analysis would be advantageous.
Diversity, Equity and InclusivenessESA is an equal opportunity employer, committed to achieving diversity within the workforce and creating an inclusive working environment.
We therefore welcome applications from all qualified candidates irrespective of gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religious beliefs, age, disability or other characteristics.
At the Agency we value diversity, and we welcome people with disabilities.
Whenever possible, we seek to accommodate individuals with disabilities by providing the necessary support at the workplace.
The Human Resources Department can also provide assistance during the recruitment process.
If you would like to discuss this further, please contact us via email atImportant Information and DisclaimerDuring the recruitment process, the Agency may request applicants to undergo selection tests.
The information published on ESA's careers website regarding internship conditions is correct at the time of publication.
It is not intended to be exhaustive and may not address all questions you would have.
NationalityPlease note that applications are only considered from nationals of one of the following States: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary,

📌 Intern In The Science Operations Department (Murcia)
🏢 European Space Agency (ESA)
📍 Murcia