Launch Your Space Career: ESA Graduate Trainee Programme 2026

19/01/2026 34 views 1 likes Dreaming of a career in space? The 2026 ESA Graduate Trainee opportunities are launching soon! It’s time to polish up your CV, craft your motivation letter and get ready to reach for the stars. If you’re in the final year of a Master’s degree, or recently graduated, in engineering, science, IT or business services, this is your chance to work on cutting-edge missions alongside Europe’s top space professionals. EGTs join us for one year, with the possibility of a second year, and the programme puts you right at the centre of Europe’s thriving space activities. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to shape the future of space exploration! Here are six important pieces of information on the EGT Programme while we wait for applications to open. 1. Who can apply? To be eligible for the EGT Programme, you must be: a student in the final year of a Master’s degree or a recent graduate in engineering, science, IT or business services, with a maximum of one year’s professional experience post graduation. a citizen of one of the following ESA Member States: Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Nationals from Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia, as Associate Members, or Canada as a Cooperating State, can apply as well as those from Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Malta as European Cooperating States. 2. What the EGT Programme offers A unique professional experience as part of a team of scientists, engineers and business professionals from all over Europe, working together on inspiring space missions in an international environment. A great opportunity to gain extensive experience that could open doors to a long-term 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. Excellent employment conditions, including a monthly salary exempt from national income tax in ESA Member States. Reimbursement of 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. Comprehensive health cover under ESA’s social security scheme. The EGT experience What is it like to be an EGT at ESA? Read about former EGTs and their ESA experiences: Aspirations shaped by space: EGT in the Business Intelligence team I'm an ESA Graduate Trainee and I work with software and AI Beyond the day-to-day work, trainees can also get involved in exciting initiatives like YPSat, ESA’s Young Professionals Satellite project, where early professionals design, build and operate small satellites or payloads, gaining hands-on experience in every stage of a real space mission. The first YPSat was launched on the inaugural Ariane 6 flight in 2024 and YPSat2 is now in preparation. These initiatives not only offer unparalleled practical learning but also foster teamwork and creativity among trainees from diverse disciplines. They give a truly immersive introduction to the world of space exploration and engineering at ESA. Read more about YPSat. 3. Join our live information sessions We have three online information sessions in which you can learn more about the EGT Programme and submit any questions you may have. These sessions are free and open to all, so save the date and join us! 4. How to apply to the EGT Programme Explore our ESA Graduate Trainee opportunities here once they are published in February. Select the opportunity that interests you the most and fits best with your academic background and aspirations. Each candidate can submit up to three applications. 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 by logging into your candidate profile. 5. What is the timeline of the selection process? The pre-selection and interview of shortlisted candidates will take place between March and May 2026, with the final selection made by ESA in June. The starting date is mutually agreed upon by ESA and the successful candidate and usually takes place in September or October. 6. How can I know when the opportunities are published? Keep up to date with our latest news articles. The quickest way to be informed about the publication of EGT opportunities is to subscribe to our careers news or create a job alert on our recruiting website. Want to learn more? Find detailed information on the EGT Programme and answers to your most common questions on the dedicated FAQ page. Share with your network! Spread the word on social media by sharing our key visual (below) of the campaign together with a short text summarising the information plus a link to our careers website, recruitment website or this news article. If you would like to use hashtags, please use #ESArecruits and #ESAcareers.