Launch of New Round for ESA Research Fellowships in Space Science

Support for early-career scientists and engineers to carry out research related to space science, space applications or space technology.

The European Space Agency offers annual fellowship opportunities to support early career scientists from ESA member states to conduct research in space science, space applications or space technology.

Approximately 12 ESA Fellowships will be offered this year in Space Science, joining the pool of about 25 Research Fellows. The fellowships are for two years, with a possible third year extension, and can be held in either of the ESA research centres of ESTEC (European Space Research and Technology Centre) in Noordwijk, the Netherlands, ESAC (European Space Astronomy Centre) in Villafranca del Castillo near Madrid, Spain or the ESA office at Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

Proposed research projects must be in fields that are related to ESA’s scientific missions, to the space research programmes of the ESA member states or to the scientific activities of the ESA Science Faculty. Candidates are expected to identify which of the ESA centres offers the best and most relevant overlap with their research programmes and to find one or more staff members who could act as mentors, as in most cases the location of the mentor defines where a fellowship can be held.

Applications are only considered from nationals of one of the following States: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Nationals from Slovenia, as an Associate Member, or Canada as a Cooperating State, can apply as well as those from Bulgaria, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia as European Cooperating States (ECS).

The programme is open to applicants with the means to perform research in space science, who have completed their PhD (or equivalent) or will have completed it by the start of the fellowship. Preference will be given to applications submitted by candidates within five years of receiving their PhD.

Research fellows have no additional functional duties nor are they involved in support activities for ESA missions, but they are encouraged to take an active part in the scientific life of the establishments and to participate in the establishments’ research programmes, which are led by the scientific staff (with the appropriate engineering, technical and administrative support).

Fellows will receive an average of approximately €2,500 per month, however exact salaries depend on qualifications and experience.

Applications to the 2021 round can be submitted until 27 September 2021.

(This report was the subject of a ResearchConnect Newsflash.)