European Space Agency Interview Questions
& Process

It started with a personal introduction where I talked about myself, then moved on to technical questions related to the position I was interviewing for. Finally, I had to give a presentation of about ten minutes that I had prepared to show what I knew about the topic.

The selection process for the ESA Young Graduate Trainee (YGT) program usually follows a similar structure with multiple steps. First, you submit your CV and cover letter. This is super important as it's your first impression. In your cover letter, you really need to show your passion for space, explain why you're interested in this specific role and the YGT program, and how your skills fit the job. The first interview, often done through an automated recording system, is a preliminary screening. You'll usually get about 6 pre-set questions to record your answers to. These questions are about your knowledge of ESA, the role, your background, and motivations. Sometimes, the first interview is with one person, maybe online on Microsoft Teams, and it's quite short, like 10 minutes. This person is likely someone you'd work with. They'll ask about your knowledge of ESA and its projects, your understanding of the role, your background, and why you want to join the YGT program. The second and final interview is more in-depth and involves two people: the HR manager and the person you spoke with in the first interview. Here, they'll ask technical questions related to the specific role and your skills, as well as behavioral questions. These behavioral questions are about how you'd handle work and technical situations, like dealing with a colleague conflict, performing under pressure with a deadline, or solving a tough technical problem. They want to see your technical skills and your ability to work in a team and solve problems effectively.

I applied to Mars in April and got a call for a first online interview. It was an Async interview, where it's you versus the computer. The questions pop up on the screen, you get 10 mins to prep, and then 2 mins to record without any retakes. It was my first time doing this, super unique! The questions were pretty basic and covered fundamental knowledge about the project, specifically the ExoMars mission.

So, first up, they wanted to hear about my academic background. That whole part was super quick, like, just over 5 minutes, and that was it for that. Then, boom, straight into the technical stuff. There were four interviewers, and each one took about 15 minutes to grill me. Most of it was about the schematic of an engine cycle, the M10 specifically. They really drilled down on turbopumps, valves, what makes thrust happen, and how changing things in the combustion chamber affects it all. The whole thing clocked in at exactly an hour. The last 5 minutes were for my questions, but honestly, it felt like a formality, their answers were short and kinda vague.