EJR-Quartz

International Day of Women and Girls in Science: An Intern Asks

Ellen Ranebo | 11 February 2026

Today, 11 February, marks the International Day of Women and Girls in Science! To honour this, our new intern Ella interviewed EJR-Quartz’s own Rute, Marta, Jans and Rosa to learn about their journeys from student to science communication professional. As a student of Astronomy and Science Communication herself, Ella found out all about challenges and advice for pursuing a STEM career from women across our international team. Check out their answers below…

What is your job title today?

Rute: Editor for ESA’s Space Transportation Directorate.

Marta: Editor for ESA’s Φ-lab.

Jans: Editor for ESA Science.

Rosa: Senior Editor & Team Lead for the German Aerospace Center.

What did you study at university?

Our Rute and Marta with mutual friend Ana Rita (left) attending a talk about the upcoming solar eclipse in August 2026. Credit: Ciência Viva

Rute: Chemistry, Material Science, Nanoscience and Nanotechnology.

Marta: I did an Integrated Master’s degree in Biological Engineering.

Jans: PhD in Condensed Matter Physics at the University of Amsterdam (UvA), and before that MSc Physics & Astronomy (UvA), BSc Liberal Arts & Sciences (Physics, Amsterdam University College).

Rosa: BSc Physics with Astrophysics, MSc History and Philosophy of Science.

What is one challenge you have experienced as a woman in science?

Rute: Making sure my voice was heard.

EJR-Quartz’s Jans Henke, Editor for ESA Science

Marta: I was rejected for a research position because I was a woman. The lab I was applying to already had several women working there and the group leader felt no more women were needed, despite having the qualifications for the job.

Jans: In physics, women tend to be heavily outnumbered by men. On the plus side, I think this made me stand out and be more memorable for lecturers and at conferences. However, I also noticed that me and my female colleagues were sometimes taken less seriously, that we received quite a few unnecessary and inappropriate comments, and there was a sense of us needing to prove our right to belong.

Rosa: It can be hard to untangle prejudice about women from dismissiveness towards science communication. Many women who leave academia or research move into science communication, and I’ve met countless engineers and scientists who treat that choice as a real ‘step down’, or assume that because the field includes more women, it’s somehow less rigorous or that we won’t really understand their research. Challenging those assumptions and demonstrating the value (and skill) of good science communication, is all part of the job.

What advice do you have for women who want to work in the science field?

EJR-Quartz’s Rute, Marta and Chiara (social media expert for ESA’s Earth Observation Programme) during our company getaway.

Rute: Keep studying what you love and see where it takes you!

Marta: Do not ask for permission to be yourself. Women can be intelligent and pretty; friendly, but also assertive; kind, but with the ability of setting boundaries. One thing I learned as a woman in STEM is that you should be loyal to what you are and what you want to do and not give up on everything you believe in just to please someone else or to ‘fit in’. I think it takes a special kind of courage to be able to remove oneself from a bad environment – no matter how used to it one is. It may be very difficult at first, but I can tell from personal experience that things get way better after you do it.

Jans: In general, you should do whatever makes you happy and gives you energy. If that’s doing research, or working as a programmer, engineer, teacher, then do that! I ended up leaving academia but have stayed involved in science in a different way (i.e. working in science communication), which is what works for me. Recognise your own strengths and use those to your advantage.

EJR-Quartz’s Rosa Jesse, Senior Editor & Team Lead for the German Aerospace Center, while editing the DLR magazine.

Rosa: Feel confident about what you know, comfortable being unsure, and entirely human when you don’t understand something or make a mistake – especially when you feel underestimated. It’s hard to communicate something you don’t really understand, so asking questions and taking the time to figure out what you need to learn is essential. That process is at the heart of learning, growing and building trust with others – none of whom have all the answers themselves, even if they’re not confident enough to admit it.

EJR-Quartz named Top Space Communications Agency in Europe by Aerospace & Defense Review

Ellen Ranebo | 12 January 2026

We’re delighted to share that EJR-Quartz has been recognised as the Top Space Communications Agency in Europe 2026 by Aerospace and Defense Review.

Aerospace and Defense Review spotlights businesses, innovation and news in the aerospace sector through both print and digital form.

We’re so proud to have been nominated for this award. “This achievement is entirely down to the hard work and dedication of our talented team, and the trust of our clients who share our commitment to communicating science,” says Erica.

To accompany the award, Aerospace and Defense Review published a feature article with Co-founder and Managing Director Erica Rolfe, highlighting some of the work we have done for our clients, including our role in ESA’s standout Ariane 6 campaign, where we collaborated closely with our client’s communication officers and our trusted consortium partners. The full feature article highlighting our achievements and activities in the latest issue of Aerospace and Defense Review can be found here.

Our Julien Harrod, Senior Space Transportation Editor for ESA, with Ariane 6

What EJR-Quartz taught me about turning science into stories

Ellen Ranebo | 2 December 2025

By Saskia Cornet

For the past six months, I’ve had the pleasure of doing a traineeship at EJR-Quartz. With my background in biomedical sciences and science communication, I certainly raised some eyebrows when I started working at this primarily space-focused company. But for me, it seemed like a perfect opportunity.

Anyone who has recently joined the job market can attest that experience rules. And as a recent graduate, I was still gravely lacking in that department. That’s why I was so thankful that EJR-Quartz decided to take a chance on me.

I joined the team as a junior social media editor, primarily working on the English language channels of the German Aerospace Center DLR, with some smaller projects for EUMETSAT and COSPAR. From day one, I felt at home in the team, and soon, I started to get more comfortable with the tasks and the “spacey” topics.

Saskia-Cornet-and-Rosa-Jesse-in-cologne-for-dlr-meeting — Saskia Cornet and Rosa Jesse in Cologne for a meeting with the DLR team to discuss social media strategy on 28 August 2025

At times, this traineeship was a bit of a ‘trial by fire’: in my third week, I was providing solo live coverage of a satellite launch, and by the fifth, I was on my way to Germany for the annual DLR social media meeting.

As an anxious recent graduate without experience, this was of course a bit stressful. But I always felt fully supported and truly appreciated by the team and management. Their feedback was nothing but constructive, and they weren’t afraid to give compliments when warranted. This made EJR-Quartz the perfect environment for me to develop my skills and figure out what I enjoy most.

Turns out… what I enjoy most is this kind of work! From mastering social media strategy and writing engaging content to learning video editing, design and subtitling, every day was a new opportunity to learn and let my creativity run wild.

Sadly, I’ll be leaving EJR-Quartz for the next step in my career, back to my biomedical roots. Looking back, I’m still incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work at EJR-Quartz. This traineeship not only allowed me to grow professionally but also gave me the confidence and skills to take on new challenges. I truly enjoyed being part of such a supportive and inspiring team, and the experience I’ve gained here has set me up perfectly for my next science communication adventure.

Ariane 6 team wins prize at the 2024 ESA Team Achievement Awards

Ellen Ranebo | 9 October 2025

ariane-6-inaugral-flight-team-at-2024-esa-team-achievement-award-ceremony-in-paris

ejr-quartz-at-esa-team-achievement-award-ceremony-for-ariane-6

We are proud to announce that the Ariane 6 team was honoured with a 2024 ESA Team Achievement Award…with a little help from us. On Tuesday, 7 October 2025 in Paris, France, our very own Julien Harrod and Rosa Jesse joined the whole Ariane 6 team as they were formally recognised for their accomplishments at the ESA Team Achievement Award ceremony.

Both EJR-Quartz’s Julien Harrod (Senior Space Transportation Editor for ESA) and Rosa Jesse (then Space Transportation Editor) played key roles within the ESA Communications team providing coverage for the successful inaugural flight of the rocket Ariane 6, launched on 9 July 2024.

Pictured here are Julien Harrod and Rosa Jesse together with ESA Communications Programme Officer Marie Carracedo and Karen Lochtenberg (Graphic Designer for Akkodis) – as well as the whole Ariane 6 team. Congratulations to the entire crew for reaching new heights!

esa-team-achievement-award-ceremony-for-ariane-6

Celebrating difference: A third year of Pride Leiden

Ellen Ranebo | 17 September 2025

ejr-quartz-team-celebrating-at-de-valk-windmill-for-pride-leiden-2025

Evolved from a two-person business into a thriving team with over 70 professionals, at EJR-Quartz, diversity is at the heart of our ethos. As an equal-opportunities employer, we were proud to sponsor Pride Leiden 2025 for the second year in a row.

The third edition of the event attracted upwards of 50,000 visitors to the idyllic city of Leiden, where EJR-Quartz is headquartered, on Saturday, 6 September. Several of our team members watched as 47 boats adorned with multicoloured decorations, upbeat music and shimmying passengers cruised through Leiden’s extensive canal network.

boat-parade-through-leiden-canals-for-pride-leiden-2025

As evening settled in, our team gathered near the illuminated music stage beside the De Valk windmill, enjoying live performances while surrounded by rainbow-clad dancers moving into the night.

Next year, we hope we too can board a boat and get a front-row seat to all the action. Happy Pride!

Vacancy: Corporate Editor for ESA

Dirma van Eck | 2 February 2026

***Applications closed*** Do you have a passion for space and excellent writing skills? Are you able to communicate effectively and create engaging content for a wide variety of end users? We have an immediate opening for a corporate editor at the European Space Agency in Paris, France.

Working as part of the EJR-Quartz communications service team for the European Space Agency (ESA), you will be based onsite at ESA’s Headquarters, in Paris, France.

The successful candidate will have:

A degree in communication or journalism;
Minimum of four years’ professional experience in writing and editing, preferably for a communications team of a large international organisation;
The ability to present ideas and recommendations persuasively in writing and verbally;
An excellent grasp of the English language (native or equivalent), with an exceptional eye for detail;
Excellent French
Great communication and networking skills;
The ability to help plan and implement communication campaigns;
The capacity to conduct interviews in written, audio or video format;
Experience of working in compliance with corporate guidelines to create accurate, compelling copy;
A proactive approach to managing projects and the ability to work under pressure and with tight deadlines;

We also value:

Knowledge of European Space Programmes
Knowledge of another European Language

Your tasks will include to:

Create content for publication on the main ESA corporate communications portal;
Develop content and ensure the timely publication of articles and other products for any channel, approved according to agreed processes;
Strengthen the ESA corporate voice, ensuring consistent and easily accessible messaging in content produces, for any channel;
Write news, background articles and other text in support of DG’s leadership communication and of corporate campaigns such as Agenda 2040
Integrate, structure and build articles in the CMS
Writing and editing of text for activities/events where there will be a corporate ESA presence, in close cooperation with the relevant production lead
Liaise with production and social media teams to ensure the widest visibility for all content
Support colleagues as necessary in ESA-wide corporate communications, including creating content for press releases and ESA Web TV
Attend production and other meetings as required

Does this sound like you? Tell us why you think you’re the right fit for this exciting role by sending your CV and cover letter to: vacancy@ejr-quartz.com or reach out via social media to @ejrquartz

You’ll find us on Instagram and LinkedIn.

Learn more about our company and meet the team at: www.ejr-quartz.com

EJR-Quartz is an equal opportunity employer. We are proud of our diverse team with a variety of backgrounds, perspectives and skills. The more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.

Contractual matters

Candidates must be eligible to live and work in France. The contract will be issued by EJR-Quartz BV in the Netherlands. The position is full-time and onsite at ESA HQ in France. This position is temporary until 31 December 2026 with a strong possibility of renewal. Ideal starting date would be 1 March 2026.

Closing date for applications: 10 February 2026 at 12:30 CEST

Starting date: 1 March 2026

Please note that only applications in English will be considered. During the application process we may perform a quick check of your social media channels. If you do not agree to such screening, please let us know when you apply. Any data collected during the application process will of course be processed according to EU GDPR. For more information, please check our Data Policy.

(Banner: ESA’s headquarters in Paris, France. Credit: ESA – Philippe Sebirot)

Vacancy: Internal Communications Editor for ESA, based at ESRIN in Italy

Dirma van Eck | 5 November 2025

***Applications closed*** Do you have excellent writing skills and the ability to translate corporate messages into engaging content for an internal audience? Are you looking for your next challenge in internal communications? Then we have an exciting opportunity for you!

Working as part of the EJR-Quartz team for the European Space Agency (ESA), you will be based onsite at ESA’s Earth Observation Centre, ESRIN in Frascati, Italy. You will join the highly motivated Internal Communications Team, which is spread over several locations.

The successful candidate will have:

A degree in communication, journalism or science/engineering
Minimum of two years’ professional experience in writing and editing, preferably for an internal communications team of a large international organisation.
The ability to present ideas and recommendations persuasively in writing and verbally, geared towards an internal audience
An excellent grasp of the English language (native or equivalent), including exceptional detail for spelling, grammar and punctuation.
The capacity to conduct interviews in written, audio or video format.
Experience of working in compliance with corporate tone-of-voice guidelines to create accurate, compelling copy.
A proactive approach to managing projects and the ability to work under pressure and with tight deadlines
Great communication and networking skills
Experience in managing physical, online and hybrid events, including knowledge of the technical tools needed
A good knowledge of IT and other technical tools needed for hybrid and online events
Hands-on experience with content management systems and basic programming skills
The ability to plan and implement communication strategies

We also value:

Knowledge of analytics and planning tools
Basic graphic design skills
Knowledge of another European language
Knowledge of European Space Programmes

The fine print

You will be working as part of our communications service team for ESA on ESA’s Internal Communications activities, across ESA establishments.

Your tasks will include to:

Write, edit and publish content in English for different sections of the intranet
Disseminate corporate messages to an internal audience
Serve as point of contact for workforce engagement activities at ESRIN
Support communications campaigns and local events to help increase workforce engagement in order to foster a collaborative, transparent and engaging work environment
Ensure that all content published on the intranet is compliant with ESA editorial standards and agreed approval processes
Collect user requirements and support the evolution of tools needed by the Internal Communications Team
Ensure the update of internal display screens at the different ESA establishments
Contribute to the monitoring and evaluation of the implemented activities, reporting on performance requirements (PRs)

Contractual matters

The successful candidate will be employed directly by EJR-Quartz as part of our service team for ESA. The position is full-time (1 FTE) and onsite at ESA ESRIN in Frascati, Italy. This is a 1 year contract until 31 December 2026, with possibility of renewal. The optimal start date is 1 January 2026.

Candidates must already have a valid residence/working permit for Italy.

Closing date: 18 November 2025 at 12:30 CEST

Salary range: 3800-4200 EUR gross per month × 14 months, depending on experience.

Learn more about our company and meet the team at: www.ejr-quartz.com

If you think this is for you, tell us why you’d like to join our team. Please send your cover letter, CV and references to: vacancy@ejr-quartz.com

EJR-Quartz is an equal opportunity employer. We are proud of our diverse team with a variety of backgrounds, perspectives and skills. The more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.

Please note that only applications in English will be considered. During the application process we may perform a check of your social media channels. If you do not agree to such screening, please let us know when you apply. Any data collected during the application process will of course be processed according to EU GDPR. For more information, please check our Data Policy.

(Banner: ESA’s ESRIN facility in Frascati, Italy. Credit: ESA)

Vacancy: Editor for ESA’s Operations activities in Darmstadt, Germany

Dirma van Eck | 5 November 2025

***Applications closed*** Would you like to be at the forefront of space operations? Do you have excellent editorial skills and a flair for storytelling? EJR-Quartz has an immediate opening for a fluent English editor familiar with spacecraft operations activities, to be part of our service team for the European Space Agency, based onsite at ESA’s Operations Centre in Darmstadt, Germany.

We’re looking for an experienced editor to develop inspiring content and creative campaigns for ESA’s Operations Directorate. We seek an individual who shares our passion for creative problem solving and who is able to work collaboratively in a fast-paced environment.

The successful candidate will have:

Proficiency in English (mother-tongue or equivalent) and the ability to write and edit independently
A Masters degree in communications/journalism or a scientific or technical subject
Minimum of 4 years’ professional experience in writing and editing
Strong content management skills and familiarity with online publishing and social media tools
Great communication and networking skills
Demonstrable knowledge of communications and social media strategy
Ability to work under pressure and with tight deadlines, both independently and as part of a team
Knowledge of another European language is an asset
Knowledge of European spacecraft operations is an advantage

Tasks include:

Researching and writing/editing content with the aim of publishing news, web stories, blog posts, social media posts, brochures, fact sheets, and other materials promoting the technical and programmatic activities of the directorate.
Supporting external and internal communications about the topic and liaising with the wider communication teams
Validating information with the relevant technical experts, and ensuring that it is compliant with ESA’s editorial and branding guidelines
Coordinating with ESA Corporate Communications to ensure that the content is aligned with ESA’s overall communication strategy
Creating and updating content in the content management system
Coordinating the creation of multimedia content for use on different platforms.
Contributing to the overall a communication strategy and ensuring its implementation.

Contractual matters

The successful candidate will be employed directly by EJR-Quartz as part of our service team for ESA. The position is full-time (1 FTE) and onsite at ESA’s Operations Centre in Darmstadt. This is a temporary contract until 31 December 2026, with possibility of renewal. The optimal start date is 1 January 2026.

Candidates must already have a valid residence/working permit for Germany.

Closing date: 18 November 2025 at 12:30 CEST

Salary range: 4000-4400 EUR gross per month, depending on experience.

Learn more about our company and meet the team at: www.ejr-quartz.com

If you think this is for you, tell us why you’d like to join our team. Please send your cover letter, CV and references to: vacancy@ejr-quartz.com

EJR-Quartz is an equal opportunity employer. We are proud of our diverse team with a variety of backgrounds, perspectives and skills. The more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.

(Banner: ESOC’s main facility in Darmstadt, Germany. Credit: ESA)

Space East event demystifies Earth Observation

Peter Bickerton | 22 September 2025

peter-bickerton-onstage-during-multi-sector-panel-discussing-earth-observation-at-space-east-event-in-norwich

It’s always a treat when two worlds come together. As an Editor for EJR-Quartz, I work with the pioneering Earth Explorer mission managers to tell the stories of trailblazing ESA science on wind, ice, clouds and geomagnetism.

But once upon a time I was a biologist, and after my PhD my first job was on Norwich Research Park creating exciting events about DNA and big data biology. That meant my home became the East of England, so it seemed perfect when I was asked by Space East to join a panel on what Earth Observation means for the region on 10 September 2025.

Peter Bickerton-at-Space-East-Unlocking-Earth-Observation-for-Sustainability-event-in-Norwich

The event was brilliant. It was held at the University of East Anglia’s Enterprise Centre, which has a nice feel to it, with all its chalet-like wooden features and space. There was a good hum of interest from people from various sectors, and a lot of interest in how space technology could help things like agriculture, energy, and coastline monitoring.

The East of England is surrounded by sea, full of wind farms, and is one of the most productive agricultural regions on Earth, so it’s no surprise that people are keen to know what Earth Observation can do here.

One very entertaining part of the day was that one of the first talks, given by Electra Panagoulia of the Satellite Applications Catapult, featured what was for me a very recognisable satellite in her title slide. It was EarthCARE, ESA’s cloud, aerosol and radiation explorer.

It was a perfect segue for me to launch into the panel discussion, in which I was able to recount our incredible Hakuryu experience for ESA – when with Jamie Perera we turned EarthCARE’s cloud and aerosol data into a dragon’s song of peace. We exhibited this at ESA’s Living Planet Symposium in Vienna, where it was a big success, and we plan to make it even bigger with events online and around the world. It was a perfect example of one of the key questions – how to make EO data more accessible.

Funnily enough, later in the day I chatted to another speaker, Krupa Nanda Kumar of Space4Climate, who had also done a lot of work on EarthCARE. We ended up sharing details and Space4Climate were able to promote Hakuryu the next week. So, the event was clearly a networking success!

copernicus-presentation-at-space-east-earth-observation-event-in-norwich — Credit: Space East

The workshops in the afternoon were also very interesting, and it was wonderful to see just how many examples of crossovers there were between the attendees. The usefulness of ESA’s missions was clear, and it was a pleasure to discuss them with enthusiasm. The conversations could have gone on for hours, and many will continue afterwards.

I think this sort of event is very useful for introducing people to EO, and also to each other, and I look forward to attending similar events in the future.

peter-bickerton-outside-university-of-east-anglia-enterprise-centre-for-space-east-event

Vacancy: Social media editor for ESA

Dirma van Eck | 29 August 2025

***Applications closed***Editorial / Publishing Service for ESA Corporate Social Media

Do you have excellent social media skills and a passion for digital storytelling? Then we’d like to hear from you! We’re hiring an experienced and highly motivated social media and digital content editor with an interest in science and aerospace, to help us implement a social media strategy across the European Space Agency’s social media channels, finding new and creative ways to meet Agency-wide communications needs using current and emerging social/digital platforms.

We’re looking for someone with:

A Bachelor’s degree in digital media communications or related field and/or scientific or technical subject;
2+ years of hands-on experience running high-profile social media accounts, in particular on X, Facebook, BlueSky, Instagram and TikTok, planning and executing campaigns across multiple channels;
Understanding of what it takes to execute social media strategy within the wider framework of a corporate communications strategy;
Mother-tongue level standard of written English;
Affinity with space and science communication;
A demonstrable flair for social media storytelling on both corporate and scientific topics;
Up-to-date knowledge of latest social media trends and best practices;
Experience using photo and video editing tools from the Adobe Creative Suite;
Familiarity with and interest in the space programme and producing content for younger audiences.
Able to work independently and as part of a close-knit production team, collaborating with a wide range of internal and external interfaces.

We also value:

A proactive and positive approach with a can-do attitude;
A solution-oriented mindset;
The ability to operate in a friendly, client-focused manner;
Experience working in an international environment with government organisations;

The fine print:

As part of our Communications Service Provision team for ESA, you’ll be working within ESA’s social media team, supporting social media activities in English on ESA’s main channels.

Reporting to the Head of Digital and Print Products and Channels Office, you’ll be creating and publishing English content on ESA’s existing social media portfolio and potential future channels.

Your tasks will include:

Creating and publishing engaging social media content in line with ESA’s strategic communications objectives;
Contributing to ESA’s social media presence with creative ideas and campaigns;
Working as part of the ESA social media team, providing support across ESA’s social media channels, including, but not limited to, X, Facebook, BlueSky, TikTok, Instagram, and Pinterest;
Interacting and engaging with ESA’s social media followers;
Identifying video material for repackaging on social media channels;
Staying on top of best practices and evolving digital platforms to inform strategies and growth.

Does this sound like you? Tell us why you think you’re the right fit for this exciting role. Send your CV and cover letter to: vacancy@ejr-quartz.com or reach out via social media to @ejrquartz. You’ll find us on X, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Contractual matters

You’ll be based on site at ESA’s Technical Centre ESTEC, in the Netherlands, as part of our EJR-Quartz service team for the ESA Communications Department.

The successful candidates will be employed directly by EJR-Quartz and must already hold a valid residence and work permit for the Netherlands. This will normally be a one-year contract, with possibility of renewal.

Start date: 1 October 2025

Closing date: 10 September 2025

Salary range: 3800-4300 EUR/month (depending on experience)

Learn more about our company and meet the team at: www.ejr-quartz.com

If you think this is for you, tell us why you’d like to join our team. Please send your cover letter, CV and references to: vacancy@ejr-quartz.com

EJR-Quartz is an equal opportunity employer. We are proud of our diverse team with a variety of backgrounds, perspectives and skills. The more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.

(Banner: ESA’s ESTEC facility in Noordwijk, The Netherlands. Credit: ESA)

Vacancy: Editor for ESA’s Operations B2B activities in Darmstadt, Germany

Dirma van Eck | 25 August 2025

***Applications closed***Are you hunting for your next challenge in B2B marketing in the space sector? Do you have excellent writing skills and the ability to translate communications strategy into compelling content? EJR-Quartz has an immediate opening for a fluent English editor familiar with spacecraft operations activities, to be part of our service team for the European Space Agency, based onsite at ESA’s Operations Centre in Darmstadt, Germany.

The successful candidate will have:

Proficiency in English (mother-tongue or equivalent) and the ability to write and edit independently;
A Masters degree in communications/journalism, marketing or a scientific or technical subject;
Minimum of 4 years’ professional experience in writing and editing with a flair for marketing;
Strong content management skills and familiarity with online publishing and social media tools;
Great communication and networking skills;
Demonstrable knowledge of communications, marketing and social media strategy;
Ability to work under pressure and with tight deadlines, both independently and as part of a team.

Nice to have:

Knowledge of another European language is an asset;
A keen interest in space and spacecraft operations.

Tasks include to:

Support the drafting and publishing of content aimed at the B2B audiences of ESA’s Operations directorate;
Coordinate with the ESA Corporate Communication Department to support the implementation of the OPS B2B communication plan, with a special focus on marketing aspects, in order to maximise impact and ensure that all material is aligned with ESA’s overall communication strategy;
Research, write and edit content for all digital channels (web, social media, leaflets, newsletters, etc) promoting the technical and programmatic activities of the directorate to internal and external B2B stakeholders;
Validate technical information with the ESA content owners;
Liaise with ESA corporate communications services to ensure the timely publication and widest dissemination of content;
Foster a network of internal and external stakeholders to keep abreast of technological developments and engineering activities;
Assist in devising and implementing a B2B communication strategy for the Directorate
Support and assist all aspects of Operations B2B marketing and promotion activities and events as directed, especially directorate-wide trade events such as SPACEOPS.

Contractual matters

The successful candidate will be employed directly by EJR-Quartz as part of our service team for ESA. The position is full-time (1 FTE) and onsite at ESA’s Operations Centre in Darmstadt. This is a one-year contract with a possibility of renewal. The optimal start date is 1 October 2025.

Note: Candidates must already have a valid residence/working permit for Germany.

Closing date: 10 September 2025 at 12:30 CEST

Start date: 1 October 2025

Salary range: 3800-4200 EUR gross per month, depending on experience.

Learn more about our company and meet the team at: www.ejr-quartz.com

If you think this is for you, tell us why you’d like to join our team. Please send your cover letter, CV and references to: vacancy@ejr-quartz.com

EJR-Quartz is an equal opportunity employer. We are proud of our diverse team with a variety of backgrounds, perspectives and skills. The more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.

(Banner: ESOC’s main facility in Darmstadt, Germany. Credit: ESA)

Vacancy: Media relations expert for the European Space Agency

Dirma van Eck | 16 June 2025

***Applications closed*** Are you a natural at engaging with the media and experienced in media relations for an international organisation? Then we have an exciting opportunity for you!

Working as part of the EJR-Quartz communications service team for the European Space Agency (ESA), you will be based on site at ESA’s Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC), located in Noordwijk, The Netherlands. Your job will be to support ESA’s Corporate Media Relations activities by engaging with the media and managing the media community.

The successful candidate will have:

A degree in media or public relations, communication, or journalism;
Minimum of four years’ professional experience in the field, preferably acting as media relations person for a large international organisation;
Great communication and networking skills;
An excellent grasp of the English language (native or equivalent)
Experience in dealing with requests from the media and actively managing the media communities;
The ability to help plan and implement communication strategies;
Experience of working in compliance with corporate processes and guidelines;
The ability to remain calm in a crisis and work efficiently under pressure;
At ease with managing media relations effectively on social media channels.

We also value:

Knowledge of European Space Programmes
Knowledge of French and German or other European languages

Your tasks will include to:

Implement corporate media relations activities for the European Space Agency, in close coordination with the Head of Corporate and Institutional Communications and the Corporate Media Relations Officer;
Manage, establish and grow interactions with a community of relevant journalists focused on relevant topics such as space, climate and European affairs, who need in depth scientific, technological, political and financial information and facilitate their access to ESA experts
Plan, implement and evaluate engagement activities to foster a close engagement of relevant journalists with ESA’s programmes;
Perform social media analytics to optimise activities and contribute to media insight analysis reports;
Contribute to setting up an early alert system procedure;
Maintain the list of ESA spokespersons on corporate topics, in particular DG Services and Strategic, Legal and External Affairs;
Maintain and use relevant journalist and influencer databases
Deal with requests from media for interviews, information and support related to flagship and corporate media campaigns, in a coherent and timely manner;
Organise interviews and briefings for individual journalists;
Organise and support corporate media events;
Prepare, send and update press releases and news releases;
Adhere to media relations processes between establishments and collaborate with the Member States Outreach Office

You’ll find us on X, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Learn more about our company and meet the team at: www.ejr-quartz.com

EJR-Quartz is an equal opportunity employer. We are proud of our diverse team with a variety of backgrounds, perspectives and skills. The more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.

Contractual matters

Candidates must be eligible to live and work in the Netherlands. The contract will be issued by EJR-Quartz BV in the Netherlands. The position is full-time and on site at ESTEC, Noordwijk (NL). This position is initially for one year until 31 August 2026 with the possibility of renewal. Ideal starting date would be 1 September 2025.

Closing date for applications: 7 July 2025 at 12:30 CEST

Salary: €4700-5400 gross for a full-time position (40 h/week), depending on experience

Starting date: 1 September 2025

Please note that only applications in English will be considered. During the application process we may perform a quick check of your social media channels. If you do not agree to such screening, please let us know when you apply. Any data collected during the application process will of course be processed according to EU GDPR. For more information, please check our Data Policy.

(Banner: ESA’s ESTEC facility in Noordwijk, The Netherlands. Credit: ESA)