STANDARD CALL FOR PROPOSALS - EXPLORATION SCIENCE - PHD STUDIES

European Space Agency (ESA)

Published: Oct 27, 2026

Updated: Nov 5, 2026

About This Opportunity

This is a services contract in the information and communication technology sector, with a focus on Network Infrastructure. Located in International, Europe, this opportunity is open to firms and consortiums.

Published through ESA - European Space Agency, a multilateral development bank that follows standardized international procurement guidelines. Projects funded by multilateral institutions are generally open to international bidders from eligible member countries for services in the information and communication technology sector. Service contracts are typically evaluated on both technical quality and price, and may require bidders to demonstrate relevant experience and qualified personnel. This is an advance notice — the formal tender is expected to be published shortly. Interested parties can use this time to prepare documentation and identify potential partners.

Description

The objective of this activity is to co-fund PhD projects focusing on Exploration Science relevant topics.Exploration Science PhDs will target high-priority, exploration-driven science topics, whilealso advancing exploration-enabled research directly linked toongoing missions and projects of the European Space Agency. Building on the existing ESA OSIP co-sponsored Research programme, these positions will be recruited through a dedicated call and alignedwith Explore2040 priorities with a primary focus on science thematics such as local resources, environments effects, crew health and performance, and habitation and with a secondary focus on enabled science linked to key missions and projects (e.g. ExoMars or ACES).By embedding these PhDs within leading academic institutions, ESA fosters a distributed network of high-potential early-career scientists working on mission-relevant challenges.This strengthens ties with academia, accelerates the maturation of key scientific domains, and ensures a sustained pipeline of expertise closely aligned with Explore2040 objectives.

Data provenance

This notice is sourced from ESA - European Space Agency and was originally published on October 27, 2026. Last refreshed today. BidsFactory mirrors official procurement notices and links back to the source for full legal text.

About European Space Agency (ESA)

European Space Agency (ESA) has issued 888 procurement notices on BidsFactory, including 186 currently open and 227 awarded contracts. Activity concentrates in Information & Communication Technology, Transport & Logistics, and Environment & Climate. Tenders span 10 countries including Denmark, Czech Republic, and Slovenia. Notices are distributed via ESA - European Space Agency. Most recent publication: October 30, 2026.

Frequently asked questions about this tender

Who is the contracting authority?

This notice was issued by European Space Agency (ESA) in International. The authority is responsible for evaluating bids, awarding the contract, and managing performance.

What type of contract is this?

This is a Services contract in the Information & Communication Technology sector. The classification helps bidders match the opportunity to their qualifications and registered scope of supply.

Where will the contract be performed?

The contract is for delivery in International. Foreign bidders should review local registration, taxation, and any in-country presence requirements before submitting.

How can I submit a bid?

Visit ESA - European Space Agency to access the full notice, required documents, and submission instructions provided by the contracting authority.