EJR-Quartz

Insights from the AI for Good Conference

Dirma van Eck | 7 November 2024

“What’s your opinion on AI?” seems to be the main question circulating office corridors these days. I was, until recently, unaware there was such a strong divide and unsure of whether to jump on the bandwagon or dismiss the whole concept.

There’s no doubt about it: artificial intelligence is on the verge of transforming the way we do business. It has already crept from research labs into business, industrial and professional applications. But AI still has a long way to go.

Curious, I decided to jump on the bandwagon. I recently attended the AI for Good Global Summit, organised by the International Telecommunication Union. Held in Geneva each year, the summit focuses on how AI can be used to meet the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, such as promoting clean energy, climate action, sustainable infrastructure and other global development priorities.

The conference showcased a myriad of applications on how AI can be harnessed for the betterment of society, from advancements in human robotics and healthcare to innovations in vision and language processing.

There seems to be one common outcome: AI can increase productivity and efficiency across a range of sectors. During his opening speech, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres specifically mentioned education, healthcare and planetary health as sectors for increased efficiency.

The conference featured quite a few sophisticated robots, some shaped like dogs or cats, others humans, designed to assist us in our everyday tasks to improve our quality of life. But AI is doing so much more than that.

“Robot dogs are very impressive breakthroughs of science technologies. But what problems are they solving?” said Pelonomi Moiloa, CEO of Lelapa AI – a startup building AI for African languages.

Among some of the groundbreaking technologies showcased was the AI-powered exoskeleton developed by Wandercraft, which aims to transform the lives of people with paralysis.

Leveraging advancements in robotics and AI, Wandercraft’s exoskeleton enables those with mobility impairments to ‘walk’ again.

As Earth Observation Editor at EJR-Quartz, I was particularly interested in how developments in AI can help create a more sustainable world. One of the presentations highlighted GraphCast, a state-of-the-art AI model able to deliver 10-day weather predictions in under a minute.

GraphCast claims to take a significant step forward in AI for weather prediction, offering more accurate and efficient forecasts, and opening paths to support decision-making critical to the needs of our industries and societies.

Pioneering the use of AI in weather forecasting will benefit billions of people in their everyday lives. By developing new tools and accelerating research, Google DeepMind hopes AI can empower the global community to tackle our greatest environmental challenges.

Anna Koivuniemi, Head of Google DeepMind Impact Accelerator, said, “AI can’t save climate change. But humans can.“

Another presentation showcased Earth Virtualization Engines (EVE) which uses AI to unleash the vast amounts of information encoded in the most advanced digital representations of the Earth, aiming to empower people to respond to the urgent challenge of climate change.

Despite AI’s seemingly countless benefits, it also comes with its risks. There were other interesting speeches about AI is doing the exact opposite of what the conference proposes.

While AI technologies continue becoming highly sophisticated, the security concerns linked with their use and the possibility for misuse also rise. Threat actors can leverage the same AI tools meant for human good to commit malicious acts like scams, fraud, deepfakes and more.

In addition, the development, maintenance and disposal of AI technology also comes with a large carbon footprint. The power demands of the huge data centres that underpin the AI revolution will only keep growing.

Nearly half of the global population cannot participate in the AI leap due to technological disparities between advanced and developing economies.

Doreen Bogdon-Martin, head of the UN International Telecommunications Union, commented, “In 2024, in the age of AI, in the age of unimaginable opportunities, one-third of humanity remains completely offline, excluded from the AI revolution without a voice. What we in this room take for granted remains completely foreign to 2.6 billion people around the world.“

Written by a human being

(Credit images: ITU Pictures, Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) )

Federico presents his latest comic book!

Dirma van Eck | 31 October 2024

As the 75th International Astronautical Congress unfolded last week, ESA hosted a series of events beyond the conference centre, transforming Milan into a vibrant space hub for celebrating space in various ways. Among these activities was Cosmic Synergies, which featured the presentation of ‘La terra si frantuma!‘, a new comic book starring the Italian ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano alongside the character Nathan Never, published by Bonelli Editore.

At the Cosmic Synergies event, Federico – young autistic comic illustrator working at EJR-Quartz for ESA in ESRIN – had the unique opportunity to introduce himself to the public in a dynamic format: a short animation (you can watch the video here). Through an engaging hand-crafted video, which featured a cartoon version of himself, Federico introduced his latest project, ‘Mission Moon‘, the second episode of the Fede’s SpaceToon saga.

Published by Officina Animata, the first edition of Fede’s SpaceToon adventures was released in 2022. The second episode of Federico’s comic book once again stars ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano, this time embarking on a mission to the Moon. With his unique artistry, the presentation showcased not only his current artwork but also his exceptional perspective as an autistic artist, adding a special spark that brought depth and emotion to the event’s stellar lineup.

Federico shared some impressions of his experience at the Cosmic Synergies event with us: “It was thrilling to see my video projected on the big screen. Since the first volume of Fede’s SpaceToon, I’ve dreamed of creating a new story that still features Luca Parmitano. I’ve been a big fan of Luca since I first met him in 2018, and I still remember his words of encouragement for the 2019 Special Olympics in Abu Dhabi, where I competed. The dream of becoming a cartoonist has been with me for as long as I can remember, along with my love for ESA’s characters like Paxi and AstroGNAT. I’m so happy to have them meet my own comic characters, like Stuart the dragon and Buk the Space lizard.“

About Federico

Federico Badessi joined EJR-Quartz in January 2024, as a junior graphic designer. He was previously an ESA trainee at ESRIN, during which time he produced a comic book ‘Fede’s SpaceToon – Mission Space‘ (ISBN 978-88-946233-3-8) on a fantasy space mission on the International Space Station involving Luca Parmitano. The first edition of his book, published by Officina Animata, was available on the Special Olympics Italia website.

Federico is an autistic person, comic illustrator and Special Olympics athlete (swimming). He graduated from the art school ‘Istituto C.G. Argan of Rome’ in 2017, and then completed a three-year illustration course of the international school of Comics in Rome, graduating in 2020. Federico’s artwork can be seen on his digital portfolio on Behance.

(Credits banner: Fede’s Comics Channel on YouTube)

Proud of our colours

Dirma van Eck | 10 September 2024

As an equal opportunities employer, we have a diverse workforce from all over the world and we strive to make our workplace an inclusive one. We were therefore very excited to be a sponsor of this year’s Leiden Pride.

Having grown from a two-person business into a 70-person family, our company has seen many changes over the past 25 years. EJR-Quartz is all about people: our strength is our team and everyone on the team provides a wealth of experience and commitment. We select employees on the basis of their merits, and the key to our success is respect for diversity.

Last year, at Leiden’s first ever Pride celebrations, we scouted out the festivities with a small group of our Leiden office team. We watched the colourful boats go past on the canal and celebrated our diversity at the live music festival on the Beestenmarkt.

This year we wanted to go a step further and decided to become a a sponsor. This put us in the middle of all the hustle and bustle of the boat parade and the celebrations on the Lammermarkt in Leiden and allowed us to openly be proud of our colours.

And who knows, maybe next year we will make it onto a boat of our own? Watch this space…

My experience at EJR-Quartz

Dirma van Eck | 7 May 2024

A few months ago, I had to find an internship in an English-speaking company for my school’s Cambridge programme. Because Linda Carrette who works at EJR-Quartz and I live near each other, I asked if I could do my internship there. This was allowed so a few months later I had my one week long internship there.

At the start I was very nervous as I barely knew anyone who worked there, but I quickly started worrying less since everyone there was so nice and helpful. After arriving there on Monday and meeting everyone who was present that day, I could start doing small tasks.

The things I did in the past week include doing a small reflection on the site as they wanted to know whether it was fully clear to someone who didn’t exactly know who they were, updating the book list for a future library, making barcodes for the library cards and later making the library cards, translating four scripts for animations about Hera and her job and designing a logo patch for EJR-Quartz.

My favourite thing to do was making the logo patch as I really enjoy almost everything that has anything to do with art. I got to sketch some ideas and later digitalise the final one, I had a lot of fun doing so.

My school also gave me a few assignments to do while at EJR-Quartz, I had to answer a few questions about the workplace and interview two people about their job.

They had no issue with helping me with the questions, and I almost immediately had both interviews planned. I did one with Oana Grigore and one with Mariana, David and Joana from the Science Office.

In the end I was very happy I was able to do my internship at EJR-Quartz. The people were amazing, it felt like they were all one big friend group. At lunch break everyone would sit together, have fun conversations and laugh about the dog Chica asking everyone for a bit of their food.

The work I did was also enjoyable, it was different from what I would normally do in school, and I think I learned quite a lot from only being there for one week. It was a great experience in general and I’m glad I got to do it!

Being a part of Ariane 5’s history

Yasmin Tosta | 19 March 2024

Our editor Camilla MacMillan-Hughes supported ESA’s Space Transportation directorate for almost a decade. After assisting the launcher’s communications for such a long time, she was featured on ESA’s ‘Portraits of Ariane 5’ series and shared her experiences in an interview.

“I was the editor for ESA’s Space Transportation (formerly ‘Launchers’) directorate working part time for nine years until March 2023, based at ESA ESTEC in the Netherlands.

“One of my tasks was to write news articles and produce other media for the ESA web portal about Ariane 5, its launches and technical developments. It’s important to get the level of technical detail right, to appeal to rocket enthusiasts as well as the general public, and to make it interesting and understandable by an international audience.

“I previously worked for the company that developed the software and user interface for the Jupiter Control Centre display system on the wall and consoles. As the technical writer there, I wrote the French user manuals for the system administrator and operators.

“Who doesn’t like watching a rocket launch? Rockets are magnificent and cool but everything has to be perfect before the ‘GO’ for launch is given. I liked to see the teams in the control room, their anticipation, concentration, then their relief and joy. Given Ariane 5’s stunning reliability it was easy to forget how much of an accomplishment every successful launch is – and how much it matters to these people.

“Covering launches was always very exciting and a little nerve-racking too. When the Arianespace broadcast started I would have that feeling: the launch is beginning! ESA mission launches involved a whole team. There’s a great sense of camaraderie and belonging.

“But for most commercial launches, occurring in the early hours of the morning European time, there would only be a couple of us from Communications online. I’m a night owl so was happy to be covering these launches and publishing from home. My cat would love to join me and his paws often reached out onto my keyboard!

“It was exhilarating – the countdown, the roar of the Vulcain engine, and liftoff! After Arianespace announced launch success, I would publish my prepared ESA article and update background pages before going to bed.

“In the early days, the picture at the top of the article would be my screenshot taken at exactly eight seconds after the liftoff announcement as Ariane 5 left the ground (it was the best view in the frame of the TV broadcast and sometimes this could be tricky to capture as network technology was not what it is now).

“Nowadays Europe’s Spaceport sends out beautiful high-resolution photos soon after liftoff. Of course, the best launches to watch were during the daytime, when there was a clear view and blue skies.

“One of the most intense launch campaigns for me was for the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope, which lifted off on Christmas Day in 2021. In the month leading up to launch, I published something every day about Ariane 5 and spaceport activities. What crowned it all was the perfect launch injection which saved fuel which will extend Webb’s expected lifetime.

“As part of outreach, Ariane 5 was also an important part of ESA Open days. This was a chance to get together with some of my STS colleagues from HQ. Our stand had rocket models, posters, brochures and quizzes for kids. It was great fun to create the stand and meet the enthusiastic public.”

“Ariane 5 is an incredible feat of engineering and I’m very proud to have been part of the team helping the public to follow and understand its evolution.

“I never missed a launch in all the time I worked for Space Transportation. I have moved on from STS but am still keen to watch our European launchers lift off. The final Ariane 5 launch, for me, marked the end of an era.”

Nine years later, Camilla continues as an editor at EJR-Quartz for ESA, but now writes for the ‘Business with ESA’ portal.

(Interview and images credit: ESA)

Covering the return of a European astronaut

Dirma van Eck | 16 February 2024

On 10 February ESA project astronaut Marcus Wandt returned from space, and our Human Spaceflight editor Laura Zurmuehlen was on hand to cover it, on behalf of ESA. This was Laura’s fourth live coverage of a Direct Return, and she shared the experience with us.

Direct returns are always a special moment, and I feel fortunate when I get the chance to be there, in the middle of the action, reporting live from the event. It’s one of those moments when all the hard work during astronaut missions reaches a final milestone, and you get to see the astronaut you have worked with while they were in space, in person again — just a few hours or a day after they have been floating in space.

It’s an incredible experience to get the prime spot in the front row at the airport and capture the first moments of an astronaut stepping out of the plane back in Europe. This moment must be emotional for them as well! And I have the privilege of capturing this on camera and sharing it with all the space fans who cannot be on-site.

The general feeling is always super positive, with people excited to welcome back the astronaut. Everyone is in a happy mood, and this time we had amazing weather!

As always, Marcus had the biggest smile when he came out of the plane and walked towards the cheering crowd – it was amazing to be part of this moment.

(Banner image credit: ESA)

Creating ESA Highlights 2023: a print editor’s experience

Dirma van Eck | 22 December 2023

ESA Highlights is a publication that showcases the key achievements of the European Space Agency throughout the year. Our print editor Jan Kordys, who joined us in April 2023, got to produce it for the first time and told us all about it.

Curating the ESA Highlights 2023 as a new editor in the space domain proved to be both a delightful and daunting experience. Looking back, I couldn’t have asked for a better introduction to ESA. In a relatively short span, I had to cover the full spectrum of ESA’s activities, notably through interviews – each one as captivating as the last – with individuals from nearly every ESA site.

The combination of passion, knowledge, and patience (towards me!) exhibited by these individuals truly amazed me. If we have succeeded in showcasing the amazing, interesting, and important work they are doing, then I believe we have accomplished our mission.

If I had to talk about the most challenging aspects, it would certainly be the difficulty of finding the most appropriate way of combining text and images, both pictures and infographics, and popularising the most difficult subjects, such as the application of quantum mechanics in space. Ultimately, it’s up to our readers to decide whether we have met these challenges!

It’s important to note that the annual publication of ESA Highlights is always a collaborative effort. This edition, in particular, presented a unique challenge as I took over as the print editor from our colleague Bija Knowles in April. Bija played a significant role in the preparation process, outlining subjects for the four in-depth articles and providing invaluable advice throughout. She authored an outstanding article on the Juice mission and assisted with proofreading, all while managing her new responsibilities.

Special recognition also goes to Federica Mezzo, the design wizard, and Rosa Tedesco, who are part of the ESA/EJR-Quartz consortium and crafted a remarkable interactive version. The coordination of the entire project was overseen by my ESA manager and Head of Print Media and Merchandising Production Office, Hugo Simões.

(Banner: ESA Highlights 2023. Credit: ESA.)

EJR-Quartz at the Reinventing Space Conference

Dirma van Eck | 12 October 2023

As technology advances and becomes more accessible, the world is witnessing a new era of space exploration. Private space companies are leading the way towards more agile, innovative and greater-risk technologies, which is driving the established players in the field to embrace ‘New Space’. As a contractor for many organisations in the space sector, EJR-Quartz recognises the importance of staying abreast of the latest developments in the industry. That is one of the reasons why we are taking part in the 20th Reinventing Space Conference from 11 to 13 October 2023.

_{Credit: The British Interplanetary Society}

Organised by the British Interplanetary Society, this year’s theme is ‘The Evolving Architecture of New Space’, centred around the key benefits and challenges of these novel economic models. The first day of the conference featured a series of incredible talks given by representatives of various ‘New Space’ companies, as well as established corporations such as Airbus.

Throughout the conference, our representatives will be showcasing our communication and graphic design services to the participants. In addition to attending the many talks and networking with industry and academic peers, we are also using this opportunity to engage with talented enthusiastic students, informing them about our work and possible job opportunities. We will be actively participating in the conference’s Careers Day on Friday 13 October, hoping to enthuse young academics to choose a career in science communication.

Aside from our day-filling programme, there is also time for some fun and games, where we try to command one of only two ISS docking simulators in the world, with mixed success.

DLR wins a prize in the Digital Communication Awards 2023

Dirma van Eck | 5 October 2023

We are proud to announce that the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) won the Digital Communication Awards 2023 in the category ‘Campaigns from Associations and Institutions’ … with a little help from us. The award was presented during the online award ceremony last Friday, 29 September 2023. DLR shares first place with Helmholtz Munich’s ‘Kids are Heroes’ campaign.

DLR’s MARE communication campaign featured a Twitter takeover by two female mannequins aboard the Orion spacecraft during the Artemis I mission to the Moon. The campaign had previously been shortlisted for the German Online Communication Award 2023.

The award recognises the notable results of the Artemis I Takeover. The campaign shed light on the critical issue of high radiation exposure to humans beyond Earth’s protective magnetic field, particularly during long-term missions to the Moon and Mars. The Matroshka AstroRad Radiation Experiment (MARE), led by DLR, marked a significant milestone by measuring radiation exposure to the female body beyond the International Space Station (ISS) orbit.

Under contract to DLR, we manage their primary English-language social media accounts on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Facebook. The narrative of the two mannequins, Helga and Zohar, unfolded on Twitter through dialogues with the crew on board the Orion spacecraft – NASA’s mannequin Commander Moonikin Campus and ‘baahstronaut’ Shaun the Sheep, with Helga communicating via @DLR_en, Zohar via @ILSpaceAgency and Campos via @NASAArtemis. The ‘Luna Twins’ also engaged with accounts from other space agencies and industrial partners involved in the Artemis I mission, such as @esaspaceflight and @AirbusSpace.

Through the takeover, DLR provided insights into the experiment, its goal to address the gender data gap, and the historic journey to the Moon and back. The jury evaluated the campaign based on consistency and appropriateness of tactics, tools and channels as well as strategy and target audience.

Related links

Finding the sound of Earth’s winds

Celenie Jauniaux | 28 July 2023

Our social media editor Peter Bickerton takes us behind the scenes of Life of Aeolus, a music project he supported on behalf of the European Space Agency.

What’s the perfect way to tell the story of the life of a wind satellite?

One that had so many intricate parts, orchestrated by expert teams across Europe, skilfully mastering instruments and data?

A music piece formed by a mixture of wind instruments seemed the perfect choice.

Much like Aeolus transformed our seemingly invisible winds into data that hugely improved weather forecasts, woodwind instruments turn breaths into beautiful sounds.

That idea became reality through the Life of Aeolus sonification. The result is beautiful.

Making the Life of Aeolus

Earlier in the year, we were introduced to composer Jamie Perera after a beautiful journal called Wild Alchemy featured ESA Aeolus Mission Manager Tommaso Parrinello in their Air Edition.

We initially teamed up to see how we might turn some Aeolus data into music. After linking him up with Daniel Santillan of EOX, Jamie produced an eerie soundtrack of the winds above Hunga Tonga’s dramatic eruption in 2022.

Who better to create the Life of Aeolus?

Again, Jamie and Daniel put their heads together to turn five years of a satellite mission into a half hour orchestral piece.

The task sounds monumental.

But bit by bit, it all came together.

Every day of Aeolus became a second of music.

Each layer of the winds Aeolus measured, in vertical profiles up to 30 km above Earth’s surface, were matched to the notes on a keyboard (imagine a keyboard on its side).

Ranges were then ascribed to musical instruments. Piccolos would play the tops of clouds, whilst the bassoon and bass clarinet would represent the layer closest to Earth’s surface.

In between, clarinets, flutes and oboes played Aeolus’s winds, and other data such as air temperature and pressure.

It’s much more complicated than this

Turning data into music – particularly five years’ worth of data – isn’t easy. In fact, it could quite easily sound like an unmelodious racket.

But sonification is an art as well as a science. There’s a balance to be struck between ultimate accuracy and musicality.

“It required some aesthetic decisions because having so many data playing at once could potentially sound quite cacophonous,” explains Jamie. “It’s a balancing act between having something that’s both accurate to the data and accessible to the audience.”

There were plenty of other considerations, and some quite ingenious ways to turn wind data into notes.

One nifty trick was choosing the right mode, a type of scale. Jamie went for the Lydian mode, which, he says “has an expansive, pioneering sort of feel to it, which was perfect for Aeolus.”

A beautiful end to a pioneering mission

As far as we know, this is the first time anyone has turned satellite data into an orchestral woodwind piece.

It’s fitting. Aeolus is a feat of European innovation and teamwork that put the first ever laser in space to measure global winds. After many trials and tribulations, it was a whopping success.

Weather forecasters used the data to fill gaps in weather data during Covid lockdowns, when planes (that would normally provide weather data) were grounded.

The same effect helped improve hurricane forecasts where it wasn’t possible to fly reconnaissance trips.

Now, ESA’s wind mission will return to Earth – in a pioneering attempt to improve space safety and sustainability for future generations.

Aeolus’s achievements are too many to list here. It’s best to enjoy them through the sounds of the wonderful mission that will see a follow-on launch within a decade.

All the best, Aeolus.

Find out more on ESA channels

Listen to the Life of Aeolus on SoundCloud

Watch the video on YouTubeRead the article on esa.int

MARE campaign shortlisted for Online Communication Award 2023

Celenie Jauniaux | 30 June 2023

We are happy to be part of the Online Communication Awards 2023 in Berlin, Germany on 30 June. Together with the Social Media team of the German Aerospace Center (DLR), EJR-Quartz’s Sara Emily Kehrer presented the MARE communication campaign. The campaign involved a Twitter takeover by the two female mannequins on board the Orion spacecraft on the Artemis I mission forward to the Moon. Beginning of June, it was announced that the campaign was shortlisted for the award.

There are 50 categories in total, ranging from Purpose Driven Communication to Internal Campaign Communications. DLR made the shortlist of the top five entries in the category of Science, Education & Culture for the impressive results achieved during the MARE communication campaign. This category honours online events that are unique in their scope of creative planning and implementation. The jury evaluates the projects based on their strategic approach, creativity, innovation, implementation and efficiency.

As part of our contract with DLR, we are involved in a variety of their English-language communications projects, including managing the main accounts on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The story of the two mannequins, Helga and Zohar, unfolded on Twitter in dialogues between the crew on board the Orion spacecraft. This included NASA’s mannequin Commander Moonikin Campus, as well as ‘baahstronaut’ Shaun the Sheep. For an entire day, Helga ‘conversed’ with her crew via @DLR_en, Zohar via @ILSpaceAgency and Campos via @NASAArtemis. The ‘Luna Twins’ also interacted with accounts of other space agencies and industrial partners involved in the Artemis I mission, such as @esaspaceflight and @AirbusSpace.

Outside Earth’s protective magnetic field, radiation exposure is very high for humans. It poses a considerable health risk for future crews on long-term missions to the Moon and Mars. That is why it is crucial to determine this exposure more precisely and to develop measures to protect astronauts. The international Matroshka AstroRad Radiation Experiment (MARE) led by DLR was the first to measure the radiation exposure to the female body beyond the orbit of the International Space Station ISS.

Through the Twitter takeover, Helga and Zohar shared insights into the experiment, its goal to help close the gender data gap and their historical journey to the Moon and beyond. Artemis I is the first in a series of increasingly complex missions that will enable human exploration to the Moon and Mars. The mission lasted around 25 days, in which the spacecraft broke the distance record held by Apollo 13 and sent back spectacular images of Earth’s satellite.

Later today, the team will attend the Award Gala. We are proud to be a part of the Artemis generation and to share the fascinating science with the world through the eyes of Helga and Zohar. We wish Sara and her DLR colleagues the best of luck tonight.

For more information, visit the website and check out #LunaTwins on Twitter!

Related links

EJR-Quartz for the German Aerospace Center (DLR)

Celenie Jauniaux | 6 March 2023

We are delighted to announce that we have once again been awarded the contract with the Department of Corporate Communications at the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) for cross media English-language editorial support. We will be supporting DLR for the next four years.

EJR-Quartz has been providing English-language support to DLR’s Corporate Communications Department since 2005. Our work with DLR involves the production, translation, editing, and publication of web articles, press releases and the DLRmagazine, and the maintenance of the English-language web portal. In addition, we are also responsible for managing their corporate English-language social media channels, providing live event coverage and providing support for the German corporate social media platforms.

The German Aerospace Center (DLR) is the national aeronautics and space research centre of the Federal Republic of Germany. Its extensive research and development work in aeronautics, space, energy, transport, digitalisation, and security is integrated into national and international cooperative ventures. In addition to its own research, as Germany’s space agency, DLR has been given responsibility by the federal government for the planning and implementation of the German space programme. DLR is also the umbrella organisation for one of Germany’s largest project management agencies.

Our new four-year service contract, the fourth with DLR, has been extended until the end of February 2027. We’re excited to see what the future with DLR will bring!

Helping ESA to tell its story – episode 2

Celenie Jauniaux | 11 January 2023

We’re delighted to announce that our contract to provide 360-degree communications services to the European Space Agency (ESA) has been extended for a further two years, to end 2024.

Back in 2019 ESA was looking for a single communications service for all its channels, across three main pillars: editorial, video/image and graphics. Early in 2020 a fourth pillar was added, for outreach and media relations support. We teamed up with graphics experts Publicis Sapient, TV and video veterans World Wide Group and ATG Europe to form a consortium dedicated to providing integrated communications solutions to ensure the Agency speaks with one voice, on message, every time.

As the Prime contractor, EJR-Quartz provides all editorial, social media and publishing services; Worldwide Group is responsible for the video and related distribution services, including ESA TV and ESA Web TV; Publicis Sapient provides graphics services, including CVI and environmental branding; while ATG Europe provides media relations and outreach services.

Our three-year service contract has been extended until the end of 2024 and we’re proud to continue to help ESA to tell the next chapter in its story, from the Moon to Mars and beyond!

EJR-Quartz goes weightless: a parabolic flight experience with Laylan

Celenie Jauniaux | 29 November 2022

ESA Education’s manifesto is learning by doing, and as editor and content producer for the department our colleague Laylan Saadaldin got to experience this first-hand. She joined researchers, including two university student teams, for the 79^th ESA Parabolic Flight Campaign, a mission she will remember for the rest of her life.

Laylan, take us through this amazing day at work.

We flew to Novespace in Bordeaux to board the Air Zero G, an aircraft that flies in parabolas providing researchers 20-second bursts of weightlessness to test their experiments. ESA Academy’s PETRI programme offers university student teams access to this (and more!) gravity platforms. I tagged along to film the student experience of this programme, which included the mind-blowing sensation of floating, sure, but also stress, disappointment, trouble shooting and even some failure. Science is hard and you have to be able to adapt and respond quickly. As it happens, filming science requires similar skills – when you’re a fly on the wall, you have to be ready to move out of the way but still get what you need. But it’s fair to say that for both science and communication, the effort is worth it. And because I’m never one to let an opportunity pass me by, we also shot some content for ESA Kids on the complicated wonder that is gravity. Look out for both episodes on ESA Education!

Fun fact: a campaign is made up of three flights, and each flight has a ‘media’ seat reserved for journalists, content creators and influencers to promote the science and experience of a zero-G flight. Joining this campaign was Jamie from Cosmic Kids Yoga, whom adults with kids might know from lockdown experience as a life saver! Cosmic Kids collaborated with ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti during her Minerva mission to create a yoga plan for her aboard the ISS. You can do this at home, by the way. Find this cool bonus activity on the Mission X: Train like an Astronaut. Jamie got to try out her yoga sequence in weightlessness, and I can’t wait to see how that turned out.

But Laylan, tell us how you really feel about going weightless.

I’ll do one better, I’ll show you!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by EJR-Quartz (@ejrquartz)

EJR-Quartz at world’s largest Earth observation event

Sarah Leach | 8 June 2022

ESA’s Living Planet Symposium (LPS), held every three years, is the largest Earth observation conference in the world. Last week, the event drew record-breaking numbers of remote sensing experts and data users from around the world to convene in the German city of Bonn, to share their latest findings on how Earth observation satellites help mitigate the adverse effects of climate change. EJR-Quartz editors for ESA were present in full strength, contributing to the large ESA team who made the live symposium possible. The ESA Web TV production team made sure the main sessions of LPS were live-streamed and recorded as many interviews with key players as possible. The team shot about ten interviews in two days – the highlight being chatting to an astronaut!

EJR-Quartz video producer Gaelle Legroux interviews Luca Parmitano live at LPS22.

With over 240 scientific sessions and over 1370 oral presentations, as well as over 80 agora sessions in the dramatic exhibition hall centred around an enormous replica of Earth, EJR-Quartz social media editors were working at full speed all week to keep the community connected to the pulse of LPS.

With the overarching theme of, “Taking the pulse of our planet from space” the event highlighted how the systematic use of Earth observation data can realise many benefits as we work to combat the climate crisis. EJR-Quartz editors published a wealth of stories on topics emerging from LPS, such as what satellites can reveal about climate tipping points, the ambitions of ESA’s FutureEO programme and the quantum revolution in the way measurements are made from space.

On ESA’s technical portals, Sentinel Online and Earth Online, our editors published news stories on the Copernicus Sentinel satellites and the latest updates from ESA’s many families of Earth observation satellites. A highlight was when Declan Perry and Susan Kelly hosted two drop-in sessions to introduce ESA’s Sentiboard, the new online forum that fosters collaboration among Sentinel data users, enabling quick and easy sharing of updates on Earth observation science and applications.

Design matters: Science Office joins EJR-Quartz

Georgie Collins | 11 June 2019

After six years of close collaboration, we are delighted to announce that EJR-Quartz and the Science Office are now one. By bringing the Science Office’s expert graphics and video skills under our umbrella, EJR-Quartz is now able to offer a complete package of top-quality science communication services entirely in house.

The team at the Science Office have years of experience transforming complex scientific concepts and data into images and animations that illuminate and engage audiences, whatever their age and background. Over the years, they have worked with EJR-Quartz on a range of content, animations featuring the ESA Education mascot, Paxi, to the new Hera video being released for Asteroid Day 2019.

Signed and sealed in early May, the acquisition is the start of an exciting new chapter for EJR-Quartz. With even more creative minds in the mix, we’re better placed than ever to deliver end-to-end communication solutions built on content that matters.

Vacancy: Video producer ESRIN, Frascati, Italy

Dirma van Eck | 4 December 2024

New Year, new start? We’re looking for an experienced video producer to join our service team for the European Space Agency, working full-time on site at ESA/ESRIN in Frascati, Italy. We seek a highly creative individual who is able to present complex scientific and technical topics in an approachable way, as well as collaborate with various teams in a fast-paced international environment (working language English).

The successful candidate will have:

Minimum of four years’ professional experience in video and TV production, including experience in presenting scientific and technical topics
A degree in communications, media studies or other relevant discipline
Great communication, planning, organisation and networking skills
Demonstrable knowledge of communications strategy
Familiarity with online publishing and video editing tools
Ability to work under pressure and with tight deadlines, both independently and as part of a team
Fluent English and knowledge of Italian and/or French. The working language at ESA is English and most products are required to be produced in English
Knowledge of European space programmes an advantage

Tasks

The video producer will support the ESA Video Production Officer in ensuring the planning, production and publishing of ESA’s corporate video content, including streaming content and live feeds on ESA Web TV and YouTube.

Tasks include:

Devising or commissioning both on-demand and web streamed video content content in line with the Communication strategy and planning, for all of ESA’s corporate video channels
Supporting the ESA Video Production Officer in coordinating video production resources across ESA establishments
Coordinate logistics for video shoots and support technical teams on-location, when required
Commissioning script writing/editing by the editorial team
Ensuring adherence of all video productions to the ESA Brand
Ensuring approvals of all material according to agreed processes
Liaising closely with video distribution colleagues and social media managers to ensure publication on appropriate channels
Ensuring ESA Web TV implementation, under the instruction of the Video Production Officer and Head of Digital and Print Production
Preparing programme schedules, in line with the communications plan themes or campaigns
Guiding the overall direction of the ESA Web TV channel
Ensuring the workflow and processes for the smooth running of the channel
Directing the day-to-day production of the ESA Web TV channel
Acting as anchor/writer for ESA Web TV or assigning presenters as required
Coordinating live webstream schedules and commissioning technical support
Ensuring promotional materials for coherent publicity across all channels

Contractual matters

The successful candidate will be employed directly by EJR-Quartz srl, or one of its partners, as part of our communications service team for ESA. Candidates must be eligible to live and work in Italy and be able to work full time on site at ESA/ESRIN, Frascati. This is a one-year contract, with possibility of renewal. The start date is 1 January 2025.

Closing date: 18 December 2024

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

Find out more about our company and meet our multinational team at: www.ejr-quartz.com

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

Vacancy: Support for Danish astronaut mission

Dirma van Eck | 18 September 2024

***Applications closed*** Do you have excellent writing skills and a flair for digital storytelling? Are you a native Danish speaker with excellent English and some time on your hands? Our team needs short-term support with the day-to-day writing, editing and social media implementation of the post-flight activities of Andreas Mogensen.

We are looking for an experienced and highly motivated social media and digital content editor with an interest in science and space exploration. You will be part of our communications service team for the European Space Agency (ESA).

We’re looking for someone with:

Native Danish and mother-tongue standard English
2+ years of hands-on experience running social media and creating digital content for an organisation with a significant public presence, preferably in the aerospace or environment field;
Bachelor’s degree in journalism, digital media communications or related field and/or scientific or technical subject
Strong communication and editing skills with a flair for science storytelling
Understanding of what it takes to execute social media strategy within the wider framework of a corporate communications strategy
1+ year’s experience using video, audio, and other multimedia elements on social media
Ability to work under pressure and with tight deadlines, as part of a social media team
Experience with photo and video editing tools, such as Adobe PhotoShop, Final Cut, or Adobe Premiere, as well as social-only tools for GIFs, etc.

Working within the Human and Robotic Exploration communication team, your tasks will be to:

Produce and publish social and other content for Andreas Mogensen’s post-flight and related ESA activities
Participate and actively contribute to meetings
Write and review recorded message scripts
Edit and write in Danish and English and translate between the two languages where needed
Support HRE activities by producing and publishing editorial and social media content

Contractual matters

The position is off-site and for 0.3-0.4 FTE (12-16 hours per week). The position ends on 31 December 2024. Your contract will be a freelance contract with a limit of liability for a maximum of 200 hours.

Closing date: 30 September 2024

Start date: 1 October or as soon as possible

Hourly freelance rate: 38-48 EUR, depending on experience (including all fees, excluding VAT)

Find out more about our company and meet our multinational 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

Or reach out to us on LinkedIn or social media and let’s talk!

(Banner: Astronaut basic training: spacewalk simulation. Credit: ESA)

Vacancy: Outreach expert at ESOC

Dirma van Eck | 10 September 2024

***Applications closed*** We’re looking for an enthusiastic and organised Outreach expert to support outreach activities at the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC), as part of our Communications Service Provision team for ESA.

As an Outreach expert, you will be responsible for organising events, supporting ESA astronaut outreach, and promoting ESOC activities to the public and key stakeholders, at ESOC and in Germany, Austria, Poland, and the Czech Republic. You’ll collaborate closely with various departments and teams within ESA, ensuring a strong and consistent message across national web pages, social media, and events.

We’re looking for someone with…

The capacity to write and edit in mother-tongue level German
At least four years’ experience working in a similar role, preferably for a communications team of a large international organisation.
A degree in Communications, Public Relations, Marketing, or a related field. Alternatively, a background in space science or engineering with a passion for public engagement is also welcomed.
Excellent communication and networking skills in English and German,
The capacity to engage and work effectively with people at all levels of an organisation.
Demonstrable ability to organise large events and manage complex logistics.
The ability to help plan and implement communication strategies and campaigns.
A proactive approach to managing projects and the ability to work under pressure and with tight deadlines
An eye for detail and the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
Adequate proficiency in social media and content management tools

We also value…

A solution-oriented mindset and readiness to take initiative.
The ability to operate in a friendly, client-focused, professional and discreet manner at all times.
The ability to communicate complex topics to a broad audience in an engaging manner.
Proactive problem-solving with a willingness to take on new challenges.
Experience working in an international environment with governmental organisations
Knowledge of the Polish or Czech language and culture

Your tasks will include to:

Build and maintain strong relationships with national space agencies in Germany, Austria, Poland, and the Czech Republic to support joint outreach efforts.
Expand partnerships in these countries by working closely with relevant ESA offices.
Write articles in German for the ESA portal and Intranet and help with project reports.
Keep national web pages and social media channels up to date with relevant content.
Collaborate with the European Astronaut Centre (EAC) to support outreach activities of ESA astronauts from Germany, Austria, Poland, and the Czech Republic.
Organise outreach events at ESOC, including public visits and school tours, coordinating all logistics and liaising with the necessary teams.
Manage visitor requests, security arrangements, and provide support for lectures and distribution of materials at ESOC.
Ensure promotional materials are available for ESOC events and work with the ESOC Space Shop for merchandising needs.
Plan and manage ESOC events, from organising agendas to handling follow-ups.
Support social media campaigns and coordinate with ESA departments to promote events and initiatives.

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 2024, with a strong possibility of renewal.

The optimal start date is 7 October 2024

Closing date: 18 September 2024, 12:30 CEST

Salary range: 3800-4400 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: vacan cy@ejr-quartz.com

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

EJR-Quartz for EUMETSAT

Dirma van Eck | 2 September 2024

We are delighted to be able to announce that we have been awarded a contract with the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) to support their communication needs.

EUMETSAT is an intergovernmental organisation that currently boasts 30 member states. Based in Darmstadt, Germany, they operate a number of meteorological satellites, such as Meteosat-9, -10 and -11, two Metop polar-orbiting satellites and the Meteosat Third Generation – Imager 1. Their data and products are vital to weather forecasting and, having been entrusted by the European Union with exploiting four Sentinel missions of the Copernicus space component, EUMETSAT contributes to the monitoring of changes in Earth’s environment.

Having already been involved in the communication of other Copernicus services over the past 8 years, and of course adding our 25 years of experience in supporting the European Space Agency’s communication activities to this, we look forward to take EUMETSAT’s communication to the next level.

Having started in the first week of September we will be supporting their team with their various publication needs, including writing content for their website, social media channels, printed publications and supporting media relations as well as corporate communications.

We hope to have a fruitful collaboration and look forward to supporting the communications team at EUMETSAT.

(Banner: EUMETSAT headquarters in Darmstadt, Germany. Credit: EUMETSAT)

Vacancy: EO social media editor, ESRIN, Italy

Dirma van Eck | 23 July 2024

***Applications closed*** Do you have excellent social media skills and a passion for digital storytelling? Then we’d like to hear from you! We’re looking for an experienced and highly motivated social media and digital content editor with an interest in science and aerospace.

You will be part of our service team that supports the European Space Agency (ESA) with their Agency-wide communication needs. Your role will be to support social media related to ESA’s Earth Observation (EO) Programme activities.

We’re looking for someone with:

Deep familiarity with major social media platforms and content management platforms
2+ years of hands-on experience running social media and creating digital content for an organisation with a significant public presence, preferably in the aerospace or environment field;
Bachelor’s degree in journalism, digital media communications or related field and/or scientific or technical subject
Strong communication and editing skills (mother-tongue English standard) with a flair for science storytelling
Understanding of what it takes to execute social media strategy within the wider framework of a corporate communications strategy
2+ years of experience working with social media management tools, running successful campaigns and assessing metrics/analytics
1+ year’s experience using video, audio, and other multimedia elements on social media
Experience and expertise with photo and video editing tools, such as Adobe PhotoShop, Final Cut, or Adobe Premiere, as well as social-only tools for GIFs, etc.
Ability to work under pressure and with tight deadlines, as part of a social media team

Working with the Earth Observation Social Media Strategist, your tasks will be to:

Implement the ESA EO social media strategy
Run EO social media channels based on EO content
Source, write and edit content daily to support the digital strategy
Investigate ways for EO to partner, engage, reach out to and with various platforms
Work as part of the EO communications team, under the responsibility of the EO Communications Officer
Liaise closely with the ESA-wide social media team to achieve the highest visibility for EO activities on the ‘corporate’ channels
Support the Social Media Strategist in collaborating with appropriate external entities/partners/agencies
Search for opportunities to tell Earth observation stories
Report on EO social media in line with best practice in order to show return rate on a weekly/event basis
Stay abreast of social media developments/new channels and make recommendations on their use for Earth Observation
Propose and support targeted EO social media campaigns
Engage with the EO social media community and influencers

Contractual matters

The position is full-time and on-site at ESRIN, ESA’s establishment in Frascati, Italy. You therefore must have the right to live and work in Italy. You will be employed directly by EJR-Quartz srl, within our communications service team for ESA. It will normally be a one-year contract, with possibility of renewal.

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.

Closing date: 10 August 2024

Start date: January 2025.

Salary range: 2900-3200 EUR gross per month (based on 14 monthly payments per year)

Find out more about our company and meet our multinational 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

Or reach out to us on LinkedIn or social media and let’s talk!

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

Vacancy: Science editor/writer

Dirma van Eck | 23 July 2024

***Applications closed*** Do you like writing about exciting new developments in space? Do you have a flair for science storytelling and a degree in science or science communication? Then we are looking for you!

We have several vacancies for mother-tongue (or equivalent) English writer/editors in the UK, the Netherlands and Italy, working onsite as part of our communications service team for the European Space Agency (ESA).

We support ESA’s communication strategy, across all programmes, including space science, human and robotic exploration, Earth observation, satellite navigation, space transportation, technology, operations and connectivity.

Does this sound like you? Apply now!

Requirements

The successful candidate will have:

Mother-tongue (or equivalent) English
The right to live and work in the UK, Italy or the Netherlands
An Honours degree in science, engineering or communications/journalism
Minimum of three years’ experience in writing and editing
A flair for science storytelling
Demonstrable experience in presenting scientific and technical subjects in a style accessible for general public
Hands-on experience of planning and running social media/digital campaigns
Familiarity with space topics an advantage
Knowledge of a second European language is an asset

Job description

The editor will write, edit and publish articles and other content on ESA’s activities in mother-tongue English for ESA’s online channels. This may include script-writing and storyboarding, and social media campaigns.

Working as part of the communications team, tasks include to:

Write and edit content in English on topics relevant to ESA’s activities
Ensure that all content published is in English and compliant with ESA editorial guidelines and agreed approval processes
Ensure content publishing on the ESA online channels
Support social media campaigns and channels
Liaise with other ESA social media team members
Support the communications officer in executing communications plans and campaigns, and provide input to communications plans
Liaise closely with the rest of the communications team to ensure coherence and maximum visibility of the activities

Does this sound like you? Tell us why you think you are the right fit for one of these roles. 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 or LinkedIn.

Contractual matters

You’ll be based onsite in ECSAT (Harwell, UK), ESTEC (Noordwijk, the Netherlands), or ESRIN (Frascati, Italy) and therefore you must have the right to work in the country that you are applying for. This will be a one-year contract, with possibility of renewal.

Start date: 1 January 2025

Closing date: 10 August 2024

Salary range: 46kEUR-50kEUR annual gross wage (£48,000-£52,000), based on a full-time position (40 hrs per week).

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.

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 ECSAT facility in Harwell, UK. Credit: ESA)

Vacancy: Editor with print experience, at ESA/ESRIN

Dirma van Eck | 12 July 2024

***Applications closed*** Do you have an eye for detail and a passion for science storytelling? Then come and join our editorial team for ESA/ESRIN in Italy! We have an opening for an English editor experienced in writing for print and digital publications and able to present scientific and technical topics in a style accessible for the general public. The position is full-time for EJR-Quartz, as part of our Communications service team for the European Space Agency, onsite at ESA ESRIN in Frascati, Italy.

We are looking for

We are looking for a mother-tongue (or equivalent) English editor, with a minimum of three years of demonstrable experience in writing and editing for print and managing print and digital productions. Candidates must have experience in presenting scientific and technical subjects in a style accessible for the general public and meticulous editing skills.

The successful candidate will have:

Mother-tongue level of English
A minimum of 3 years of writing/editing experience
Excellent writing, editing and proof-reading skills
Honours degree in journalism/communications, science or engineering
Demonstrable skill in presenting scientific and technical subjects in an accessible way
Experience in following print products throughout the entire publishing cycle
Experience with InDesign and similar tools
Italian residence and work permit

The fine print

The Print Editor is responsible for writing and editing a range of print and digital content, in mother-tongue English. Tasks include:

Writing and editing of material for ESA’s print and digital productions, in mother-tongue English
Supporting the Head of Office in maintaining a catalogue of print publications to be produced by ESA
Overseeing creation and production of print publications from conception to distribution: managing the schedule and approvals, interfacing with authors and customers, editing content, working closely with designers
Researching images, fact-checking and writing accurate captions for all products
Ensuring that all material is in line with ESA editorial house style and approved according to agreed processes

Contractual matters

Our new team member will be employed directly by EJR-Quartz srl, as part of our Communications Service contract for ESA, working onsite at ESA ESRIN in Frascati, Italy. An Italian residence and work permit is obligatory. This is a one-year contract, with possibility of renewal. The start date is 1 January 2025.

Closing date: 10 August 2024.

Salary range: 3300-3400 EUR gross per month ×14 months, based on full-time position (40 hrs per week)

If you think this is for you, tell us why you’d like to work with us. Please send your cover letter, CV and references to: vacancy@ejr-quartz.com or reach out via social media to @ejrquartz

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

Our company

EJR-Quartz is an international company specialised in science communication, particularly related to space. Our multinational team of digital content experts is spread across five European countries, serving a number of clients, mainly in the aerospace sector.

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.

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

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

Vacancy: Communication specialist for ESA’s human resources activities

Dirma van Eck | 12 July 2024

***Applications closed*** We are looking for a communications specialist with experience in human resources/internal communications. As part of the EJR-Quartz communications service team for the European Space Agency (ESA), you will be working within the Talent Acquisition team to help develop and implement internal HR communication strategies in line with business needs and existing policies.

We’re looking for someone with…

At least four years’ experience working in a similar role, preferably for a communications team of a large international organisation
Master’s degree in communications, human resources management, business administration or equivalent studies
Excellent communication and networking skills in English
The capacity to engage and work effectively with people at all levels of an organisation
Flexibility and a capacity to adapt to changing circumstances
Ability to work calmly under pressure
The ability to help plan and implement communication strategies and campaigns
A proactive approach to managing projects and the ability to work under pressure and with tight deadlines

We also value…

A positive approach with a can-do attitude
A solution-oriented mindset and readiness to take initiative
The ability to operate in a friendly, client focused, professional and discreet manner at all times
Experience working in an international environment with government organisations
Knowledge of French an advantage

Your tasks will include:

Supporting the preparation and implementation of internal communication strategies for ESA’s Human Resources department
Working with the corporate internal communications team to maximise synergies
Supporting HR change management projects and development activities
Developing relevant communications campaigns and providing expert advice
Keeping up-to-date with changes in communication policies and processes likely to impact HR activities
Coordinating and implementing communication activities on HR topics, including potentially sensitive issues and crisis communications
Monitoring and evaluating the impact of campaigns

Contractual matters

The successful candidate will be employed directly by EJR-Quartz. The position is part-time (0.5 FTE) and off-site but occasional presence at one of the ESA sites would be appreciated. This is a temporary contract until 31 December 2024, with possibility of renewal. The optimal start date is 1 September 2024 or as close to this date as possible.

Closing date: 10 August 2024 at 12:30 CEST.

Salary range: 1800-2000 EUR gross per month based on 0.5 FTE, 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 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)

Vacancy: Web developer – IT support, Leiden, The Netherlands

Dirma van Eck | 25 June 2024

***Applications closed*** We are looking for an IT all-rounder with an interest in user design and web development who also likes to dabble in cyber security and software development. Someone with a sound knowledge of programming and implementation, and a creative mind to help develop our own and our client’s web portals and associated web applications. Is this you?

We are looking for a person with experience for a full-time position based at our Leiden office, The Netherlands.

The successful candidate will have:

A degree in web development, design, information technology, or software engineering
An aptitude for user design, web design/development, application building, programming and other relevant skills
An excellent grasp of the English language
Good knowledge of HTML5, CSS3, Javascript,
Basic knowledge of jQuery, RESTful APIs and JSON
Experience with integrating APIs into web applications
Knowledge of WordPress theming and customising and experience with different CMS platforms
Good knowledge of responsive design and mobile-first applications
Basic knowledge of pre-processors such as SASS/SCSS

We also value:

Experience with graphic design/video editing
Experience with data analytics
A proactive approach to managing projects and the ability to work with tight deadlines
Experience of working in compliance with corporate guidelines
Great communication and networking skills

The fine print

You will be working together with the EJR-Quartz Technical Expert and their counterparts on the client side, as well as a range of external providers to support the further development of online communication channels, associated websites and a suite of web applications.

Your tasks will include to:

Integrate front-end components into web pages
Customise WordPress themes and components
Integrate APIs into web applications
Produce in-house UI templates according to specifications provided
Conduct technical tests on developed or delivered components
Provide technical assistance for user and administrative support on various content management systems
Stay up to date with the latest digital trends and tools to proactively meet our needs and those of our clients
Create web templates based on previously approved UX and UI

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 X, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Contractual matters

The successful candidate will be under contract with EJR-Quartz B.V in The Netherlands. The job is onsite at our Leiden office. Hybrid working is a possibility after the first three months. Candidates must be eligible to live and work in The Netherlands. This contract is full-time (part-time negotiable) and will run for 1 year initially with a strong possibility of renewal.

Starting date would be 1 August 2024 or as close as possible.

Closing date: 10 August 2024 at 12:30 CEST

Salary range: 3600-3900 EUR per month (+8% holiday allowance) based on 1 FTE, depending on experience.

Our company

EJR-Quartz is an international company specialised in science communication, particularly related to space. Our multinational team of digital content specialists is spread across five European countries, serving a number of clients, mainly in the aerospace sector.

Like every good company, EJR-Quartz is all about people. We are very proud of our employees and the fact that we have such a diverse team of highly dedicated staff. As an equal opportunity employer our team brings together a variety of backgrounds, perspectives and skills and we firmly believe that the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.

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