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Featured Jobs
Satellite Electrical Engineer
MERITUS are recruiting for a Satellite Electrical Engineer to join our client on an initial 6 month contract with very likely extensions thereafter. Overtime is available and there might be travel to Oxford involved in the position. SATELLITE ELECTRICAL ENGINEER - INSIDE IR35 - £45 PER HOUR - STEVENAGE - 6 MONTHS - SINGLE STAGE INTERVIEW PROCESS Responsibilities Maintenance and...
Meritus
Stevenage
Systems Engineer (MilSatcom)
Systems Engineer (Milsatcom) - Shape the Future of Military Satellite Communications Location: Portsmouth, UK An opportunity has arisen for a Systems Engineer to join a leading Defence & Space organisation, working on Military Satellite Communications (Milsatcom). The successful candidate will be part of a team of Lead Systems Engineers and Architects, contributing to diversified and future‑looking programmes. The Systems Engineer...
Belcan
Stevenage
System Validation Engineer
Our client, a leader in the Space/SatComm industry, is currently seeking a System Validation Engineer to join their dynamic team. This permanent position offers the opportunity to work on cutting-edge satellite communication technologies and contribute to space exploration and infrastructure projects. Key Responsibilities: Performing system validation activities including physical, hardware, and software validation Studying system architecture and requirements, and collaborating...
Matchtech
Farnborough
Senior Satcom Systems Engineer - Defence
Senior Satcoms Systems Engineer – Permanent – Attractive - Aerospace and Defence - WFH/Hybrid/Remote – Bedfordshire Due to expansion a Senior Satcom Systems Engineer is required within a leading Telecoms, Satellite, Defence and Space Systems Technology Company. The successful Senior Satcom Systems Engineer will provide technical and commercial expertise to customers. The Senior Satcom Systems Engineer will be responsible for...
Jonathan Lee Recruitment Ltd
Blackmore End, Hertfordshire
Radar FPGA Design Engineer
FPGA Design Engineer with DSP ideally radar system design experience maximising multiple FPGAs. The ideal candidate will be at technical leadership level willing to unpack requirements, coach juniors, conduct design reviews and be hands on where needed to deliver working FPGA architecture that is easily implemented to a client environment. Requirements Hands on VHDL based FPGA Design experience to Senior...
Expert Employment
Garden Suburb
Senior Software Validation Engineer
Our client, a leader in the space sector, is seeking a Senior Software Validation Engineer to join their team. This permanent role is essential in ensuring the quality and performance of critical aerospace systems, contributing directly to the advancement of space exploration technology. Key Responsibilities: Develop and own the system test plan in collaboration with development and test teams Investigate...
The UK space sector has quietly become one of the most exciting places to build a career. From small satellites & launch services to Earth observation, navigation, in-orbit servicing & space data startups, the industry needs people who can solve hard problems in smart ways.
Those people are not all “typical” engineers or scientists – and that’s a strength, not a weakness.
If you live with ADHD, autism or dyslexia, you may have been told your brain is “too distracted”, “too literal” or “too disorganised” for precision work in the space sector. In reality, many of the traits that made school or previous jobs difficult can be major assets in space engineering, mission operations & space data roles.
This guide is written for neurodivergent job seekers exploring UK space careers. We’ll look at:
What neurodiversity means in a space industry context
How ADHD, autism & dyslexia strengths map to common space roles
Practical workplace adjustments you can request under UK law
How to talk about neurodivergence in applications & interviews
By the end, you’ll have a clearer sense of where you might thrive in the UK space sector – & how to turn “different thinking” into a genuine superpower.
The UK space sector is no longer a niche curiosity. It is now a strategic industry worth billions, employing tens of thousands of people across nearly 2,000 organisations – and it has been growing faster than the wider UK economy for years. At the same time, employers report serious skills shortages, especially in software, data and systems engineering, with recruitment and retention now cited as key barriers to growth.
For job seekers, this is encouraging – but it does not mean every space application is an easy win. For recruiters, competing for talent with tech, defence, energy and finance is only getting harder.
This article, written for www.ukspacejobs.co.uk
, explores the space sector hiring trends to watch in 2026, aimed at both:
Job seekers searching for terms like “space jobs in the UK”, “satellite jobs UK”, or “space engineer roles”; and
Recruiters and hiring managers interested in “space sector hiring trends” and “space recruitment UK”.
Summary: UK space‑sector hiring has shifted from pedigree‑first screening to capability‑driven evaluation across the full stack—spacecraft systems, payload/RF, flight software, GNC/ADCS, propulsion, structures/thermal, AIT (assembly–integration–test), mission/ground operations, reliability/radiation, and compliance (ECSS, export control). Employers want proof you can build, test, operate and scale space systems safely and economically. This guide explains what’s changed, what to expect in interviews & how to prepare—especially for satellite/spacecraft engineers, payload & RF/MM‑wave, flight & ground software, GNC/ADCS, power/thermal, AIT/test, mission ops, data/EO, and space product/TPM roles.
Who this is for: Systems engineers, payload/RF engineers, flight software & FDIR, GNC/ADCS, power/thermal/structures, propulsion, AIT/test, reliability/radiation, QA/compliance, ground segment/cloud, mission operations, EO/data processing, and product/programme managers targeting roles in the UK space ecosystem.
The UK’s space sector is growing fast — from satellite systems and Earth observation to satellite communications, space robotics, propulsion, space data analytics, and mission operations. But the nature of space work is changing. Projects involving satellites, launch systems, space robotics and ground infrastructure are now embedded in regulation, public perception, human interaction and cross-disciplinary design.
Space careers in the UK used to be dominated by engineers, astrophysicists, systems analysts and telemetry experts. Today, they increasingly demand fluency not only in aerospace, software, electronics & data, but also in law, ethics, psychology, linguistics & design. After all, space systems operate under treaties, privacy constraints, public scrutiny, international collaborations and human interfaces.
In this article, we explore why space careers in the UK are becoming more multidisciplinary, how those allied fields intersect with space work, and what job-seekers & employers must do to thrive in this evolving cosmos.
The UK space sector is rapidly expanding. With growth in satellite design, Earth observation, communications, launch systems, space science, downstream applications, and regulatory and operational services, there’s rising demand for skilled professionals across many disciplines. Building a high-impact space organisation requires well-defined team structures, clear roles, strong collaboration, and alignment across engineering, science, operations, regulation, and commercial functions.
If you are applying for roles via UKSpaceJobs.co.uk or hiring into your company, this guide will help you understand the principal roles you’ll find in a space team, how they interact during mission lifecycles, what skills UK employers expect, salary norms, common challenges, and best practice for structuring space teams that succeed.
Space is no longer just the domain of governments and large agencies. Commercial satellites, Earth-observation, space communications, space launch, applications using satellite data, and downstream services are becoming essential components of national and global infrastructure. Whether for climate monitoring, telecommunications, security, navigation, agriculture, or disaster management, space technologies underpin many of the systems we take for granted.
In recent years, the UK has been steadily building its space sector: advancing policy, strengthening research, encouraging private investment, establishing new facilities, and growing its workforce. As this momentum continues, demand is rising for professionals in engineering, operations, software, analysis, project management, regulation, and more. For those interested in ambitious, cutting-edge, and high-impact careers, the UK space sector offers compelling prospects.
This article explores why the United Kingdom is exceptionally well placed to become a global space jobs hub, what the current landscape looks like, the roles in demand, sectoral strengths, challenges to be addressed, and what must happen for the UK to fulfil this role in the global space economy.
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