OBDH Sub-System Lead Engineer

Guildford, Surrey, United Kingdom
Today
Job Type
Permanent
Work Pattern
Full-time
Work Location
On-site
Seniority
Lead
Education
Degree
Posted
14 May 2026 (Today)

Benefits

32 days annual leave + BH Annual Company Bonus Scheme Up to 8% employer pension contribution Life Assurance (6X salary) Private Health Care Enhanced Maternity & Paternity leave Multiple Discount, Memberships schemes

OBDH (On-board Data Handling) Sub-System Lead Engineer

We are seeking an electronics engineer from the space sector who has experience of Several years experience of FPGA design using VHDL along with OBDH (On-board Data Handling) systems for spacecraft

Key Purpose Of Job

An exciting opportunity to make a difference and deliver highly innovative On-board Data Handling (OBDH) solutions for spacecraft missions. This role has responsibility for undertaking the design, analysis, development, verification and delivery of OBDH systems into the mission, including but not limited to on board computer, data recorders, payload interface units and associated test hardware.

You will be involved on a mission right from concept through to launch, commissioning and operational life; a true cradle to grave experience and will give you the chance to see your work in Space in a rapid timescale! This key role will often sit within the core team of a satellite mission interacting with other technical leads across multiple disciplines to generate the technical solutions for innovative projectsKey Tasks

Primary role will be OBDH sub-system role working with project core team and/or product owners within the matrix structure with projects - Typical duties include:

Evaluation of mission requirements, derive subsystem requirements, and generate verification plans

Define OBDH sub-system architecture and interfaces to other sub-systems with internal/external products including trade offs.

Responsible for the delivery of all aspects of the defined/delegated package of work which includes, Technical Solution, Budget and Schedule via interaction with other product owners

Work closely in a core project team, providing technical support to project managers, suppliers, and customers with regular interactions/reporting.

Interaction with other product owners to delivery for the products to Project.

Interaction with internal/external customers and presentations at peer reviews and/or project milestone reviews

Generation of appropriate technical documentation (including design, development and verification plans, interfaces, build instructions assembly & test procedures, reports and technical descriptions etc.) and/or project level documentation

In addition to the primary role, other responsibilities could include:

Update existing FPGA designs, and create new FPGA IP cores, against the mission requirements to support the technical solution

Managing engineering updates to heritage designs and/or development of digital circuits for future missions for OBDH products.

Providing input into bids for future contracts

PERSON SPECIFICATION (essential requirements)

Qualification

BTEC/Degree in Electrical EngineeringExperience

Experience of On-boards Data Handing Products including system level design in either the satellite industry or equivalent.

Several years experience of FPGA design using VHDL.

Several years’ experience of hands-on digital board level design, manufacturing experience, and fault finding during tests

Great experience on presentation and discussion of technical material to/with a technical audience is essentialKnowledge & Skills

Good understanding of OBDH systems

Knowledge of FPGAs.

Knowledge of Digital Design Software and Simulation tools

Knowledge of Lab Test Equipment.

Excellent inter-personal skills - both written and oral communications; ability to interface with customers and technical representatives

Highly organised with clear communication skills

Ability to work under pressure

Flexible & adaptable to changing priorities with good planning skills.

Ability to work simultaneously on a variety of projectsBenefits

Highly competitive Salary dependent on experience

Flexible working policies

32 days annual leave + BH

Annual Company Bonus Scheme

Up to 8% employer pension contribution

Life Assurance (6X salary)

Private Health Care

Enhanced Maternity & Paternity leave

Multiple Discount, Memberships schemes

Related Jobs

View all jobs

Spacecraft Systems Engineer

BAE Systems Alton, Hampshire, United Kingdom
£50,000 pa Hybrid Clearance Required

Space Mission Systems Engineer

BAE Systems Alton, Hampshire, United Kingdom
£60,000 pa Hybrid Clearance Required

Industry Insights

Discover insightful articles, industry insights, expert tips, and curated resources.

Where to Advertise Space Jobs in the UK (2026 Guide)

Advertising space jobs in the UK requires a different approach to most technical hiring. The candidate pool spans satellite engineers, propulsion specialists, mission analysts, ground segment software developers, space systems architects and commercial space professionals — a highly specific multidisciplinary community that general job boards are poorly equipped to reach. The strongest space candidates are often embedded in ESA programmes, academic research groups, UK Space Agency-funded projects or established primes, and move between roles through sector-specific networks, industry bodies and conference communities rather than mainstream platforms. This guide, published by UKSpaceJobs.co.uk, covers where to advertise space industry roles in the UK in 2026, how the main platforms compare, what employers should expect to pay, and what the data says about hiring across different role types.

Space Jobs UK 2026: What to Expect Over the Next 3 Years

The UK space sector is in the middle of something that feels genuinely historic. A combination of government commitment, private capital, and technological progress has transformed Britain's position in the global space economy from a capable but secondary player into a nation with serious sovereign ambitions — and a jobs market that is expanding to match them. This is not the space industry of previous generations, defined by a small number of government agencies, a handful of prime contractors, and career pathways accessible only to a narrow band of elite engineers and scientists. The new space economy is broader, faster-moving, and more commercially driven than anything the sector has previously seen. Satellite manufacturing has been democratised by small sat technology. Launch is becoming domestic. Space data is flowing into applications across agriculture, insurance, climate monitoring, maritime, and defence at a scale that is creating entirely new categories of commercial hiring. And the defence and national security dimensions of space have elevated the sector's strategic importance to a degree that is driving sustained public investment in the talent pipeline. For job seekers, the UK space jobs market of 2026 represents an opportunity that is both more accessible and more technically demanding than at any previous point. The candidates who will thrive over the next three years are those who understand where the sector is heading — which programmes are moving from development into operation, which technologies are defining the architecture of modern space systems, and how the definition of a space career is expanding well beyond the spacecraft engineering core toward a much wider ecosystem of roles across the full space value chain. This article breaks down what the UK space jobs market is likely to look like through to 2028 — covering the titles emerging right now, the technologies driving employer demand, the skills that will matter most, and how to position your career at the leading edge of one of the most exciting sectors in the UK economy.

New Space Employers to Watch in 2026: UK and Global Organisations Driving the Future of Space Careers

The space industry is entering a new era of growth, innovation, and commercial opportunity. Satellites, space exploration, Earth observation, space data analytics, launch systems and space infrastructure are all areas seeing rapid expansion, bringing demand for engineers, scientists, operations specialists and software developers. For professionals exploring opportunities on www.UKSpaceJobs.co.uk , identifying employers that are scaling, securing major contracts, attracting investment, or establishing UK operations is vital. This article highlights the most exciting space employers to watch in 2026, including UK space start‑ups, established aerospace organisations with UK teams, and global firms investing in British space talent.