Senior AOCS Engineer

Guildford, Surrey, United Kingdom
3 weeks ago
Job Type
Permanent
Work Pattern
Flexible
Work Location
Hybrid
Seniority
Senior
Education
Degree
Posted
21 Apr 2026 (3 weeks ago)

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

Senior AOCS Engineer | Guildford | On-site / Hybrid | Competitive salary & package

Are you an AOCS Engineer with experience designing, building, and flying Spacecraft? Do you want to work on the cutting edge of LEO, GEO, and Lunar missions form mission concept to orbit?

Then this might just be the role for you!

We’re looking for a highly skilled and motivated Senior AOCS Engineer to join a dynamic and collaborative Attitude and Orbit Control Systems (AOCS) team. This is your opportunity to be a key player in the delivery of end-to-end LEO, GEO and Lunar satellite missions – from initial concept through to launch, commissioning, and operational life.

Responsibilities:

As an AOCS Subsystem Lead and Work Package Manager, you'll take full ownership of the AOCS design and performance across the full satellite lifecycle. Your responsibilities will include:

Leading top-level AOCS design, requirements definition, and system verification.

Designing AOCS modes, algorithms, and control systems.

Defining sensors, actuators, and subsystem modules.

Supporting hardware delivery and spacecraft integration.

Leading LEOP and on-orbit commissioning of AOCS.

Collaborating across disciplines to create mission-critical solutions.

Managing budgets, schedules, and technical documentation.

Providing technical input to bids, studies, and R&D.

Mentoring junior engineers and peer reviewing across projects.Skills & Experience:

5+ years’ experience in AOCS design, analysis, and development.

Strong system-level understanding of AOCS control, estimation, hardware, and software.

Degree (or equivalent) in Engineering, Physics, or a relevant technical field.

Solid grasp of spacecraft dynamics and kinematics.

Hands-on experience with simulation tools and C programming.

Proven track record of delivering results under pressure and tight timescales.

Excellent communication skills – written, verbal, and interpersonal.

Ability to multi-task, adapt quickly, and work effectively across teams.

Experience in mission operations and flight dynamics.

Familiarity with AOCS hardware and electrical systems.What’s in it for you?

Highly competitive Salary.

Flexible / hybrid 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

GNC Engineer - Avionics

Spire Glasgow, Alba / Scotland, G2 1AL, United Kingdom

Senior Product Safety Engineer

BAE Systems Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 7DP, United Kingdom
£51,772 – £56,766 pa Hybrid Clearance Required

Senior Product Safety Engineer

BAE Systems Preston, Lancashire, United Kingdom
£51,772 – £56,766 pa Hybrid Clearance Required

Senior Product Safety Engineer

BAE Systems Warton, Lancashire, LA5 9QU, United Kingdom
£51,772 – £56,766 pa Hybrid Clearance Required

Senior Network Engineer

Spire Glasgow, Alba / Scotland, G2 1AL, United Kingdom

Senior Bid Manager

Spire Glasgow, Alba / Scotland, G2 1AL, United Kingdom

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.