UK Space Jobs

• London
• On-site
• Senior
• Permanent

Support the technical development of spacecraft across the full mission lifecycle, from concept and requirements definition through design, AIT, launch and in-orbit commissioning. Focus on avionics architecture, interfaces and system-level integration, acting as technical point of contact with customers and subcontractors while maintaining electrical budgets and parametric models.

ECSS · MIL · EMC

• London
• On-site
• Senior
• Permanent

Owns the spacecraft thermal architecture across all mission phases, defining control strategies, thermal budgets and hardware such as MLI, radiators, heat pipes and heaters. Leads thermal modelling in ESATAN-TMS, verification and TVAC testing, and may coordinate the Mechanical, Thermal and Propulsion domains on a mission. Acts as technical authority liaising with customers, suppliers and partners while mentoring thermal engineers.

ESATAN-TMS · MLI · Heat Pipes +4

• Stevenage
• Hybrid
• Mid-level
• Permanent

Joins a small, start-up-style team within a large defence and space organisation, shaping early-phase satellite missions from concept through initial design. Defines mission architectures, runs feasibility studies and trade-offs, and supports bids and customer engagement with universities, agencies and small companies. Combines systems engineering with modelling and simulation across varied, short-term projects.

• Portsmouth
• Hybrid
• Mid-level
• Permanent

Bridge the gap between customers and hardware, software, signal processing and applications engineers, defining requirements and maintaining system architecture for SDR-based platforms. Integrate and validate RF front-ends, FPGAs and real-time software stacks, run performance and trade studies, and lead system-level troubleshooting within a start-up-feel R&D group.

GNU Radio · REDHAWK · FPGA +1

• Glasgow
• Hybrid · 3 days in office
• Senior

Owns spacecraft attitude and orbit control software and hardware across the full lifecycle, from R&D and design through manufacturing and on-orbit operations. Builds dynamics and control simulations including hardware-in-the-loop, designs and qualifies flight sensors and actuators, and works hands-on in lab and manufacturing environments. Interfaces with external contractors and internal teams in a fast design-to-launch cycle measured in weeks and months.

C · Python · C++ +1

• Edinburgh
• £21 ph
• Mid-level

Support the development of software for quantum key distribution payloads and ground segment systems on the QKDSat space mission. Work with Java, C++ and Python on automated testing, CI/CD pipelines and Agile/SCRUM cycles, collaborating with senior engineers on system integration and sovereign use cases.

OPS-SAT VOLT

• Oxfordshire
• Hybrid
• £40,000 – £85,000 pa
• Mid-level

Develops trajectory planning and optimisation capabilities, building algorithms, models and software tools for spacecraft mission design, orbit determination, manoeuvre planning and collision avoidance. Works across orbital regimes and the full mission lifecycle, including real-time operations, alongside multidisciplinary teams and external contractors.

Python · Linux · MATLAB

• Didcot
• Hybrid
• Mid-level
• Permanent

Develops and maintains flight dynamics models, algorithms, simulations and software tools for mission design, orbit determination, manoeuvre planning and collision avoidance. Works across orbital regimes and the full operational lifecycle, including rendezvous, docking and separation, supporting real-time mission operations with global teams.

MATLAB

• West Yorkshire
• £32,000 – £48,000 pa

Designs, develops, integrates and tests complex opto-electronic and mechatronic systems for mission-critical space, defence and advanced technology applications. Works within multidisciplinary teams on optical, electronic, mechanical and software integration, plus measurement, control and test systems, verification and performance analysis. Suits engineers with high-reliability, precision instrumentation or space-qualified hardware experience.

Automated Test Equipment

• Oxfordshire
• Hybrid
• £40,000 – £70,000 pa
• Mid-level

Contribute across the GNC development lifecycle for complex satellite missions, from requirements, architectures and FDIR to V&V strategies. Involves integrating GNC algorithms, computer vision and hardware, plus flight software architecture, trade-offs and on-orbit operations support. Distinct for its focus on rendezvous, proximity operations and spacecraft capture systems.

MATLAB · Simulink · C/C++

• Didcot

Designs, implements and verifies FPGA logic for satellite subsystems and onboard computing, writing VHDL/Verilog that interfaces with onboard software modules written in Rust. Works with electronics and software engineers on system integration, building test benches and verification frameworks, and supporting hardware-in-the-loop and environmental testing through the full mission lifecycle.

ModelSim · Vivado

• Edinburgh

Hands-on role in a small Edinburgh silicon team developing high-value ASIC and SoC designs for a space-based mobile broadband network. Involves micro-architecture specification, high-quality RTL development in SystemVerilog, SoC integration and subsystem work, collaborating with architecture, verification and software teams from concept through tape-out.

SystemVerilog · Python · MATLAB

• Edinburgh

Drive architectural definition of complex SoCs for satellite communications platforms, translating system and product requirements into specifications and guiding trade-offs across performance, power, area and security. Work cross-functionally with hardware, software, verification and systems teams, and support silicon bring-up and debug. The Edinburgh silicon team is a small, hands-on group building next-generation silicon for a space-based mobile broadband network.

MATLAB

• Southampton
• On-site
• £36,636 – £44,746 pa
• Entry level
• Contract

Lead a research area within the five-year STFC TRANSCEND collaboration, using Vera Rubin/LSST transient data and the 4MOST TiDES survey to study supernovae, host galaxies, black hole growth and Dark Energy. The role involves scientific programming in Python, collaboration visits across QUB, Lancaster, Oxford and Southampton, and contributing to TiDES infrastructure work.

Vera Rubin · LSST · 4MOST +2

• Didcot

Owns the end-to-end product roadmap for a satellite connectivity service, translating customer and partner use cases into requirements and a prioritised backlog. Leads technical conversations with suppliers from design through integration and testing, coordinating operations, ground and platform teams to ensure the system scales. Bridges commercial needs and engineering realities while keeping internal and external stakeholders aligned.