The space sector offers a spectrum of career opportunities from science and engineering to project management, strategy, cybersecurity, finance, HR and more.
From those at the start of their careers – having completed an apprenticeship or graduated university – to those with many years’ experience, there are many ways positively contribute to the space industry. These include specialising in (aero)space, electrical, electronic, mechanical, communications, IT or systems engineering, as well as the application of physics and other sciences, to developing applications and services for people on Earth using satellite-based data.
Download the UK Space Agency’s Careers in Space leaflet
News: UK space sector sets sights on artificial intelligence and machine learning professionals
Building satellites and launching them successfully calls for the full range of engineering specialisations. The roles call for imaginative people who can be innovative, pay attention to detail and work well in international teams. Ensuring satellites and their instruments do the job, and keep doing what they’ve been designed to do, relies on robust software designed by electronics or systems engineers and computer scientists.
Engineers and scientists need to work together in multidisciplinary teams to design and build sensors and instruments to observe and monitor both the Earth and the space environment. Having an understanding of the natural world (or space) and being able to apply and communicate this knowledge is crucial to ensuring that instruments are developed which will benefit business, science and the global community for years to come.
Who uses satellite data? Everyone! But we need numerate and innovative scientists and entrepreneurs to come up with new ideas, and convert the data into useful information and services. Today we use it for communications and TV, for navigation and security, for exploring and monitoring our planet, predicting and defining risk, and mitigating disasters. What new ideas could you come up with?
