A Space Engineering Technician develops, manufactures, assembles and tests equipment to support the UK's growing space sector
Space manufacturing includes the design and production of satellites, as well as the components and subsystems that are used within them. This area of manufacturing is growing in the UK and more specialist engineers are needed to work in UK spaceports, new satellite launch sites and testing facilities.
As a space engineering technician, you’ll be involved in the development, manufacture, assembly, integration, and testing of complex, high-value space hardware and ground-based equipment. Every component helps to enable important things like in-space power generation, altitude control, rocket propulsion, and space communication. You could be the technician who helps space exploration to happen without a hitch and communications to be maintained.
Once you’ve built your knowledge about a range of components, you may decide to specialise in a particular kind, or focus your career on the research and development of new components.
Senior space engineering roles include responsibility for managing and training other people, project management, and liaising with international space partners.
There’s no perfect career path or ideal way into your dream job.
But if you’re interested in education and training options that could be relevant to this role, you might want to consider:
Options available after GCSEs:
More options available after that:
Schools and colleges each have their own career guidance plan and can provide detailed information, advice, and guidance on options and next steps.
You will contribute to inspection and testing activities for mission-critical satellites and support the integration of technology at space centres and launch sites in other countries. Your range of customers will include space agencies and satellite operators and you will interact with international organisations responsible for space technology standardisation and quality.
This role can also be known by some other job titles including:
Advanced Manufacturing Technician
Assembly
Control and Instrumentation Engineering Technician
Electrical Engineering Technician
Integration and Test Technician
Materials and Chemical Engineering Technician
Quality and Product Assurance Technician
Satellite Manufacturing
Spacecraft Mechanical Engineering Technician
Spacecraft Propulsion Engineering Technician
