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To be clear, I’m not going to talk about jobs that are literally in space today, that will come a bit later. What I’m going to tell you about is how to get a job working with things that go into space, or perhaps that are already in space. More precisely, I’m going to tell you about my own experiences with this subject, and what I’ve picked up over the past decade or so working on a variety of different space related projects.
Space jobs might seem intimidating. You may have an idea that this is a field reserved for smart people, those who have three PhDs or belong to Mensa. You might think you need a degree in a difficult field, like high-energy astrophysics or hyper-velocity aerodynamics. The truth is that you don’t. There are, of course, some specialised jobs that do require such backgrounds, but there are also a lot of jobs that are open to people who have more general engineering backgrounds, or even who are not engineers at all.
So don’t be intimidated. If space is something that interests you, and is something you think you would enjoy working in, then the chances are you’ll be able to find some kind of role in the industry. Indeed, in many respects the field looks much like any other: from the way you apply, to the kinds of jobs and supporting roles that are needed. Strip away the “space” part, and you end up with roles and companies that are found all over the place.
General Advice
For High School Students
If you are still in school, then the best thing you can do is focus on math. You’ll need it, at least if you want to progress onto university and then into a graduate role. You don’t need to be a mathematical genius, but you should know and understand things like algebra, trigonometry and calculus.
It is also useful to pay attention in other areas, especially the sciences (physics mainly, but it’s good to know some chemistry too). Programming is more and more in demand, and so getting some experience working with Python or other languages will put you in good stead.
You don’t need to wait for your teachers to introduce you to all these topics. There are plenty of excellent programming tutorials and exercises available online. For science and maths there are many free resources available as well - I suggest working through the “Fundamentals of Mathematics” section in this list.
For University Students
If you haven’t started university yet and you are considering what degree program to pursue, then your best bet is likely to be aerospace engineering. That said, there are many options. Computer science, physics, mechanical engineering or electrical engineering are all excellent choices, as are many other subjects.
If you have already started a degree and it is not in an engineering or technical field, then don’t worry. Space law, for example, is an important area that is non technical. Medicine is highly desired in certain roles - especially for those working closely with astronauts. Other subjects can help you land a role in project or business management - I’ve personally known people with degrees in music and drama that both ended up working in space companies.
Speaking generally, you should try to get good grades. Where you have a chance to specialise, I’d advise opting for things that interest you, rather than things you think will help your future career. Seek variety: the more exposure you have to different sides of your subject, the more opportunity you have to find things that interest you.
For most technical roles a Masters’ degree would normally be sufficient. In some cases you can get by with less - I once hired a guy who didn’t have a degree at all, but was still able to show the right knowledge in an interview. But a Masters’ degree will usually be enough to get you through the door.
PhDs are rarely necessary - though they may help if you want to go into a highly specialised area. Even in that situation, I’d still advise caution about taking on a PhD. Make sure you speak to potential professors, ask them what happened to their previous students, and make sure the assigned project is something you would be happy spending several years working on. Postdocs, unless you wish to stay in academia, are a waste of time.
Finally, take advantage of student clubs and organisations. Many universities have clubs that participate in rocketry contests or that work on building and launching simple cubesats. Organisations like SGAC and SEDS also provide career networks and opportunities for students and young professionals.
For Professionals
Most people who enter the space industry immediately after graduating do so in two ways. The first is to find an internship at an engineering company. These roles typically don’t pay that well, but they at least give you an opportunity to start learning and can often turn into a permanent contract if you do well.
The second is to enter a dedicated graduate scheme. Such schemes are more common in larger companies, and are often intended as a way to train new engineers for a long term position in the company. As such, they can be a good entry point to the field.
Space agencies often run dedicated programs to bring graduates into the field. The European Space Agency runs a Young Graduate Trainee scheme for graduates, offering them a year long experience at the agency. NASA offers internships for graduates and students which can, in some cases, lead into a full time position at the agency.
For those who have several years experience working in a different field, entry into the space industry is still possible. The best route, of course, is to find a job that matches your skills and to apply for it. This is easiest if you come from a related field (e.g. aeronautics or telecommunications), but possibilities likely exist regardless of your professional background.
In most cases it is not really necessary to seek further education before looking for a space industry job. However, there are now several courses designed to help people enter the field. Some universities offer dedicated masters in space technology. The International Space University, based in France but with hubs around the world, offers several programs covering the space industry.
A Note on Nationality
In many countries the space industry is considered a matter of national security. Entry to foreign nationals can therefore be restricted. This is particularly the case in the United States, where ITAR rules prevent hiring many non-US citizens. In Europe, as far as I can tell, the situation is more open.
Types of Job
The space industry is incredibly broad, and so includes many different types of jobs. Here I’ve listed a few of the main areas you can end up working in.
Academia
If astronomy is your interest, then you’ll probably need to work in academia. There are very few astronomy related jobs outside academia (though you can find some, if you look hard enough). That will mean working your way through a PhD and Postdoc and then into a permanent place at a university. This is by no means an easy path, but for those willing to tread it I suggest reading this guide from a professional astronomer.
There are also options to work in academia from an engineering side. These jobs typically work closely with industry to develop and advise new technologies. The range of possibilities is wide - you can get involved with everything from telecommunications to batteries - but you’ll usually need to specialise in one area. As with astronomy, the path to this begins with a PhD and takes you into a permanent position at a university.
Engineering
Engineers do the work of actually designing, building and maintaining the things that go into space. There is a wide range of possible roles here - engineers are needed to do everything from design specific subcomponents to operate spacecraft after they launch. In many cases you’ll need an engineering (or physics) degree to enter these roles, however depending on the company and position this is not always necessary.
Rockets
Building and launching rockets appeals to a lot of people, not least because you can then claim to be a literal rocket scientist. At the time of writing this field is going through something of a boom, with dozens of companies around the world vying to build and launch new rockets. Degrees in aerospace or mechanical engineering both make good starting points, as does experience in propulsion systems. There are also roles in software, electronics and operations.
Satellites
Thousands of satellites ring the Earth, ranging from tiny cubesats to truck-sized communications satellites. Traditionally satellites were built by major aerospace companies like Boeing and Airbus. Today there are many companies building small satellites (SSTL and OHB are two European examples) as well as others focused on nano- and micro-satellites. Though many engineers will work on electrical or mechanical systems, there is also a need for software engineers, thermal engineers, propulsion and flight dynamics experts, telecommunications engineers and operators.
Telecommunications
The majority of the satellites orbiting the Earth exist to provide communications. Beyond the actual building and launching of those satellites, there are many roles in designing and managing the communication networks they create. They include: building and maintaining ground stations, running operations centres, managing capacity and installing user antennas. Degrees in electrical engineering and telecommunications are particularly useful here.
Earth Observation
Traditionally earth observation meant things like weather monitoring or spying. Today, with the arrival of a new generation of smaller, cheaper satellites, many new companies are entering the field. Here the focus is often less on the satellites themselves but on the data they collect. That, in turn, means software engineers are in high demand.
System Engineering
For most of my career I have held, in one form or other, the title of system engineer. The exact meaning of this job varies from company to company, but at a high level the role is about bringing together components into a larger system. A system engineer working on a satellite, for example, will not specialise in any individual subsystem onboard that satellite, but will instead have oversight of how they interface and together create a functioning system. There are dedicated system engineering degrees, however many people enter from other fields of engineering or, as I did, from physics.
Others
Above I have covered the major areas of the space industry. There are, however, many other things engineers can get involved in, from designing space traffic management systems to building in-orbit tugs. At present things are moving fast - more and more people, for example, are beginning to think about how we might work on the Moon, or how we might build private space stations and train private astronauts to operate them. Engineers can get involved in all of these things.
Software
Software engineers are in high demand in the space industry. Software is needed to control satellites, run operations centres and to process the data spacecraft send back. For some roles specialised knowledge can help - understanding flight dynamics, for example - however it is rarely essential. Many teams instead consist of a mix of software engineers and more specialised engineers.
Support
Beyond engineers, space industry companies need dozens of other roles. Some, like space law, required specific backgrounds. But others, like project management, sales or finance, do not. Indeed, these jobs look for much the same skills as in any other industry. The only difference, really, is that you work to support things that go into space.
Where to Work
Space Agencies
The obvious answer is a space agency like NASA or ESA. These agencies do hire a lot of people and typically pay well. However entry can be competitive, and the working conditions can be rather bureaucratic. Space agencies have big budgets, big projects but, sadly, often lack the innovative spirit and freedom of many smaller companies.
OldSpace vs NewSpace
On the industry side, many people now draw a distinction between “old space” and “new space”. Though the terms are somewhat vague, old space usually refers to the traditional players like Boeing, Airbus or Lockheed Martin. These companies are typically giants, with a long track record of activity in space.
New space, by contrast, refers to the recent arrival of companies like SpaceX. Typically these companies have a less cautious attitude to space - preferring, as the slogan has it, to move fast and break things. Some of these companies have found success - notably, of course SpaceX, but also others like Planet, Rocket Lab and Axiom are equally worth mentioning.
During my career I’ve worked on both sides of this divide. Personally I prefer the new space approach, though I also recognise it is not for everyone. New space companies tend to be more innovative and open to new ideas - but they also often lack financial security or clear business plans. In the worst cases, new space companies can even appear delusional in their ambitions.
Working in “old space”, by contrast, can give you more security while also letting you work on big space projects. Such companies often have close relationships with the major space agencies, and contribute to ambitious projects like the International Space Station, the Artemis Moon Program or the Deep Space Gateway.
Location
It is undeniable that the space industry tends to favour a few geographical areas. Although remote working has become more popular since the pandemic, many space jobs still require you to work onsite.
In Europe the traditional focus of the space industry has been around Toulouse, in the south of France; Darmstadt, in western Germany; Leiden, in the Netherlands; Madrid, in Spain; and Harwell in the United Kingdom. There are some other areas. Luxembourg has, in recent years, put a lot of effort into attracting companies. Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Switzerland are all home to space companies as well, though the options in all countries are still rather limited.
In the United States, the space industry has long been associated with Houston and the “Space Coast” in Florida. California, especially around Los Angeles, is another hub, and many companies can also be found in Seattle and around Denver, Colorado.
Beyond Europe and America, the space industry is also thriving in China, Japan and India. Sadly I do not have much knowledge of where, specifically, space jobs are concentrated in those countries.
How to Find a Job
Below I list a few links for searching for jobs or for space industry professional organisations
Websites
AAS Job Register - primarily for astronomers or for astronomy related jobs
EAS Job Directory - similar to the AAS register, but with a European focus
Space Individuals - a Europe-focused job board
Space-Careers - another Europe-focused job board
Space Talent - a job board with a global focus
I’m in the education field, but my son, who’s in middle school, has been passionate about space and making rockets since he was in TK. His first word wasn’t “mama” it was “moon!” So, this information is so vital to parents like me who want to nurture the passion for science, space, and rocketry. I do wonder how many people scale-down their dreams when they are faced with challenges? Did any of you face them and if so, how did you overcome them so as to keep your dream alive?
Wow great summary, Alastair! I especially appreciate the list of the various options for the types of technology one can work on in a space job.
I am also out here in the space industry (I hope our flight paths cross sometime in person!) and I’ll add that one of the things I and leaders I’ve worked with have looked for on resumes at all levels of education-- including for applicants directly out of high school-- is hands-on experience on projects. For high school and college folks, I’d suggest joining clubs and organizations like FIRST Robotics and Human Powered Vehicle. These can be a great way to demonstrate you know how to work in a team, fail a lot and keep trying, and ultimately get results for all these companies are that working on really tough problems. In my opinion, this demonstration that you can collaborate on a common goal is more important on your resume than the GPA listed. Unless you’re going to focus on academia or perform a purely research-focused job function, there aren’t a lot of roles where the habits that helped you complete homework and perform well on tests don’t translate to the things you’ll be doing on a daily basis at your job. Don’t get me wrong, the grades matter especially at first, and it’s not easy to get them! But the better litmus test in my opinion is an applicant’s work on projects or in a lab and how that person manages themselves in high pressure social situations--like hands-on competitions, for instance.
I’ll also add that if you start technical, after 5-10 years of experience, you can plot a course to nontechnical career roles in business, management, operations, and other cool positions that help these companies execute their wild ambitions. It takes a whole host of talents to make these missions work! Like you say, Alastair, some of the new space guys are fighting to define and convince folks that their business strategy is coherent and their particular risks worthwhile. Building and communicating things like that take a whole different skill set than math or programming, and it can be a really fun new challenge! Space is for everyone and needs a huge range of skills to succeed!