We are seeking a highly capable Thermal Test Engineer to join our satellite design and manufacturing team in the UK. This role is central to the verification and validation of spacecraft thermal performance across the full development lifecycle, from subsystem qualification through to full satellite environmental test campaigns. You will be responsible for planning, delivering, and analyzing a range of thermal test campaigns for spacecraft and payload hardware. Working closely with thermal analysts, systems engineers, AIT teams, and customers, you will ensure our satellites meet mission thermal requirements and perform reliably in the space environment. 

This position offers a unique opportunity to play a key role in delivering mission-critical thermal solutions; you'll solve complex analytical challenges, influence design decisions, and contribute to next-generation satellite platforms. This is an excellent opportunity for an engineer with hands-on environmental test experience who is passionate about spacecraft verification and enjoys solving complex thermal challenges. This role doesn’t necessarily require prior Space Engineering experience provided you have a strong background in Thermal Design & Testing from a relatable industry.  

Scope of the role: 

• Lead the planning, preparation, and execution of various types of thermal testing of Spacecraft Systems including:  
  • Thermal Vacuum Testing (TVAC) 
  • Thermal Balance and Characterization Tests 
  • Thermal Characterization of components, coatings, and interfaces 
• Work closely with thermal analysis teams to ensure robust test-to-model correlation of spacecraft thermal models. 
• Specify and configure thermal test hardware such as thermocouples, heaters, cold plates, data acquisition systems, and chamber instrumentation.
• Support root-cause analysis of unexpected thermal behavior or Non-Conformances during TVAC and Thermal Balance campaigns.
• Prototyping of new Thermal Management Systems.
• Contribute to the design of Satellite Thermal Management and other Mechanical systems onboard the Spacecraft.
• Contributing to On-Orbit verification of satellite Thermal Systems.
• Provide production support to the manufacturing team.
• Drive continuous improvement in thermal test methods, instrumentation standards, and campaign efficiency.
• Assisting other team members from multiple disciplines achieve their goals. 

Basic Qualifications / Experience:

• Degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Physics, Systems Engineering or equivalent course or work experience 
• Proven experience planning and carrying out thermal testing in an industry such as Aerospace, Aviation, Automotive, or another relatable industry.
• Experience working with equipment such as Thermal test chambers, Vacuum instrumentation, N2 & LN2 systems, and thermal data acquisition systems (DAQ).
• Ability to interpret spacecraft thermal requirements and translate them into practical test methods.
• Excellent data analysis and reporting skills using tools such as Excel, Python, MATLAB, or LabVIEW.
• Excellent written and verbal communication 

 Preferred Qualifications / Experience:  

• Thermal environmental testing of Spacecraft
• Experience with thermal modelling of satellites (Using packages such as Siemens NX TMG, ESATAN, Thermal Desktop etc.)
• Experience with common spacecraft thermal control measures (e.g. MLI, Thermal paints, heatpipes, radiators, cryo-cooling)
• Familiarity with ECSS environmental test standards and spacecraft verification philosophy.
• Knowledge of spacecraft systems engineering and mission operations constraints.
• Design and drafting experience (preferably in Solidworks)
• Basic software skills (C, python, scripting)

What Success Looks Like: 

• Safe and efficient delivery of TVAC and thermal balance campaigns to schedule.
• High-quality test data enabling rapid thermal model correlation.
• Clear identification and resolution of thermal performance issues before launch.
• Strong collaboration between test, design, systems, and analysis teams.
• Continuous improvement in test quality, repeatability, and facility utilization. 

Spire operates a hybrid work model, and this position will require you to work a minimum of three days per week in the office.

Access to US export-controlled software and/or technology may be required for this role. If needed, Spire will arrange the necessary licenses—this is not something candidates need to have before applying. #LI-MI1#LI-MI

As a GNC/AOCS Engineer at Spire, you will operate as part of a technical team who maintains responsibility across the full lifecycle of its engineering products. The GNC team interfaces directly with many engineering groups to conduct R&D, design, manufacturing, and operations activities, ultimately ensuring all current and future spacecraft systems satisfy their mission. 

Ideal candidates will embrace the commercialization of nanosatellite systems and adapt to low-cost, fast-paced systems design, development, and implementation methodologies that set Spire apart from our competition. In this fast-paced environment, the design to launch cycle is measured in weeks and months, not years!

What You’ll Do:

• Technical ownership of current and future spacecraft attitude and orbit control software and hardware.
• Design, model, analyze, integrate and operate attitude determination/estimation systems for small spacecraft.
• Develop and utilize spacecraft dynamics and control simulations, including 'hardware-in-the-loop'.
• Design, evaluate, select, qualify and implement flight sensors, including magnetometers, sun sensors, inertial measurement devices, infrared sensors, and/or star trackers.
• Design, evaluate, select, qualify and implement flight actuators, including magnetic torque elements, reaction wheels, and propulsion systems.
• Be hands-on in laboratory and manufacturing environments during testing, integration, and qualification of flight systems.
• Provide support and analysis for on-orbit operations of spacecraft attitude determination and control systems.
• Work with external contractors, manufacturers, and internal manufacturing staff to improve reliability, yield, performance, and cost of flight systems.

Key Skills:

• Extensive experience with a solid foundation in spacecraft attitude dynamics and control algorithms, with emphasis on practical application of knowledge.
• Have experience designing and/or implementing Kalman filters for attitude estimation.
• Experience with flight sensors for spacecraft attitude determination/estimation.
• Experience developing software using C/Python.
• Have experience or familiarity with the Linux development environment.
• Have experience working with external engineering contractors.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience writing flight software.
• Experience with C or C++ development for embedded systems.
• Experience with spacecraft design.
• Experience with spacecraft assembly, integration, and testing.
• Experience with spacecraft operations and maintenance.
• Experience identifying and resolving system anomalies.
• Experience creating and maintaining integration and test campaigns for attitude determination and control systems, including hardware and software.
  
  

Spire operates a hybrid work model, and this position will require you to work a minimum of three days per week in the office.
Access to US export-controlled software and/or technology may be required for this role. If needed, Spire will arrange the necessary licenses—this is not something candidates need to have before applying. #LI-MI1

We are seeking an experienced Embedded Software Engineer to join our Platform team supporting Spacecraft Operations. The successful candidate will play a crucial role in supporting other disciplines by focusing on the embedded software aspects of our satellite systems. The Platform team interfaces directly with many engineering groups to conduct R&D, design, manufacturing, and operations activities, ultimately ensuring all current and future spacecraft systems satisfy their mission.

Ideal candidates will embrace the commercialization of nanosatellite systems and adapt to low-cost, fast-paced systems design, development, and implementation methodologies that set Spire apart from our competition. In this fast-paced environment, the design to launch cycle is measured in weeks and months, not years!

What You’ll Do as a Senior Embedded Software Engineer:

• Design, implement and test, deploy and maintain embedded firmware
• Collaborate with other engineering functions on scoping, architecture and system design
• Resolve on-orbit and on-ground issues related to embedded systems
• Implement, optimize and maintain various serial protocols
• Design and develop interface tools to improve abstraction between the embedded system and other satellite components 
• Debug and resolve complex embedded systems issues in a timely manner
• Write and maintain technical documentation

Key Skills: 

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related field
• Mastery of Embedded C programming language
• Proficiency with scripting languages like Python and Bash
• Extensive experience with real-time operating systems (RTOS), specifically FreeRTOS
• Familiarity with serial protocols and implementations
• Strong problem-solving skills, particularly in debugging embedded systems
• Experience with version control systems (e.g., Git)
• Experience developing on Linux (Ubuntu)
• A base level of mathematical knowledge (engineering mathematic or similar)
• Excellent communication and teamwork abilities

Preferred Skills: 

• Experience with space systems or satellite technology
• Familiarity working to coding standards and using static analysis tools
• Experience writing Rust for resource constrained environments (embedded Linux)
• Experience with embedded Linux
• Knowledge of control systems and algorithms

Tools and Technologies:

• FreeRTOS for real-time operating system implementation
• GNU ARM Embedded Toolchain for code compilation
• GDB for debugging, complemented by extensive use of serial and/or CAN debugging
• Experience with debugging techniques for systems without JTAG access, particularly for remote issue resolution
• Familiarity with manual testing procedures for embedded interface code
• Experience working with Arm Cortex Microcontrollers
• Version control using Git

Spire operates a hybrid work model, and this position will require you to work a minimum of three days per week in the office.

Access to US export-controlled software and/or technology may be required for this role. If needed, Spire will arrange the necessary licenses—this is not something candidates need to have before applying. #LI-RK1

We are seeking a highly skilled Quality Engineer with a background in electronics to join our growing Quality team. The role will focus on quality assurance of Spire’s electronic systems, ensuring the reliability and compliance, both within spacecraft hardware and ground-based supporting equipment. Alongside your specialism, you will also contribute across the broader quality domains including manufacturing, supplier quality, engineering, and process improvement. 

The Quality Engineer will collaborate closely with managers and team leads, to implement effective quality measures within their respective teams. 

To excel as a Quality Engineer at Spire, the ideal candidate will possess exceptional problem-solving abilities, ensuring that all processes and products consistently meet or exceed established quality standards. 

What You’ll Do as Quality Engineer:  

Electronics Quality (Primary Focus): 

• Develop and implement quality strategies for electronic assemblies & parts, covering internal developments, COTS components, PCBs, and embedded systems across the full product lifecycle.
• Co-ordinate and support engineering design, test, and manufacturing teams in conducting failure analyses, root-cause investigations, and corrective/preventive actions (e.g. RCA, 8D, 5-Why).
• Monitor, evaluate, and report on in-process quality performance.
• Provide quality oversight of electronic manufacturing processes, including soldering, PCB assembly, reflow, conformal coating, and component selection.
• Collaborate with design engineering to drive DFM, DFT, and reliability improvements. 

 Broader Quality Responsibilities: 

• Maintain and improve the organisation’s Quality Management System (ISO 9001, working towards AS9100).
• Support quality planning, audits, document control, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Chair cross-functional problem-solving activities across functional domains.
• Participate in supplier evaluations, audits, and ongoing performance management.
• Support production quality activities including first article inspections, process capability, and product acceptance (including environmental and reliability testing).
• Contribute to risk management and compliance across internal and external stakeholders. 

 Key Skills: 

• Degree in Electronics Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a closely related field.
• Solid understanding of IPC standards (e.g. IPC-A-610, J-STD-001) and electronics manufacturing best practices.
• Strong experience in electronics manufacturing, quality engineering, or hardware reliability.
• Demonstrated use of quality management methodologies such as Six Sigma, Lean, or 8D problem solving.
• Ability to interpret technical drawings, schematics, BOMs, and test documentation.
• Experience working in a fast-paced engineering or high-reliability environment (space, aerospace, defence, or similar).
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work collaboratively across disciplines. 

 Preferred Skills: 

• Familiarity with high-reliability engineering or quality assurance standards used in regulated technical industries.
• Familiarity with incoming inspection processes for electronic components.
• Understanding of reliability testing methods (e.g. thermal cycling, vibration, HALT/HASS).
• Experience working with configuration management or document control systems.
• IPC-A-610 Certification.

Spire operates a hybrid work model, and this position will require you to work a minimum of three days per week in the office.

Access to US export-controlled software and/or technology may be required for this role. If needed, Spire will arrange the necessary licenses—this is not something candidates need to have before applying. #LI-MI

As a GNC/AOCS Engineer - Avionics at Spire, you will operate as part of a technical team who maintains responsibility across the full lifecycle of the Spire GNC product and its subcomponents. The GNC team interfaces directly with many engineering groups to conduct R&D, design, manufacturing, and operations activities, ultimately ensuring all current and future spacecraft systems satisfy their mission. Ideal candidates will embrace the commercialization of nanosatellite systems and adapt to low-cost, fast-paced systems design, development, and implementation methodologies that set Spire apart from our competition. In this fast-paced environment, the design to launch cycle is measured in weeks and months, not years!  

What You’ll Do:  

• Design, evaluate, select, qualify and implement flight sensors, including magnetometers, sun sensors, inertial measurement devices, Earth sensors, and/or star trackers.
• Design, evaluate, select, qualify and implement flight actuators, including magnetic torque elements, reaction wheels, and propulsion systems.
• Design, implement and maintain simulation models for GNC subcomponents in our 6-DOF simulation environment.
• Technical ownership of current and future GNC avionics peripherals, supporting troubleshooting, design and updates to improve reliability and performance.
• Working closely with cross-functional teams, including hardware, software, and systems engineers, to integrate avionics solutions into the larger platform.
• Develop component qualification and acceptance processes and be hands-on in laboratory and manufacturing environments. 

Key Skills:   

• Experience with flight sensors for spacecraft attitude determination/estimation.
• Experience with actuators, including actuator sizing, modelling, design and integration.
• A solid foundation in spacecraft attitude dynamics and control algorithms, with emphasis sensor ingestions and actuator command calculation.
• Experience working hands-on with HW and familiarity with 'hardware-in-the-loop` simulation.
• Experience developing software using C/Python.
• Have experience or familiarity with the Linux development environment.
• Have experience working with external engineering contractors.  

Preferred Skills:  

• Experience writing flight software.
• Experience designing and/or implementing Kalman filters and feedback control for attitude estimation.
• Experience with C or C++ development for embedded systems.
• Experience with spacecraft design.
• Experience with spacecraft assembly, integration, and testing.
• Experience with spacecraft operations and maintenance.
• Experience identifying and resolving system anomalies.
• Experience creating and maintaining integration and test campaigns for attitude determination and control systems, including hardware and software.  

Spire operates a hybrid work model, and this position will require you to work a minimum of three days per week in the office.  

Access to US export-controlled software and/or technology may be required for this role. If needed, Spire will arrange the necessary licenses—this is not something candidates need to have before applying. 

. #LI-MI

We are seeking a mid- level Software Engineer to join a team responsible for designing the tools used to test satellites. The successful candidate will play a crucial role in developing software for our satellite systems, contributing to the expansion and enhancement of our space-based data collection capabilities. Ideal candidates will embrace the commercialization of nanosatellite systems and adapt to low-cost, fast-paced systems design, development, and implementation methodologies that set Spire apart from our competition. In this fast-paced environment, the design to launch cycle is measured in weeks and months, not years!

What You’ll Do as a Software Engineer

• Core systems: Designing and developing code used to fully test our satellites. Making improvements to our existing codebase to enhance functionality, usability, robustness, performance, writing and testing new code to integrate
• Supporting the Manufacturing team with any software test requests that occur during the production life of a satellite. This will also cover any software escalations the manufacturing team may occur during their testing.
• Satellite application platform: Writing tests for the automated execution of tasks on the satellite to meet manufacturing requirements or changing testing needs.
• Actively contributing to design architecture, efficient refactoring and redesigning of existing software products
• Collaborate closely with the other Engineering teams to ensure optimal software-hardware integration
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of our development processes and tools
• Act as a team lead to junior engineers, mentoring, guiding and promoting best coding practices.
• Maintain our internal web tool (Flask)

Key Skills:

• Proven experience in development using Python (at least 2 years)
• Knowledge of or adaptability to Linux-based development (Ubuntu)
• Excellent problem-solving and documentation skills
• Experienced in debugging and peer reviewing
• Knowledge of version control systems, particularly Git and GitHub

Preferred Skills: 

• Experience with Rust would be beneficial
• Pytest for unit testing
• Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines
• Experience with project management tools
• Proficiency in scripting languages like Bash

Tools and Technologies:

• Python
• Pytest
• Scripting languages (Bash)
• Ubuntu (development environment)
• Version control using Git
• Rust would be an excellent competitive advantage
• Flask We value adaptability and a willingness to learn new tools and technologies as needed for the role.

Spire operates a hybrid work model, and this position will require you to work a minimum of three days per week in the office.

Access to US export-controlled software and/or technology may be required for this role. If needed, Spire will arrange the necessary licenses—this is not something candidates need to have before applying. #LI-MI