Mission & Flight Operations Lead

NewOrbit Space

At NewOrbit Space, our mission is to engineer the lowest orbiting satellites on Earth to rapidly advance global connectivity and insight. We are currently building satellites that can operate at an altitude of just 200 km - one-third that of conventional satellites. YOUR ROLE You will be the senior AIT authority on the AURA X programme, responsible for planning, developing, and executing the Assembly, Integration and Test campaign for the AURA X gridded-ion thruster and its satellite integration. You will own the AIT flow from engineering model through to flight model acceptance, defining procedures, managing GSE, and leading test campaigns across electrical, mechanical, and system-level activities. In addition to AIT, you will own the programme Quality Management System and Goods In function. As a lean team scaling towards flight, these responsibilities sit naturally within AIT - you will establish and maintain quality processes, define incoming inspection criteria, and be prepared to get hands-on with goods in when needed. You will report into the Programme Director and work across all engineering teams, setting and enforcing quality and AIT standards across the programme. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES * Define and own the programme AIT flow, master AIT schedule, and test philosophy from EM through FM acceptance. * Write, review, and approve all assembly procedures, test procedures, and integration sequences. * Define cleanroom requirements, contamination control procedures, and ESD/handling standards for the programme. * Identify, specify, and procure Ground Support Equipment (GSE), test fixtures, and specialist tooling. * Plan and lead AIT campaigns on engineering and flight models, including functional testing, environmental test campaigns (thermal vacuum, vibration, EMC), and electrical functional verification. * Manage non-conformance reports (NCRs) and lead dispositions in collaboration with the design team. * Interface with external test facilities and manage test readiness reviews, test witness, and data acceptance. * Interface with the satellite bus integrator to define and manage satellite-level integration requirements and ICD activities. * Own as-built records, travellers, test logs, and acceptance data packs to support full hardware traceability. * Mentor AIT technicians and engineers; build and maintain AIT process documentation and standards. * Own and maintain the programme Quality Management System - establishing quality processes, workmanship standards, and a non-conformance management framework appropriate to a scaling flight hardware programme. * Define goods in inspection criteria and procedures; oversee incoming inspection of purchased parts, materials, and components against purchase orders, drawings, and certificates of conformance. * Manage quarantine and disposition of non-conforming goods received from suppliers. * Maintain calibration records for all programme tooling and test equipment. * Own the programme parts inventory system - maintaining stock records for consumables, fasteners, materials, and critical components, setting minimum stock levels, and ensuring parts availability is confirmed ahead of every AIT campaign. * Raise procurement needs early based on upcoming campaign schedules, working with the wider team to avoid work stoppages caused by missing or late parts. FUNDAMENTAL REQUIREMENTS * Significant experience (5+ years) in AIT roles on spacecraft, satellite, or high-reliability programmes. * Demonstrated experience delivering flight hardware through full environmental test campaigns (TVac, vibration, EMC). * Thorough working knowledge of ECSS AIT and quality standards, particularly ECSS-E-ST-10-03 and ECSS-Q-ST-70. * Experience authoring and approving test and assembly procedures to flight standards. * Experience owning or contributing to a Quality Management System on a hardware programme. * Experience managing non-conformances, engineering dispositions, and supplier quality issues. * Experience with satellite-level electrical and mechanical integration. * Knowledge of contamination control and cleanroom operations. * Experience defining GSE requirements and overseeing procurement or in-house build. * Able to communicate effectively across design, test, and management teams. NICE-TO-HAVES * Experience on small satellite programmes or commercial space startups. * Familiarity with electric propulsion system integration. * Experience as principal or chief AIT engineer with full programme ownership. * Experience interfacing with launch authority and range safety. * ISO 9001 or AS9100 internal auditor qualification. PERSONALITY * Process-disciplined and exacting about standards, while pragmatic in a fast-moving development environment. * Natural authority - able to set and hold standards without being rigid or hierarchical. * Comfortable translating between design-engineer and hands-on-technician ways of thinking. * Calm under schedule pressure and experienced at making good decisions when hardware does not go to plan. WHY NEWORBIT SPACE? * Pioneering Space Technology – You'll contribute to launching groundbreaking technology into space. Your work on our revolutionary ion propulsion system and ULEO satellite platform will redefine satellite operations and disrupt traditional LEO operations. * Unmatched Ownership and Impact – You'll experience a level of ownership that's rare in the space industry. You will participate in the full lifecycle of satellite technology. * Equity and Competitive Salary – You'll receive not just a competitive salary but also company ownership stakes. Your dedication and hard work are rewarded with a share in the technology you help build, ensuring you're a part of our collective success. * Comprehensive Benefits Package – Including private health insurance with dental and optical coverage, annual healthcare check-ups etc. * Hybrid Work - A hybrid setup with one dedicated remote day per week. * Visa Sponsorship & Relocation Support - We provide a relocation package and sponsor your visa if you’re joining us from abroad.

NewOrbit Space

At NewOrbit Space, our mission is to engineer the lowest orbiting satellites on Earth to rapidly advance global connectivity and insight. We are currently building satellites that can operate at an altitude of just 200 km - one-third that of conventional satellites. YOUR ROLE You will be the technical process owner for the AURA X propulsion AIT programme, responsible for turning qualification requirements and engineering intent into a complete library of test procedures, test plans, and assembly instructions. You will work alongside the Propulsion Design and Test Engineers, report into the Lead AIT Engineer, and partner closely with the Technical Programme Manager to ensure delivery. You will own the procedural and logistical backbone of the propulsion qualification campaign - from first-article assembly through to system-level acceptance testing. This is a mid-level role for someone who can translate system knowledge into rigorous, operator-ready documentation, and then execute those procedures hands-on. Qualification strategy and test logic are defined by the Technical Programme Manager; your role is to take that framework and build the detailed technical processes that make it executable - and then run them. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES * Own the writing, review, and maintenance of all assembly instructions, work instructions, and build procedures - from component level through to integrated module on the propulsion system. * Write and own test plans and test procedures for propulsion campaigns, including pressure test, proof test, leak test, functional flow test, and performance characterisation. * Maintain the AIT schedule for the propulsion system, interfacing with test facilities and ensuring all GSE is available for each test in the plan. * Ensure that all equipment is kept calibrated. * Develop and maintain hazardous operations procedures for all pressurised system activities, in line with safety requirements defined for the programme. * Write propellant handling and loading procedures. * Execute test and assembly procedures hands-on, operating test rigs and instrumentation and recording results to programme traceability standards. * Maintain the propulsion procedure library - version control, review cycles, and configuration management of all procedural documents. * Support integration of the propulsion system into the satellite structure, contributing assembly procedures for the integration sequence. * Manage non-conformances on propulsion hardware - raising NCRs, supporting dispositions with the propulsion design team, and updating procedures where needed. * Perform goods in inspection of incoming components, against purchase orders, drawings, and certificates of conformance. * Coordinate with technicians ensuring tasks are understood and completed in line with the schedule. * Support environmental test campaigns involving the propulsion system, contributing test procedures and witnessing campaigns. * Support satellite AIT activities. FUNDAMENTAL REQUIREMENTS * 3+ years' experience writing test procedures, assembly instructions, or work instructions for mechanical, fluidic, or propulsion hardware in a flight or high-reliability environment. * Practical hands-on experience executing the procedures you write - comfortable on the bench as well as at the desk. * Experience with pressurised systems - sufficient to write safe, compliant procedures and execute them competently. * Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, schematics, and system documentation to produce accurate procedural content. * Good documentation discipline - understands version control, review processes, and what traceability means in a flight programme context. * ESD-aware working practices and understanding of contamination control requirements. * Strong safety mindset around pressurised and hazardous operations. NICE-TO-HAVES * Experience in a space, aerospace, defence, or other high-reliability industry environment. * Familiarity with pressure testing methods (proof, leak, burst, flow) and the standards that govern them. * Experience with vacuum chamber operation and maintenance. * Experience with electric propulsion systems or vacuum test environments. * Familiarity with ECSS standards or equivalent quality and workmanship frameworks. * Experience handling xenon or other inert propellants, including loading and facility operations. * Background in mechanical AIT as well as propulsion - comfortable contributing to wider satellite integration activities. PERSONALITY * Writes procedures the way a good operator would want to receive them - clear, unambiguous, and complete. * Equally at home writing documentation and getting hands-on with hardware. * Safety-conscious around pressurised and hazardous systems without needing to be prompted. * Collaborative - works closely with design engineers to extract the technical content needed for good procedures, and communicates problems early. * Comfortable in a fast-moving programme where procedures are living documents that evolve with the hardware. WHY NEWORBIT SPACE? * Pioneering Space Technology – You'll contribute to launching groundbreaking technology into space. Your work on our revolutionary ion propulsion system and ULEO satellite platform will redefine satellite operations and disrupt traditional LEO operations. * Unmatched Ownership and Impact – You'll experience a level of ownership that's rare in the space industry. You will participate in the full lifecycle of satellite technology. * Equity and Competitive Salary – You'll receive not just a competitive salary but also company ownership stakes. Your dedication and hard work are rewarded with a share in the technology you help build, ensuring you're a part of our collective success. * Comprehensive Benefits Package – Including private health insurance with dental and optical coverage, annual healthcare check-ups etc. * Hybrid Work - A hybrid setup with one dedicated remote day per week. * Visa Sponsorship & Relocation Support - We provide a relocation package and sponsor your visa if you’re joining us from abroad.

NewOrbit Space

At NewOrbit Space, our mission is to engineer the lowest orbiting satellites on Earth to rapidly advance global connectivity and insight. We are currently building satellites that can operate at an altitude of just 200 km - one-third that of conventional satellites. YOUR ROLE You’ll own the software that makes the spacecraft behave: real-time control flows, autonomy, mode management, and the core flight applications that coordinate every subsystem. You’ll design and implement robust flight-software services on RTOS or Embedded Linux - turning mission requirements into deterministic, testable software - then take it from simulation all the way to launch and on-orbit operations. You’ll ensure our VLEO satellites stay safe and productive with strong fault tolerance, clean observability, and rapid iteration through over-the-air updates. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES * Own the on-board flight-software stack – design, implement and test real-time Rust/C/C++ on RTOS or Embedded Linux. * Integrate subsystems end-to-end – define ICDs and build drivers/middleware over I2C/SPI/UART/CAN(-FD)/SpaceWire (as applicable). * Build spacecraft behaviors & autonomy – implement mode management, sequencing, and autonomous FDIR for safe and productive operations. * Deliver reliable real-time performance – manage concurrency, timing, CPU/memory budgets, and observability under tight constraints. * Build verification infrastructure – prototypes, SIL/HIL test harnesses, simulations, and telemetry analysis tooling to validate designs early. * Ship code from review to orbit – push through CI/CD, support integration and launch ops, and deliver secure over-the-air updates. * Work across disciplines – collaborate with avionics, AOCS, comms and mission teams to trade compute, power, thermal, storage and link budgets.   FUNDAMENTAL REQUIREMENTS * Proven experience in building production embedded or real-time systems in C/C++ and/or Rust on RTOS or Embedded Linux for space systems. * Strong grasp of real-time software: scheduling, interrupts, concurrency primitives, determinism, and designing for constrained CPU/memory. * Proven ability to build reliable, testable systems: unit/integration testing, simulation-first development, HIL validation, and disciplined debugging. * Hands-on experience integrating with hardware via common interfaces (I2C, SPI, UART, CAN(-FD), GPIO, etc.) and practical lab debugging. * Solid software engineering fundamentals: architecture, code review, static analysis, CI/CD, configuration management, and observability/logging. * Ability to own systems end-to-end: from requirements and design through implementation, verification, operations support, and iterative improvement. NICE-TO-HAVES * Experience with spacecraft flight software frameworks (e.g., cFS, F´, or building lightweight component-based equivalents). * Familiarity with autonomy and fault management patterns for radiation/SEUs, watchdog strategies, redundancy, and safe-mode design. * GNC/AOCS-adjacent experience: sensor/actuator pipelines, control-loop integration, estimation/filters, timing analysis. * Digital-twin / simulator / SIL-HIL experience for end-to-end behavior validation and regression testing. * On-orbit operations know-how: commissioning flows, anomaly response, telemetry triage, and OTA update strategies. WHY NEWORBIT SPACE? * Pioneering Space Technology – You'll contribute to launching groundbreaking technology into space. Your work on our revolutionary ion propulsion system and ULEO satellite platform will redefine satellite operations and disrupt traditional LEO operations. * Unmatched Ownership and Impact – You'll experience a level of ownership that's rare in the space industry. You will participate in the full lifecycle of satellite technology. * Equity and Competitive Salary – You'll receive not just a competitive salary but also company ownership stakes. Your dedication and hard work are rewarded with a share in the technology you help build, ensuring you're a part of our collective success. * Comprehensive Benefits Package – Including private health insurance with dental and optical coverage, annual healthcare check-ups etc. * Hybrid Work - A hybrid setup with one dedicated remote day per week. * Visa Sponsorship & Relocation Support - We provide a relocation package and sponsor your visa if you’re joining us from abroad.