Senior Project Manager in Abingdon

Astroscale UK is seeking an experienced Project Manager to support our missions. You will have the opportunity to lead or support the delivery of our projects within space sustainability, through our matrixed project and engineering teams. Our project management team is responsible for maintaining the delicate balance of quality, cost, schedule and risk to ensure the best successes possible for Astroscale. You will interface with a number of teams, both internally and externally, including engineering, bid/commercial, customers and suppliers.

Responsibilities

• Responsibility for the design and delivery of space missions (or aspects thereof) on complex engineering projects, achieved via the coordination of matrixed project / engineering teams.
• Planning and delivery of project review gates, including management and production of associated deliverables.
• Definition and maintenance of an appropriate balance of quality, cost, schedule, and risk, whilst delivering projects and their associated outputs.
• Generation of project inputs to mission concept studies, technical or non-technical packages of work, and bid work, in support of the wider business.
• Interfacing with customers, suppliers, and programme partners as necessary in support of project, bids, or similar activities.
• Reporting and internal accountability to business and senior management.

Essential Skills

• 5+ years’ experience in project or programme management, within the space or aerospace industries.
• Track record of successful mission delivery.
• A “can-do” approach, and drive to work with a team to achieve collective success.
• Rounded ‘technical’ project management skillset (delivery, schedule, financial, risk management, etc).
• Ability to collaborate effectively, and lead a close-knit team of personnel.
• Experience planning and completing project review gates (Requirements Review, Preliminary Design Review, Critical Design Review, etc).

Desirable skills

• Full mission lifecycle experience from requirements definition to verification, delivery, commissioning, and operations.
• Practical understanding and application of lean engineering methodologies, as well as broader engineering processes and standards (e.g. ECSS).
• High personal standards & desire for honesty, openness, and integrity.
• The ability to understand, influence, and negotiate, coupled with the desire to seek mutually beneficial outcomes.
• University degree in a technical discipline.
• Experience working with spacecraft system and sub-system functional teams such as Guidance Navigation Control (GNC / AOCS), Command & Data Handling (C&DH / OBDH), Propulsion, Software, Ground Segment, Operations, Mechanical engineering, etc.
• Awareness of Assembly Integration and Verification processes.
• Experience of supplier management or unit procurement.
• A basic knowledge of debris removal, end-of-life, in-orbit maintenance or servicing – including the wider framework of regulatory, legal etc, as well as relevant missions.
• Experience working with challenging customers, partners, or suppliers.
• Evidence of successfully ‘unblocking’ and closing out behind schedule / cost overrun projects (or aspects thereof).
• Experience of bid support, project financial accounting, quality / product assurance (QA / PA), or business development work.
• Experience successfully collaborating with personnel from different countries and cultures in a fast-paced technical working environment.

Benefits

• Competitive base salary.
• Opportunity to work with a highly talented, diverse & dynamic international team with cutting edge technology.
• Flexible working around core hours in a friendly and supportive environment.
• Hybrid working available (dependent on individual role requirements).
• 25 days holiday (increasing yearly up to a maximum of 28 days) + 8 days Bank Holiday.
• Optional 9/75 working pattern.
• Life insurance and long-term sick pay.
• Private healthcare (taxable benefit).
• Relocation allowance.
• Visa sponsorship for employees considered.
• New state of the art office and cleanroom facility.
• Regular social events.

Location

Astroscale UK (Harwell) with potential for international conferences and Astroscale subsidiary visits.

About Astroscale

Founded in 2013, Astroscale is the global leader in on-orbit servicing, dedicated to the secure and sustainable development of space for the benefit of future generations. We provide trusted and value-added solutions for government and commercial clients from their geography of choice, to drive the long-term, circular space economy. Astroscale is also collaborating with government and commercial stakeholders to develop norms, regulations, and incentives that promote the sustainable growth of space. Since our first successful launch in March 2021, Astroscale has proven rendezvous and proximity operations technologies in orbit during the ELSA-d and ADRAS-J missions, establishing the company as a leader in on-orbit servicing. Astroscale spacecraft have been selected for pioneering missions with JAXA, the U.S. Space Force, the European Space Agency, the UK Space Agency, and Eutelsat OneWeb. As more satellite operators adopt on-orbit servicing to routinely inspect, service and remove, the potential of a circular space economy — and a future of no waste in space — is being unlocked. At Astroscale we pride ourselves on our inclusive culture. Our essential criteria are based solely on the requirements necessary to perform the role. If any criteria could present a barrier, we are open to discussing reasonable adjustments and are committed to ensuring an inclusive recruitment process. Astroscale is also open to supporting job share arrangements, to further our flexible working offering.