Bright Ascension is looking for an experienced Solutions Engineer to help customers unlock the potential of our HELIX software platform.
Combining strong software engineering expertise with commercial awareness, you’ll work closely with Sales, Product and Engineering to understand customer challenges, deliver compelling demonstrations and design effective technical solutions. You’ll help turn opportunities into successful projects, influence product development and support our growth in the space sector.
This is an exciting opportunity to apply your technical knowledge to real-world challenges and play a key role in bringing innovative space software to market.
We see this role as being full time, although this is negotiable. Ideally, we would like this role to be based in Edinburgh/Dundee, on a hybrid basis to allow for regular interaction with the wider business and colleagues in other departments.
What you will do
- Showcase HELIX: Deliver engaging product demonstrations, workshops and trials, helping customers understand the value and capabilities of our software.
- Design customer solutions: Lead technical discovery and develop effective architectures and integrations tailored to customer needs.
- Shape winning proposals: Provide technical input into bids, estimates and proposals, balancing customer requirements with commercial objectives.
- Bridge product and services: Identify when standard HELIX products meet customer needs and when bespoke engineering is required.
- Collaborate across teams: Work closely with Sales, Product and Engineering to develop credible, deliverable solutions.
- Turn insight into innovation: Use customer feedback and previous project experience to identify opportunities, improve solutions and influence product development.
- Build reusable expertise: Develop technical guidance, reference architectures and demonstration materials to strengthen future sales opportunities.
Essential skills & experience
We see experience with the following as essential to the job:
- Substantial professional software engineering experience, ideally at senior level and within the space sector.
- Experience designing software or systems solutions, including customer-specific development and integration.
- Hands‑on programming experience in C, Java and Python.
- Proficiency with Linux, Windows, Git and modern software development practices.
- Experience using software development kits (SDKs), integrating distributed systems and working across the software development lifecycle.
- Understanding of spacecraft software, ground segments, mission operations, telemetry, telecommand and relevant communication protocols.
- Ability to define and communicate technical architectures, interfaces, trade‑offs, delivery estimates and risks.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the confidence to explain complex concepts to technical and non‑technical audiences.
- A customer‑focused, commercially aware approach, with strong analytical, problem‑solving and collaboration skills.
Personal skills
We’re especially looking for someone who has:
- Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts clearly.
- Confident in customer‑facing situations, from technical discovery to demonstrations and proposals.
- Customer‑focused and commercially minded, with sound judgement and a practical approach to problem‑solving.
- Strong analytical skills, able to navigate complex or ambiguous requirements and develop effective solutions.
- Proactive and accountable, with the ability to manage competing priorities and work independently.
- Collaborative and influential, building strong relationships across Sales, Product and Engineering.
- Skilled at applying previous experience and sharing technical knowledge while protecting confidential information.
- Willing to travel to customer sites, industry events and demonstrations when required.
We think that the following skills would definitely be valuable in this role:
- Previous experience in solutions engineering, pre‑sales, application engineering, systems engineering or technical consultancy.
- Experience delivering product demonstrations, customer workshops, trials or proofs of concept.
- Involvement in technical bids, proposals, quotations or statements of work.
- Familiarity with HELIX or comparable mission software platforms and development kits.
- Experience with embedded, real‑time, mission‑critical or high‑reliability software.
- Knowledge of model‑based, component‑based, service‑oriented or distributed architectures.
- Experience working with satellite manufacturers, operators, space agencies or ground‑segment providers.
- Familiarity with systems engineering methods and architecture tools such as UML, SysML or C4.
- Experience developing reusable technical resources, reference architectures and sales‑enablement materials.
What we can offer you
- A competitive salary in the range of £60k-£70k pro rata depending on experience, with regular reviews.
- A fantastic opportunity to join a growing, innovative, employee‑centred business pushing boundaries in the space industry.
- Flexible hours and hybrid working, enabling you to create your ideal work life balance.
- 36 days paid holiday per annum.
- Enhanced Company Sick Pay and Long‑Term Sickness cover.
- A Health Cash Plan to cover costs such as dental, physio and optical.
- Life Assurance cover (x4 salary).
- Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay.
- Opportunities for international travel for exhibitions and trade shows.
- Investment in you and your skill development and the opportunity to attend relevant events and conferences to aid career / skill development.
- Company events and regular activities for social engagement and team building.
- An open, supportive, inclusive environment where you can explore your ideas and make a big difference to the product and business.
About Bright Ascension
We are a fast growing, innovative company changing the way that software is developed in the space industry. With customers across the world, ranging from universities and space agencies, to commercial organisations and start‑ups, our core technologies enable our customers to develop and operate space‑based systems and services faster, more cost‑effectively and more reliably.
Innovation is at the heart of what we do and it is our team which drives that innovation; this is reflected in our commitment to employee ownership, which gives all of us a voice, and a stake, in our current and future success. With offices in Dundee, Edinburgh and Bristol we now have more than 60 members of staff and plans to expand significantly over the next 12 months. We are at a very exciting time in our ambitious growth plans and have fantastic opportunities for talented individuals to join our team.
Our Values
We worked together to identify and shape the values that underpin everything we do, our actions, our vision and all things Bright Ascension.
Enjoy what you do and have fun. Be curious and be fearless. Unconventional ideas and passion are the paths to true innovation.
Sharing knowledge helps the team thrive. Start a dialogue and win through teamwork. Success comes through collaboration and support.
Respect & Integrity
Recognise differences and accept opinions. Integrity, respect and high standards create unbreakable trust and builds reputation.
