Location: London, United Kingdom (Hybrid)
Start Date: Immediate or as soon as possible
About Blue Skies Space
Blue Skies Space is breaking the current bespoke, publicly funded model for astronomy and astrophysics missions and employs a commercial approach to create new opportunities for cutting-edge science. We offer telescope time on cost-effective and quickly delivered scientific instruments for users worldwide through a service-based model. Our first satellite, Mauve, will characterise stellar objects and flares in the UV and visible wavelengths. Our second satellite, Twinkle, will carry unique instrumentation designed to analyse the atmospheres of planets orbiting distant stars, as well as objects in our own Solar System.
We have offices in Edinburgh and London. We offer a flexible hybrid working model, with regular team catch-ups in the office expected. Travel between office locations will be required periodically.
Job Summary
Blue Skies Space is seeking a Junior Software Engineer to support the development of our software suite. This software covers a range of interesting topics that support the simulation of spacecraft, data reduction of science products and the scheduling of booking time on the spacecraft.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Support the development of the software suite by contributing to all stages of the Software Development Lifecycle, including requirements analysis, software design, implementation, testing and release of our software products
- Support the development of our backend physics tools and scientific code
- Opportunity to contribute to other software components in the future
- Engage in code reviews and collaborative practices to maintain and elevate code quality across the team
- Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team to connect scientific research, system engineering, and the translation of concepts into production-ready software
Key Requirements
Essential requirements for the role are:
- A strong ability to program in Python, especially with science-focused packages e.g. numpy, scipy, astropy
- Experience using version control systems e.g. git
- Ability to test and validate your own code
- Ability to set high standards for your own work and a passion for writing clean code
- Interest in working in an agile software development team
- Excellent communication skills and a willingness to learn
- A BSc in Physics, Astrophysics, Computer Science or another analytical subject area
It would also be desirable for the candidate to have:
- Experience using Python to simulate physics models
- Previously written automated tests using pytest or another tool
- Experience with Pull Requests and CI/CD tools e.g. GitHub Actions
- Experience in the space industry
What We Offer
- An exciting opportunity to be part of a start-up preparing for its first satellite launch in 2025
- The chance to contribute to the development of cutting-edge tools that will support multiple space missions
- An opportunity to transition from programming to software development, with continued growth as the company expands
- The chance to work closely with a diverse, multidisciplinary team of engineers, scientists and software engineers, with a multitude of different areas of expertise
Salary: Competitive, depending on skills and experience.
Assessment Process
The interview process will consist of:
- An online, 30-minute introductory call with the software team
- A take-home technical assessment to show off your skills
- An in-person interview in our London office to get to know more of the team
We strive to make our interview process as accessible as possible. If you require any assistance or reasonable adjustments before your interview, please feel free to reach out to us.
Application Process: Please send your CV and cover letter to careers@bssl.space.
Equal Opportunities Policy
Blue Skies Space aims to provide a workplace in which all staff are treated fairly and consistently. We will ensure, to the best of our ability, that staff and all others who have contact with the firm are not discriminated against, either directly or indirectly. In line with the UK Equality Act 2010, we are committed to providing equality of opportunity in all areas of dealing with staff, whether in recruitment and selection, promotion or training and development. Blue Skies Space supports, where possible, hybrid working and flexible hour working arrangements.