Working at Skyrora

Skyrora is a European launch company building the next generation of rockets to launch small satellites into space from British soil, with the aim of achieving our first orbital launch in June 2022. Skyrora work closely with industry, academia, and governmental stakeholders in order to achieve the UK Space Agency goal of capturing 10% of the global space market by 2030. As part of Skyrora’s corporate development, we are looking to grow our team within our Edinburgh headquarters.

This junior role will involve working alongside the Business Development Team as well as Skyrora’s Engineering Team in order to develop Skyrora’s business processes and external image, managing daily company operations with regards to receptionist responsibilities as well as office management. Other responsibilities will include organisation of logistics for conference attendance, the generation and distribution of Skyrora’s quarterly newsletter, and content creation for the Skyrora website and social media platforms. The role is office-based, but with regular opportunities to travel with the team in order to represent the organisation at various conferences on an international level.

This is an exciting opportunity to work with a friendly and sociable team across Europe in an exciting and fast-growing space company.

An enthusiastic and motivated candidate with a passion for the space sector.

• Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills
• The ability to write to a consistently high standard
• The ability to plan ahead and manage multiple projects at a given time
• The ability to think outside the box in order to highlight areas of improvement within the company
• Excellent multi-tasking and organisational skills
• A positive attitude and high-level of motivation
• A genuine interest in space

• The opportunity to work in an exciting and vibrant sector
• The opportunity to work as part of a friendly and sociable team
• Domestic and international travel prospects
• Frequent social and team-building events

Skyrora is a European launch company building the next generation of rockets to take small satellites into space from the UK. We are aiming to conduct our first orbital launch in June 2022, with several suborbital launches planned before then. We work closely with several academic, industrial and governmental stakeholders to work towards the UK Space Agency’s target of capturing 10% of the global space market by 2030. As part of our corporate development, we are looking to scale-up the team at our Edinburgh Headquarters.

The role involves working alongside the Business Development and Engineering Teams to develop Skyrora’s business and image, managing daily company operations with regards to lead and enhance full scale of business development and sales. Successful contracts and orders, grant applications, JV establishments, multi-sectors and multi-countries cooperation – are the daily role’s routine. The role is office-based, but with frequent opportunities to travel around the world representing the organisation at the highest-level meetings and events.

This is an exciting opportunity to work with a friendly and sociable team across Europe in an exciting and fast-growing space company.

Space veteran looking to get involved in a dynamic European young company.

• Outstanding interpersonal and leadership skills
• A genuine interest in space
• Confidence in speaking publicly
• Engineering and sales expertise
• Brilliant past business achievements / track record
• References from top-industry players
• Wide network within aerospace industry including government stakeholders
• Excellent multi-tasking and people management skills

• Competitive salary
• The opportunity to work in an exciting and vibrant sector
• Friendly and sociable team
• Extensive domestic and international travel prospects
• Opportunities to take ownership of all BD projects
• Salary increases with experience/performance
• Frequent social and teambuilding events

Skyrora are the UK’s leading New-Space small satellite launch vehicle engineering company, based in Edinburgh. Skyrora’s mission is to provide a versatile and dedicated sovereign orbital launch capability to serve the world-leading satellite manufacturers local to the UK and Europe. Leading the UK’s effort to create a sustainable and environmentally friendly launch vehicle, Skyrora combines both world-leading innovative engineering solutions for the construction of its launch vehicles and liquid propulsion technologies. A focus of our technology approach is to minimise the impact on the immediate environment.

Small and Micro satellites are being used more and more in everyday life, with the manufacturing rate increasing year by year. They assist us by tracking forest fires, providing communications to remote places and capturing high definition images of the Earth, to name a few. There is currently a lack of launch opportunities for smallsats, and it is Skyrora’s goal to open this access to space, to unlock the potential for all.

We design and build our launch vehicles in house and aim to launch from the UK with our Skyrora XL, a 3-stage liquid launch vehicle. We currently have two liquid engine test sites, have performed static fires of our Skylark-L vehicles and Skyrora XL 3rd Stages. In our engine development, we performed over 120 liquid engine tests in 2020 alone. Globally, we have recently secured €3M in ESA funding, to accelerate our development activities.

Team working is at our core and we face new challenges every day. Every member of Skyrora’s diverse team demonstrates entrepreneurial flexibility to cooperate and establish sustainable solutions to all the challenges thrown at us; from creating the legal landscape enabling space flight in UK, to societal challenge of fighting global pandemics such as COVID-19, Skyrora is constantly challenging itself.

Why not challenge yourself in trying to get the UK back to space?

With 2021 set to be a huge year for Skyrora, we are looking to grow our workforce, including the construction of the largest engine test facility in the UK. Our H&S team are critical to the success of our operations and support all divisions across our business, setting proactive preventative controls to keep our workers safe and ensuring all our workshops and tests sites meet the required safety standards.

We are looking for a Health and Safety officer to join us on a full-time basis. The successful candidate will have a strong competence in all aspects of Health and Safety and the ability to grasp new concepts quickly to support Skyrora with developing and introducing new policies and procedures.

This is a great opportunity to join the UK’s leading launch vehicle manufacturer on our journey to orbit.

Key responsibilities and tasks include:

• Creating risk assessments and the implementation of control measures identified
• Advisor for teams on company health and safety procedures as well as requirements to comply with
• Enforcing Health and Safety Culture on-site to ensure compliance with company health and safety procedures, identifying risks and opportunities
• Working on-site on various test site locations to provide H&S oversight
• Assisting with the investigation of incidents to identify root causes and develop action plans to correct them
• Assist in maintaining internal records of incidents and near misses
• Undertake projects and information gathering to establish hazards, levels of risk and identify best practices
• Perform Foreign Object Debris checks and safety inspections
• Assist in the management and delivery of safety related training to staff
• Assist the Health and Safety Officer in implementing and maintaining the Safety Management System
• Updating workshop and test site Health and Safety signage
• Accountable for Health and Safety on the engine test site and supporting facilities
• Conduct investigations and produce detailed reports on any incidents or accidents

• Minimum NVQ Level 3 Certificate in a safety related field
• Previous experience in a health and safety role
• Experience of using Microsoft Office packages, particularly Word, Excel and Powerpoint
• Strong problem-solving skills, with experience of gathering evidence to assess, measure and evaluate decision making
• A proactive thinker who continuously looks for ways to improve methods and processes
• Solid communication skills to ensure key messages are understood
• High level of confidentiality when working with and around intellectual property
• Good document and technical writing skills
• Meticulous administration skills/attention to detail
• A confident approach when dealing with Health and safety issues and breaches

• IOSH Level 3 General Certificate in Safety and Health for Business or NEBOSH National General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety
• First aid certification

• Valid passport, including right to work in the UK
• Full driving licence is preferred
• Ability to work flexible hours when needed to cover projects and operations
• Willing to work in a dynamic teamwork-orientated environment

Skyrora is the UK’s foremost New-Space small satellite launch vehicle engineering company, based in Edinburgh. Skyrora’s mission is to provide a versatile and dedicated sovereign launch capability to serve the world-leading satellite manufacturers local to the UK and Europe. Leading the UK’s effort to create a sustainable and environmentally friendly launch vehicle, Skyrora combines both world-leading innovative engineering solutions for the construction of its launch vehicles and liquid propulsion technologies. A focus of our technology approach is to minimise the impact on the immediate environment.

Small and Micro satellites are being used more and more in everyday life, with the manufacturing rate increasing year by year. They assist us by tracking forest fires, providing communications to remote places and capturing high-definition images of the Earth, to name a few. There is currently a lack of launch opportunities for small satellites, and it is Skyrora’s goal to open this access to space, to unlock the potential for all.

We design and build our launch vehicles in house and aim to launch from the UK with our Skyrora XL, a 3-stage liquid launch vehicle. We currently have two liquid engine test sites, have performed static fires of our Skylark-L vehicles and Skyrora XL 3rd Stages. In our engine development, we performed over 120 liquid engine tests in 2020 alone. Globally, we have recently secured over £3M in ESA funding, to accelerate our development activities.

Team working is at our core and we face new challenges every day. Every member of Skyrora’s diverse team demonstrates entrepreneurial flexibility to cooperate and establish sustainable solutions to all the challenges thrown at us; from creating the legal landscape enabling space flight in UK, to societal challenge of fighting global pandemics such as COVID-19, Skyrora is constantly challenging itself.

Why not challenge yourself in trying to get the UK back to space?

As Skyrora push forward on our next series of test campaigns, we are in the process of establishing the UK’s largest purpose-built testing facility. As a result, we are rapidly expanding our teams to maintain our current pace of development. Skyrora requires an experienced Mechanical Technician to assist in the operation and maintenance of various hydraulic and pneumatic systems at our testing facility, reporting to the test site’s Chief Engineer. In this role the candidate would be a key player in ensuring our systems are safe and operational and would be driving our engine testing campaigns forward. You will be presented with challenging technical problems and be required to work alongside a dedicated testing team to solve these issues and keep the test campaign on schedule. As such you will need to be resilient, respond to challenges and consistently perform to the highest standard.

As part of the Skyrora team, you will have the opportunity to work in a fast-paced and hands-on work environment. You will be utilising your experience and technical knowledge to work on pressure equipment, diagnose and fix problems within systems as well as communicate effectively with other test personnel to ensure safety standards at our facilities are kept at the highest level and improved wherever possible.

This is a fantastic opportunity to be a part of a truly dynamic and exciting industry. We are looking for individuals who are highly dedicated to their work and who take pride in consistently pushing the boundaries of what is achievable. Apply now to play your part in our journey to orbit.

Key responsibilities and tasks include:

• Coordinate with sales team on quarterly targets
• Sales reporting
• Conference attendance
• Co-ordinate sales team schedule
• Check work after task completion to ensure job is complete to required specifications

• Working with a team of experienced technicians and engineers to run test campaigns at a dedicated facility
• Diagnose and perform root cause analysis
• Fabricate and install pressure systems to given specifications and drawings/models
• Maintain pressure equipment both proactively and reactively to ensure full functionality of systems
• Configure pressure systems for tests
• Constantly monitor and seek to improve safety standards and processes on site
• Communicate with the Chief Test Site Engineer on all matters relevant to testing
• Specify and source pneumatic and hydraulic components for use within test stands
• Produce documentation relevant to fabrication, manufacture and purchasing in line with our company policies

Essential experience and skills include:

• Recognised apprenticeship in Mechanical Engineering or other suitable field
• Minimum of 5 years experience in a similar role or industrial environment
• Experienced with online records on an EPR platform such as ODOO and written schemes of work
• Understanding of safe systems of work
• Experience in identifying faults and diagnosis with respect to high pressure hydraulic and pneumatic systems
• Experienced in the operation of pressure equipment and pneumatic systems
• Experience working with hazardous substances
• Experience with the maintenance of pressure equipment
• Experience with permit to work systems
• Experience working at height and in confined spaces
• Experience operating lifting equipment
• Experience working with critical systems
• Experience of installing and commissioning new pneumatic systems

• CompEx competency validation
• HNC or HND qualifications
• Experience or valid UK forklift qualification
• First aid training

• Valid passport, including right to work in the UK
• Full driving licence is preferred
• Full driving licence is preferred
• Must be willing to work outside normal working hours in order to meet critical company deadlines when required
• Must be determined to make a significant contribution to UK Space launch capability