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About the project
Guided by educational research, we support young people to be a space person.
While many young people find space an interesting topic, they don’t necessarily see it as relevant to their own life or providing realistic and accessible career opportunities for people like themselves.
The Imperial College London I’m a Space Person project highlights a diverse range of careers across the space sector, making these relatable through the personal qualities involved in these roles. This approach was inspired by our partners NUSTEM.
Artist
Other
CreativePassionateSelf-motivated
Artists produce art such as images of planets, technology, or other concepts for use within the company and the media. This could be for press releases or company websites and materials.
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Astrobiologist
Scientific
CommunicativePatientResilient
One of the main questions in space exploration is whether there is life in space. Astrobiologists try to determine what is required for life, where these conditions may be found in space and what the signs of life we could detect may be.
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Astrophysicist
Scientific
ImaginativeOpen-mindedPassionate
Astrophysicists study objects in the universe including galaxies and stars. They want to understand the history of them, what they are made of, how they formed and their main features to identify other similar objects.
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Business Development
Management
CommunicativeCreativeSelf-motivated
Business development build a relationship with other organisations such as the government or space agencies. They make sure the company receives grants and investments so that they can develop new technology and prepare for more missions.
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Communications
Business
CollaborativeCommunicativeLogical
Communications keep contact with other companies on behalf of the whole company. They also talk to the media with press conferences, events and writing statements and press releases.
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Cost Estimator
Business
Hard-workingLogicalOrganised
Cost estimators think about all the costs involved in a project before it starts. This is especially useful if the company is looking for a contract, for example from the government, and needs to prove that their costs have been considered in an initial project proposal so that they know it is possible.
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Data Scientist
Computing
CuriousHard-workingImaginative
Data scientists take data and put it into a useful format for others in the company. This might involve adding layers to maps to give a view of changes over an area or looking at space imagery and combining it with other relevant data.
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Earth Observation
Scientific
CuriousObservantOrganised
Earth observation use satellites with cameras and other instruments to observe how the Earth and its atmosphere change over time. They make predictions about future changes.
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Environmental Engineer
Engineering
CollaborativeObservantPassionate
Environmental engineers make sure that the spacecraft can survive in the environments that it will travel to or through. This includes launch, orbit, interplanetary travel, other planets, and re-entry to the Earth.
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Finance
Business
CollaborativeLogicalPatient
Finance teams are responsible for paying invoices, ordering in materials and parts and making deals with suppliers. They must keep track of the company’s incoming and outgoing money to make sure they are not making a loss and that the current financial situation is sustainable.
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Flight Software
Computing
CollaborativeHard-workingLogical
Flight software engineers make programs that control everything once the spacecraft is out of Earth’s atmosphere, such as cameras or solar panels.
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Flight Surgeon
Health
ObservantResilientSelf-motivated
Flight surgeons are responsible for the overall health of astronauts on missions to space. They are checking in especially through the most intense parts of the mission, launch and landing, when astronauts experience high g-forces.
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Ground Software
Computing
CommittedCreativeLogical
Ground software engineers work on making programs that operate the spacecraft and organise how it will send and receive information to and from Earth.
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Human Resources
Business
CommunicativePassionateResilient
Human resources are responsible for people, contracts, making sure employees are happy and dealing with any issues they bring up. This helps to keep a good working environment and to make sure that the company’s work output is the best it can be.
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Innovation Manager
Management
CommunicativeImaginativeSelf-motivated
Innovation managers oversee the company strategy for creating new product ideas and see where they would fit into the market. They write proposals to win contracts to develop ideas further and communicate with teams to see if the ideas are possible.
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Museum Curator
Education
CreativeObservantOrganised
Museum curators oversee collections of artefacts for museum exhibits. This involves acquiring, storing, and caring for artefacts, choosing themes and designs, and conducting tours and workshops for the public.
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Planetary Geologist
Scientific
CreativeCuriousObservant
Geologists are responsible for identifying where minerals are found and assessing the quantity and quality of them. They suggest areas that should be surveyed, for example by rovers on Mars, and prepare reports from this.
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Policy Maker
Law & policy
CollaborativeCommunicativeHard-working
Policy makers create laws to govern how space is used to keep it safe and sustainable. They give advice and guidance to the government and public companies. International relations are important for this so that countries can collaborate on missions.
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Product Assurance
Sales
CollaborativeOpen-mindedOrganised
Product assurance make sure that products are “up to scratch” through the production process and before they are given to the customer. As well as checking that the product works, they make sure that it performs as well as possible and is reliable so will not suddenly stop working mid-mission.
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Project Manager
Management
ObservantSelf-motivatedTenacious
Project managers organise all the activities and people for a project to make sure that it is completed on time and within the budget. They must notice problems and come up with solutions to them.
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Risk Management
Management
CollaborativeHard-workingObservant
Risk management considers all risks involved in the production process or mission and works with teams to minimise any impacts of these risks. They must plan, design, and implement a process to manage risks such as going over budget.
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Satellite Sales
Sales
CollaborativeCreativeImaginative
Satellite sales represent and promote a company to other organisations and potential customers. They create and present sales pitches which are specific to what a customer wants and explain why they should ask them to provide a satellite over any other company.
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Science Communicator
Education
CommunicativeOrganisedPatient
Science communicators aim to increase access and public awareness of the space sector. This can include outreach events such as exhibitions, or media such as videos and informative booklets. Many science communicators work on this alongside a job in research or similar.
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Space Command
Other
PatientResilientTenacious
The space command is a branch of the RAF in the UK but works together with all branches of the military. They work to monitor space and protect the UK’s interest and prevent disruption to civilian, commercial and defence activity.
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Space Journalist
Education
CommunicativeObservantTenacious
Space journalists aim to inform the public about a wide range of space exploration and technology development. This popularises space science and makes people realise why space matters.
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Space Lawyer
Law & policy
LogicalOrganisedTenacious
Space lawyers work with clients, the courts, and other legal professionals. They may help to write new laws, argue specific cases in a court or look at how existing laws impact space missions. Clients may ask for advice and guidance on specific topics, legal support in a case or for help with contracts.
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Space Nutritionist
Health
ImaginativeOpen-mindedOrganised
Space nutritionists plan the food that will be sent on missions with astronauts. This involves making sure they get enough of each food group but also giving them a choice of food. This is now far from the days of pureed food in a tube – astronauts are sent all sorts of meals and snacks.
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Space Operations Nurse
Health
PatientResilientTenacious
Space operations nurses are usually contracted to aid flight surgeons with upcoming missions. They help with astronaut recovery operations as well as research before and in flight.
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Space Psychologist
Health
CommunicativeOpen-mindedResilient
Space psychologists check in with the mental health of astronauts and investigate the effects of the high-stress environment of space missions on astronauts. They are also involved in astronaut selection and training.
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Space Travel Agent
Sales
CommittedCommunicativeOrganised
Space travel agents organise and sell trips to space for non-career astronauts. This involves working for commercial space companies and advertising why people should choose their company.
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Structural/Mechanical Engineer
Engineering
CommittedObservantOrganised
Structural and mechanical engineers design the structure of spacecraft and components for them. They must use CAD design and model analysis to make sure that the spacecraft launches successfully and does its job safely.
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Supply Chain
Business
CommunicativeLogicalOrganised
Supply chain works out materials required for projects and makes sure that they arrive in the right places at the right times. This involves making sure the right amount arrives, the final product ends up being delivered to the right place at the right time and that the product is stored safely.
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Systems Engineer
Engineering
CommittedHard-workingPatient
Systems engineers manage building whole spacecraft or instruments. They must make sure that the system does everything a customer asked for but keeps within energy, mass, and power limits.
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Teaching Fellow
Education
CommunicativeImaginativeResilient
A teaching fellow delivers lectures and smaller group teaching as well as planning out teaching materials in a university. They also research teaching methods and integrate them into teaching at the university.
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Technical Recruiter
Business
CommittedObservantOpen-minded
Technical recruiters make sure that people with the correct talents for the company are recruited. They keep in mind ongoing projects and how the business is being presented. This involves organising specific recruitment programmes.
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Weather Data Analyst
Scientific
CollaborativeResilientTenacious
Weather data analysts look at processing different types of data such as air temperature, wind speed and direction to improve weather forecasting. This data can come from satellites, weather balloons or ground stations.
Learn moreWhat do you want to be?
Found a space career that could be for you? Share with friends and family. Press the ‘copy text‘ button below, then paste our snippet on social media.
Today I learned that I’m a #spaceperson, you could have the qualities to work in space too. https://www.spaceperson.co.uk
