Full-Time
On-board Data Handling Engineer
ClearSpace
51-200 employees
Autonomous space-debris removal for orbit
No salary listed
London, UK
In Person
Bachelor's, Master's
 Aerospace Engineering (1) |
|---|
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- A BSc or MSc in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or a related discipline.
- At least 5 years of electrical engineering experience in the space industry in an avionics or data handling role.
- Knowledge of common spacecraft communication buses, including CAN, SpaceWire, and Ethernet.
- Familiarity with programmable logic and microcontrollers.
- Experience working with system-level requirements, interfaces, and technical documentation.
- Knowledge of typical programme lifecycles and previous active contribution to key formal reviews such as PDR and CDR.
- Ability to work in a team and collaborate outside the immediate area of expertise.
- Ability to stay organised while handling multiple technical topics in parallel.
- Provide data handling systems engineering, including high-level architecture and detailed electronics design, from specification through integration.
- Develop and maintain data handling system architectures for missions, covering hardware, interface, and protocol definitions.
- Specify and select hardware for on-board data processing to ensure high reliability and compute capability.
- Act as the technical point of contact for data handling systems with internal project teams, the flight software team, customers, and subcontractors.
- Perform requirements engineering, including analysis and flow-up and flow-down, for data handling systems and electrical interfaces of other on-board hardware.
- Maintain spacecraft budgets and parametric models for data handling systems.
- Support the definition of test equipment.
- Define validation, verification, and test plans.
- Support Product Assurance activities and technical reviews.
- Contribute to development, verification, and AIV/T planning at system and spacecraft level.
- Support integration and testing of electrical units, including report generation.
- Support flight operations.
- Generate documentation throughout the project lifetime, including design, development and verification plans, FMEA, design review documentation, and in-orbit subsystem operational procedures.
- Support customer and project reviews.
- Write and support Requests for Proposals to external companies for avionics units, review responses, and support down-selections.
- Provide subcontractor management and technical supervision for key hardware deliverables, including power units and other avionics procurements.
- Review and assess data handling electronics aspects of spacecraft equipment in support of other disciplines.
- Support architecture and product development for future data handling system designs.
- Contribute to detailed data handling design for in-house developments.
- Detailed understanding of spacecraft computer architectures.
- Embedded software or HDL programming experience.
- Experience with space-to-ground communications protocols and RF links, including CCSDS standards and the Packet Utilisation Standard.
- Detailed understanding of electronics analysis, design, build, and test.
- Hands-on electronics design and test experience, including fault diagnosis.
- Experience with common space standards such as ECSS and MIL standards, including associated tailoring.
- Experience interacting with institutional customers such as ESA or the UK Space Agency.
ClearSpace removes space debris from Earth's orbit using autonomous robotic systems. The flagship mission ClearSpace-1 aims to capture derelict satellites and debris and remove them from orbit, reducing collision risk for future missions. It develops autonomous capture, disposal, and refueling/servicing capabilities under contracts with space agencies, including the ESA. Its goal is to make space activities safer and more sustainable by actively cleaning orbital debris and enabling longer-lived satellites.
Company Size
51-200
Company Stage
Grant
Total Funding
$38.8M
Headquarters
Renens, Switzerland
Founded
2018
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- In November 2025, ClearSpace raised €26.7 million from OTB, EIF, and Swisscom Ventures.
- May 2025 Phase 2 completion for CLEAR advanced Britain's first active debris-removal mission.
- ESA updated in August 2026 that ClearSpace-1 remains contracted for launch and reentry.
What critics are saying
- ClearSpace depends on a 2026 Vega C launch; any Arianespace slip delays revenue and credibility.
- ESA's single-mission model exposes ClearSpace to cancellation risk if technical tests fail.
- Astroscale won the UKSA tender path in 2025, threatening ClearSpace's British pipeline.
What makes ClearSpace unique
- ESA's €86 million ClearSpace-1 contract made ClearSpace the first debris-removal vendor, not a contractor.
- ClearSpace's four robotic arms target capture, de-orbit, inspection, and refueling across orbit regimes.
- The company already spans ESA, UKSA, and Intelsat missions, broadening proof beyond one demo.
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Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
↓ -3%1 year growth
↓ -3%2 year growth
↑ 1%Space around Earth is growing dangerously congested with defunct satellites and debris, prompting companies like Astroscale and ClearSpace to develop removal technologies they believe could become a major industry. The problem is accelerating — even without new launches, debris would continue multiplying as objects fragment faster than they naturally re-enter the atmosphere, according to the European Space Agency's Tim Flohrer. This forces active satellites to perform increasing collision-avoidance manoeuvres. Tokyo-listed Astroscale has demonstrated magnetic docking technology and reported 142% revenue growth last year, though it remains unprofitable and relies heavily on government grants. ClearSpace raised €26 million in 2023 for its debris-capture satellite. Both firms see broader opportunities in satellite servicing, repair and life extension. However, the market remains nascent and government-backed. Industry leaders argue that regulation requiring satellite decommissioning would create commercial demand for their services.
UK launches $1.3M competition for military space technologies. The UK Defence Innovation (UKDI) has launched a new funding competition to support technologies aimed at strengthening the country's military space capabilities against emerging threats. The latest Space to Innovate: Delta Drop competition offers up to 985,000 pounds ($1.3 million) in funding for projects lasting up to 18 months that address defense and security challenges in space. The program, delivered in partnership with the UK Space Agency and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, is the fourth round of the Space to Innovate initiative, which has awarded more than 4.2 million pounds ($5.6 million) to 19 organizations since its launch in 2021. The funding supports capabilities that could provide future military capabilities but may struggle to secure commercial investment. This year's competition is seeking technologies that improve sensor-to-response capabilities for space domain awareness, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and communications, with the goal of enhancing coverage and reducing response times. It also centers on systems that enable satellites and other space platforms to protect themselves against hostile actions, as well as solutions that improve resilience against ground-based electromagnetic threats. UK expands investment in military space capabilities. The latest competition builds on a series of UK initiatives aimed at strengthening space defense capabilities. In June, Shield Space and ClearSpace signed an agreement to jointly develop sovereign technologies to protect British satellites, providing end-to-end services for government and defense space missions. Earlier, in November 2025, Raytheon UK won a contract to support the country's space domain awareness mission through orbital analysis and its NORSSTrack satellite-tracking software. In October, the UK announced plans to develop sensors capable of detecting laser threats against satellites.
The Zurich-based startup launched its platform four months ago to help engineering and design talent showcase their projects, find opportunities and connect to like-minded peers. The $1.6M pre-seed funds will enable the startup to solidify its business idea and identify a product market fit.
ClearSpace, a leader in space debris removal, raised €27 million to enhance sustainable space operations. Founded in 2018, the Swiss company aims to revolutionize in-orbit services. The funding round was led by OTB Ventures, with support from the European Investment Fund and others. ClearSpace is developing technologies for satellite proximity and rendezvous, crucial for future space sustainability. They are also collaborating with Intelsat on satellite life-extension projects.
An on-orbit servicing firm based in Harwell has jointly secured a £690,000 investment from the UK government's Department for Science, alongside D-Orbit and ClearSpace.