Ground Segment Systems Team Lead (Aerospace)

Location: Oxfordshire, UK, Didcot (Hybrid); hirify.global UK, Harwell

Company

hirify.global develops on-orbit servicing solutions for the secure and sustainable development of space, serving government and commercial clients.

What you will do

• Own the Ground Segment system architecture, requirements, technical baseline, interfaces, data flows, configuration, and releases across subsystems.
• Lead requirements traceability, compliance management, integration, verification, validation, simulation, and end-to-end testing.
• Provide technical leadership through design reviews, governance, subsystem acceptance, and supplier coordination.
• Support the development of mission control, mission planning, ground station interfaces, and related ground systems software.
• Support mission operations through troubleshooting, maintenance, training, and resolution of technical issues.
• Line-manage 4–6 engineers, plan and prioritize technical work, conduct appraisals and reviews, and address team capability and resource needs.

Requirements

• University degree in Computer Science, Telecommunications, or a relevant engineering discipline.
• At least 5 years of industry experience designing and developing satellite user or ground segment products and technologies.
• Knowledge of C/C++, Java, and/or Python, software product development, and the full lifecycle from requirements and design through deployment and maintenance.
• Knowledge of ground segment components, spacecraft operations, project lifecycles, acceptance procedures, and ECSS standards.
• Experience leading a small team of ground systems engineers and interacting with spacecraft operations engineers.
• Fluency in spoken and written English is desirable for the role.

Nice to have

• At least 2 years of experience managing systems engineers or 8+ years of relevant industry experience.
• Experience with Scrum, Mission Control Systems, or SCOS-2000.
• Familiarity with CCSDS, CAN, and SpaceWire protocols and standards.

Culture & Benefits

• Competitive base salary, private healthcare, life insurance, and long-term sick pay.
• Hybrid working and flexible hours around core hours, with an optional 9/75 working pattern.
• 25 days of holiday, increasing annually to a maximum of 28 days, plus 8 bank holidays.
• Relocation allowance and visa sponsorship considered for employees.
• Access to a state-of-the-art office and cleanroom facility, plus regular social events.