Space Detector Calibration Engineer

Location: Hybrid, contractually aligned to the Milton Keynes campus with at least 3 days per week on site for laboratory-based work.

Salary: £38,784–£46,049 per year.

Company

hirify.global is a UK university combining flexible higher education with research excellence through the Centre for Electronic Imaging.

What you will do

• Support detector calibration and data correction activities for space-imaging projects.
• Design and implement laboratory test equipment for detector calibration.
• Plan and perform calibration testing for X-ray CIS and infrared image sensors.
• Prepare, analyse, and document detector calibration data and produce technical reports.
• Support testing at external facilities with project partners and report technical progress.
• Collaborate with engineering and scientific teams across CEI, NASA/JPL, ESA, Teledyne e2v, and other research partners.

Requirements

• PhD in Physics, Astronomy, Engineering, or a closely related subject, or equivalent relevant experience.
• Experience working in a laboratory environment.
• Proficiency in MATLAB, C/C++, Java, Python, or similar development environments.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills with a logical, rigorous approach.
• Ability to work effectively within multidisciplinary teams.
• Ability to attend project meetings, workshops, conferences, and external testing activities as required.

Nice to have

• Knowledge or experience in X-ray astronomy or infrared detector technologies.
• Experience extracting or analysing laboratory or in-orbit data from X-ray or infrared detector systems.
• Experience with CCD or CMOS image sensors and their testing, characterisation, or calibration.
• Experience with optics and optical systems.
• Experience writing bespoke data acquisition and data analysis software, algorithms, and automated test measurements.

Culture & Benefits

• Work within a research centre collaborating with universities, space agencies, and technology companies.
• Flexible working arrangements may include job sharing, part-time work, or compressed hours by agreement.
• Benefits and policies support work-life balance.
• Opportunities to contribute to additional ESA and NASA space-mission research projects.

Hiring process

• Submit a CV and a supporting statement of no more than 1,000 words.
• Shortlisted candidates are expected to interview on 14 or 15 October.