---
title: 'Backend / Data Platform Engineer at Foundational'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/backend-data-platform-engineer-foundational-london-srtce7a1dz8c'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-17'
---

# Backend / Data Platform Engineer at Foundational

- **Company:** Foundational
- **Location:** London, United Kingdom
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-09-30
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-17
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/foundational/3d1ce015-9190-40df-be68-a4e772eca202

## Job description

Backend / Data Platform Engineer This is a future role. We're building a shortlist now and will contact you when it opens.

## About us

Foundational is building the most precise picture of Earth and orbit, using lasers fired from the ground. We call it ground truth for orbit. We design and run low-cost, autonomous satellite laser ranging stations. They measure the distance to satellites with extreme precision, day and night. Our data platform turns those measurements into tracking data and orbit products for satellite operators, space agencies and governments. We also build our own flight-proven laser retroreflector arrays, so any satellite can be tracked. Our station network is expanding across Europe, South America, Africa and Australia. The data supports resilient navigation, Earth observation and the safe, sustainable use of space. We're a small, fast-moving team of engineers, scientists and operators in London. We're backed by venture investors and supported by ESA, the UK Space Agency, Innovate UK and the European Innovation Council.

Position Overview London · Full time · On-site You'll build the platform that ingests, processes and serves our tracking data, all the way from station to customer API.

## What you'll do

- Build ingest pipelines from our stations and from third-party data sources
- Design data models and storage for high-volume, time-series scientific data
- Build and maintain customer APIs and data delivery in standard formats
- Make pipelines reliable, observable and secure, including for customers with strict data-handling requirements
- Work closely with front-end, geodesy and orbit determination engineers

## What you'll bring

- Extensive experience building backend systems in production
- Strong Python (or Go or Rust) and SQL
- Experience with data pipelines, message queues and time-series storage
- Cloud infrastructure and containers (Docker, Kubernetes)
- Care for testing, security and documentation

## Nice to have

- Scientific or geospatial data
- Space data standards (CCSDS, CRD)
- Streaming platforms such as Kafka
- A background in space situational awareness

## What We Offer

- A high-impact role with real ownership at an early-stage, venture-backed spacetech company
- EMI share options (UK employees)
- 25 Days Annual Leave + Bank Holidays
- Enhanced Parental Leave
- Cycle to work schemes
- Work alongside engineers and scientists across optics, lasers, software and astrodynamics
- Offices in central London, with snacks, tea, coffee and regular social

We actively champion underrepresented groups and seek to bridge gaps in our workforce. If you're excited by the role but don't match every point, or you’re seeking a part time role, please apply anyway and add a note into your application. Building the best team is our priority.

## About Foundational

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Foundational builds the most precise understanding of Earth and orbit using ground-based satellite laser ranging (SLR) data to empower resilient navigation, space traffic control, and earth observation.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Early-stage, VC-backed)
- **Headquarters**: London, United Kingdom (with additional offices in San Francisco, US, and Tel Aviv, Israel)
- **Founded**: 2022
- **Founders**: Alon Nafta (CEO), Barak Fargoun (CTO)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Space Technology / Spacetech, Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR), Earth Observation, Space Domain Awareness
- **Target customers**: Space companies, government agencies, defense organizations, and commercial satellite operators needing precise orbital data, resilient navigation, and space traffic management.
- **Mission**: To create an exquisite, real-time understanding of Earth and orbit using ground-based lasers, building the foundational data platform for the future of space sustainability, climate monitoring, and the space economy.

## Products & Services
- **Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) Data Platform**: A ground-based laser network that provides ultra-precise tracking and ranging data for satellites. This data enables resilient navigation (GPS-independent), precise space traffic control, and high-fidelity earth observation. The platform ingests, manages, and visualises vast amounts of complex scientific and geospatial data. [builtin.com](https://builtin.com/company/foundational)

## Market Standing
- **Valuation**: Not disclosed
- **Key Metric**: Total Funding — **$8.0M** (Seed Round, March 2024)
- **Notable Investors**: Gradient (lead), Viola Ventures (lead), and one other investor. [wellfound.com](https://wellfound.com/company/foundationaldata)
- **Growth Signals**:
    - Headcount grew **+40.9% YoY** (to ~31 employees).
    - Hiring for multiple senior engineering roles (Full Stack, Lead Front End) in London.
    - Expanding from core R&D in Israel to commercial and engineering operations in London and San Francisco.
    - Building a greenfield, mission-critical platform from scratch.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Proprietary Ground-Based Laser Network**: Hard tech moat — building physical ground stations with advanced SLR technology is capital-intensive and technically complex.
- **Founding Team Deep Expertise**: CEO Alon Nafta (ex-Singular, SentinelOne, Israeli Intelligence) and CTO Barak Fargoun (ex-Google Senior Staff Engineer, Intel) bring deep experience in high-scale data systems, security, and product leadership. [foundational.io/team](https://www.foundational.io/team)
- **Early Mover in Space Data Infrastructure**: Tackling a critical, underserved need for precise, resilient positioning and space traffic management, essential for the growing space economy.
- **VC-Backed with Strong Investor Signal**: Backed by top-tier VCs Gradient and Viola Ventures, providing financial runway and strategic support.

## Strategic Focus
- **Product Development**: Building the core SLR data platform from the ground up, with a focus on ingesting, managing, and visualising complex geospatial data.
- **Team Scaling**: Actively hiring senior engineering talent in London to build the product and company culture.
- **Commercialisation**: Moving from seed-stage R&D to deploying ground stations and onboarding initial customers (space companies, government, defense).
- **Infrastructure Buildout**: Establishing ground-based laser stations and operational capabilities across multiple locations (US, UK, Israel).

## Why Work Here
- **Mission-Driven & High-Impact**: Work on one of the hardest engineering challenges of the decade — building the foundational infrastructure for the future of space. The work directly impacts space sustainability, climate monitoring, and resilient navigation. [builtin.com](https://builtin.com/job/full-stack-software-engineer/9265774)
- **Early-Stage Ownership**: As an early team member, you get genuine ownership and autonomy. Engineers build greenfield projects (no legacy code) and define the architecture, tech stack, and culture. [reactjobs.io](https://reactjobs.io/react-jobs/foundational/7658-lead-front-end-software-engineer)
- **Hybrid & In-Office Options**: The London office is in central London (Borough/London Bridge). Roles are a mix of in-office and hybrid. [builtin.com](https://builtin.com/company/foundational)
- **Compensation & Perks**:
    - Generous compensation and pension contributions.
    - EMI options (equity) in a fast-growing VC-backed startup.
    - Offices with snacks, tea, coffee, and regular socials. [reactjobs.io](https://reactjobs.io/react-jobs/foundational/7658-lead-front-end-software-engineer)
- **Engineering Culture**: Modern tech stack (React, TypeScript, Python, FastAPI, MongoDB, AWS, Terraform, Airflow). High bar for code quality, testing, and performance. Strong emphasis on collaboration with product and founding team.

## Sources
1. [Built In - Foundational Company Profile](https://builtin.com/company/foundational)
2. [Foundational Official Team Page](https://www.foundational.io/team)
3. [Built In - Full Stack Software Engineer Job Posting](https://builtin.com/job/full-stack-software-engineer/9265774)
4. [React Jobs - Lead Front End Software Engineer Job Posting](https://reactjobs.io/react-jobs/foundational/7658-lead-front-end-software-engineer)
5. [Wellfound (AngelList) - Foundational Data Inc.](https://wellfound.com/company/foundationaldata)
6. [LinkedIn - Foundational Data Inc.](https://www.linkedin.com/company/foundationaldata)

## Other roles at Foundational

- [Head of Engineering](https://feeny.ai/job/head-of-engineering-foundational-london-dz6m9mtx17wr) — London, United Kingdom
- [Chief of Staff](https://feeny.ai/job/chief-of-staff-foundational-london-3ygng8yef31e) — London, United Kingdom
- [HR Lead](https://feeny.ai/job/hr-lead-foundational-london-ver9zt8cr8cd) — London, United Kingdom
- [Founders Associate](https://feeny.ai/job/founders-associate-foundational-london-0yccp4dy4c6f) — London, United Kingdom
- [Facilities Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/facilities-manager-foundational-london-65q7sc2p8aq9) — London, United Kingdom
- [Office Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/office-manager-foundational-london-9qp1r2h06z7g) — London, United Kingdom
- [BD Manager (US)](https://feeny.ai/job/bd-manager-us-foundational-united-states-ph5qgqcpq4n0) — United States
- [Head of Sales / Commercial Director](https://feeny.ai/job/head-of-sales-commercial-director-foundational-london-74jskx7k9x07) — London, United Kingdom
- [Optical SSA / Image Processing Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/optical-ssa-image-processing-engineer-foundational-london-4tzah5sbfv3d) — London, United Kingdom
- [Orbit Determination Engineer / Astrodynamicist](https://feeny.ai/job/orbit-determination-engineer-astrodynamicist-foundational-london-yy6wz5krsqmk) — London, United Kingdom