
Facilities Manager at Foundational (London, United Kingdom)
Foundational· London, United Kingdom·
Role details
Job description
Facilities Manager 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 We're setting up a new London facility with a workshop, labs and a cleanroom. You'll own it: the fit-out, the day-to-day running and keeping it safe.
What you'll do
- Manage the fit-out of our new facility with landlords, contractors and engineers
- Set up and maintain the cleanroom, workshop and lab infrastructure
- Own health, safety and environmental compliance: risk assessments, COSHH, fire safety and lifting equipment
- Manage maintenance, utilities, security and access
- Manage facilities budgets and suppliers
- Plan space as the team grows
What you'll bring
- Facilities management experience in industrial, manufacturing, lab or engineering settings
- Working knowledge of UK health and safety law and practice (NEBOSH or IOSH is a plus)
- Project management of fit-outs or refurbishments
- Confidence with contractors, landlords and building services
Nice to have
- Cleanroom operations (ISO 14644)
- Laser safety
- Building services such as three-phase power, HVAC and compressed air
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 socials
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.
Why work at Foundational
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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.