---
title: 'Spacecraft Structural Engineer at NewOrbit Space'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/spacecraft-structural-engineer-neworbit-space-reading-eqthy390xbdg'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-11'
---

# Spacecraft Structural Engineer at NewOrbit Space

- **Company:** NewOrbit Space
- **Location:** Reading, United Kingdom
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** hybrid
- **Posted:** 2026-05-14
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-11
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/neworbit/e714cf3d-7d0d-4d37-b132-7d14ddf21303

## Job description

At NewOrbit Space, our mission is to engineer the lowest orbiting satellites on Earth to rapidly advance global connectivity and insight. We are currently building satellites that can operate at an altitude of just 200 km - one-third that of conventional satellites.

## Your Role

We are seeking a Structural Engineer to support the design, analysis, testing, and qualification of structures for our VLEO satellite missions. You will work across the full development lifecycle of flight hardware, from early structural modelling and design reviews through environmental testing and validation, helping ensure the reliability and survivability of spacecraft operating in one of the harshest orbital environments. You will work closely with mechanical, thermal, propulsion, systems, and AIT teams to develop structurally robust hardware capable of surviving launch and sustained operations in Ultra-Low Earth Orbit.

## Key Responsibilities

- Perform structural analysis of flight hardware including spacecraft structures, propulsion subsystems, and mechanical assemblies. This includes static, modal, random vibration, sine, shock, and quasi-static load cases.
- Develop and validate finite element models (FEM) for spacecraft and high-performance aerospace structures.
- Perform hand calculations for preliminary analysis in support of FEA.
- Support structural sizing, stiffness optimisation, and load path analysis for launch and in-orbit environments.
- Plan and execute vibration, shock, and structural qualification testing test campaigns end-to-end: write the test plan, instrument the hardware, interpret the data, correlate the model, and close out the qualification report.
- Instrument hardware using accelerometers and strain gauges, and correlate test results back to analytical models.
- Review engineering drawings and collaborate directly with designers to drive structural design decisions.
- Support qualification activities against relevant aerospace and space standards including GEVS, ECSS, and NASA requirements.
- Contribute to structural verification activities across development, integration, and test phases.

Fundamental Requirements

- Education: B.S. or M.S. degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Structural Engineering, or a related field.
- 3+ years of structural analysis experience on flight hardware, including spacecraft, launch vehicles, missiles, or high-performance structures.
- Experience with structural analysis of a satellite's primary or secondary structure (i.e., the load-bearing bus/frame, not just a subsystem or payload) is strongly preferred.
- Experience with structural analysis of spacecraft structures and subsystems, including electronic boxes, propulsion systems, hydraulics, or solar panels.
- Experience with design for manufacturing (DFM).
- Hands-on experience with FEM and ability to justify modelling assumptions and approaches.
- Experience with Altair OptiStruct is a strong plus; proficiency with industry-standard solvers such as NASTRAN, ANSYS, or Abaqus is required.
- Familiarity with launch environments including random vibration PSDs, SRS shock spectra, and quasi-static load factors.
- Practical experience supporting environmental testing, including instrumentation with accelerometers and strain gauges and model correlation activities.
- Confidence reading and reviewing engineering drawings and working directly with design engineers on structural decisions.

Nice-to-haves

- Experience with analysis of composite materials.
- Experience with material testing, metallic and composites

Why NewOrbit Space?

- Pioneering Space Technology – You'll contribute to launching groundbreaking technology into space. Your work on our revolutionary ion propulsion system and ULEO satellite platform will redefine satellite operations and disrupt traditional LEO operations.
- Unmatched Ownership and Impact – You'll experience a level of ownership that's rare in the space industry. You will participate in the full lifecycle of satellite technology.
- Equity and Competitive Salary – You'll receive not just a competitive salary but also company ownership stakes. Your dedication and hard work are rewarded with a share in the technology you help build, ensuring you're a part of our collective success.
- Comprehensive Benefits Package – Including private health insurance with dental and optical coverage, annual healthcare check-ups etc.
- Hybrid Work - A hybrid setup with one dedicated remote day per week.
- Visa Sponsorship & Relocation Support - We provide a relocation package and sponsor your visa if you’re joining us from abroad.

## About NewOrbit Space

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: NewOrbit designs and builds the world's lowest orbiting satellites for very-low Earth orbit (VLEO), enabling enhanced Earth observation, direct‑to‑device connectivity, and advanced weather forecasting.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series A)
- **Headquarters**: Reading, England, United Kingdom
- **Founded**: 2021
- **Founders**: Anatolii Papulov (CEO) and Ruslan Rakhimov (CTO)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Space technology / Satellite manufacturing
- **Target customers**: Commercial and government organisations needing high‑resolution imagery, atmospheric data, and global connectivity (B2B, Enterprise)
- **Mission or purpose**: Engineering Earth’s lowest orbiting satellite to advance global connectivity and insight, while keeping space clean for future generations.

## Products & Services
- **[NEO-1]**: A very‑low Earth orbit satellite capable of sustained operation at ~200‑300 km altitude. It delivers drone‑quality imagery (20× cheaper than conventional satellites), direct‑to‑device 5G‑equivalent internet, and precise atmospheric data for weather forecasting. The satellite uses a proprietary air‑breathing electric propulsion system, tailored attitude control, and advanced materials to overcome drag and atomic oxygen. It operates in a naturally self‑cleaning orbit (deorbits within a month after decommission).

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed
- **Key Metric**: Total Funding raised – **$18.77 M** (Series A of $18.5 M closed June 2026)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**:
  - Lead: Voyager Ventures
  - Participants: Atlantic VC, Lifeline Ventures, Illusian, Custos Family Office, David Kirk (former Nvidia chief scientist), Lawrence Leuschner (co‑founder of TIER Mobility)
  - Advisory board includes Jean‑Jacques Dordain (former ESA Director General) and Sir Chris Deverell (former UK Joint Forces commander)
  - Partners: European Space Agency, UK Space Agency, SPRIND
- **Growth Signals**:
  - Headcount of ~25 employees (as of mid‑2026), with yearly growth of +45 % and monthly growth of +7.4 %
  - Plans to open the NEO Production Complex in 2027, scaling from 10 satellites/year to several per week
  - First commercial flight targeted for 2028
  - 5 active job postings, with a strong pipeline of engineering hires

## Competitive Advantages
- **Altitude advantage**: Operates at one‑third the altitude of conventional satellites, enabling 20× cheaper imagery, higher‑resolution data, and 5G‑equivalent direct‑to‑device bandwidth.
- **Proprietary technology**: Built‑from‑scratch subsystems (attitude control, propulsion, electronics, thermal, embedded software) that handle the extreme conditions of VLEO (aerodynamic drag, atomic oxygen, torque).
- **Self‑cleaning orbit**: Satellites deorbit naturally within a month, mitigating space debris – a key regulatory and sustainability differentiator.
- **Sovereign industrial asset**: Positioned as Europe’s largest dedicated VLEO production facility, supported by UK and European space agencies.

## Strategic Focus
- **Current priorities**: First mission in 2028, ramp‑up of satellite production, and establishment of a scalable manufacturing facility. The company is building a product platform for any customer to “fly at VLEO” with integrated payloads.
- **Direction for growth**: Expand from Earth observation into global telecom (direct‑to‑device) and weather services, while securing defence and national‑security missions.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: A “make it happen” ethos with high ownership; engineers design, build, and test hardware in weeks rather than years. Cross‑disciplinary collaboration driven by a shared mission to solve one of space’s toughest engineering problems.
- **Facilities**: State‑of‑the‑art testing facility for multi‑propellant ion propulsion systems, and purpose‑built labs for satellite subsystem development.
- **Work style**: Based in Reading, UK – likely on‑site due to hardware‑intensive work. The team is small (~25), flat‑structured, and encourages rapid iteration.
- **Notable perks**: Chance to work alongside world‑class engineers and advisors (former ESA Director, UK military leaders), lead a function from day one, and directly impact the opening of a new orbital regime.

## Sources
1. [neworbit.space](https://neworbit.space/) – Company homepage and product details
2. [neworbit.space/about](https://neworbit.space/about) – About page, founders, advisory board, partners
3. [neworbit.space/careers](https://neworbit.space/careers) – Careers page, culture details
4. [cbinsights.com](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/neworbit-space) – Funding, headcount, headquarters
5. [linkedin.com](https://uk.linkedin.com/company/neworbit-space) – Employee growth, open positions, talent sources
6. [spacenews.com](https://spacenews.com/uk-startup-neworbit-raises-18-5-million-in-series-a-round/) – Series A announcement, first mission details (cited via cbinsights)

## Other roles at NewOrbit Space

- [VP Sales](https://feeny.ai/job/vp-sales-neworbit-space-reading-4edd0tzx9878) — Reading, United Kingdom
- [Commercial Lead](https://feeny.ai/job/commercial-lead-neworbit-space-reading-m8h1174kagff) — Reading, United Kingdom
- [Satellite Mechanical Design Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/satellite-mechanical-design-engineer-neworbit-space-reading-b87twktm156f) — Reading, United Kingdom
- [Contract Mechanical Design Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/contract-mechanical-design-engineer-neworbit-space-reading-s3pd70b3dmcq) — Reading, United Kingdom
- [AIT & Mechanical Technician](https://feeny.ai/job/ait-mechanical-technician-neworbit-space-reading-hv25phf79n6h) — Reading, United Kingdom
- [AIT & Electronics Technician](https://feeny.ai/job/ait-electronics-technician-neworbit-space-reading-df8j5mkw2n7z) — Reading, United Kingdom
- [AOCS Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/aocs-engineer-neworbit-space-reading-enngfz05ch0c) — Reading, United Kingdom
- [Lead Flight Software Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/lead-flight-software-engineer-neworbit-space-reading-jmfg9e7vae5t) — Reading, United Kingdom