Meet The Minds Behind The Space Industry’s Leading Job Site

Can you share with us what inspired you to create a space-related job board?

It’s a bit cliche, but the main motivation for Space Crew is our shared excitement about a future in which humanity is a fully fledged spacefaring civilisation, out exploring the galaxy. We concluded that getting more talented people working in the space industry is the highest impact activity we could personally engage in to accelerate this future, and so that’s what we’re doing.

What were some of the challenges you faced in the early stages of developing this platform?

Before Space Crew we were running two independent job boards, Stellar Jobs and Rocket Crew. When we merged to form Space Crew, we redesigned everything from the ground up. This process is hard, because there are tons of variables to balance, and naturally there are tradeoffs. It was fun though, and we think what we’ve built represents a seamless platform that caters to both seasoned professionals and newcomers in the space sector.

How has the job market in the space industry evolved in recent years?

The space job market has expanded significantly, moving well beyond traditional engineering and aerospace roles. With the explosion of private companies entering the field, there’s now an incredibly diverse range of opportunities, from IT to marketing and beyond.

What types of roles are most in demand in the space sector right now?

Currently, there’s a high demand for various roles. While engineering and technical positions remain crucial, we also see a significantly growing need for professionals in software development, marketing, and project management.

What unique opportunities does this industry present?

There are three main ones in our opinion. Firstly, if you’re looking for meaning in your work, the opportunity to contribute directly to one of the major milestones of our development as a species is pretty incredible. Becoming a spacefaring civilisation will be up there with other key milestones in our history like the adoption of agriculture and the invention of the computer.

Secondly, the dynamic nature of space exploration means that we are constantly facing interesting challenges that require innovative solutions. Whether it’s developing new propulsion systems, refining life support technologies, or finding sustainable solutions for long-duration space travel, there is a continuous need for creative thinking and problem-solving. This makes the space industry a highly rewarding and intellectually stimulating environment where professionals get to actively create new solutions that advance our spacefaring capabilities.

Thirdly, it’s rare to come across industries with as much growth potential as the space industry. Provided we don’t suffer a major setback as a species, or fall victim to the Kessler Effect, then we can say with a high degree of certainty that the space industry will keep growing rapidly, and uninterrupted, for millennia. On the scale of a human career, this represents a rare opportunity for dependable, continuous industry growth, so getting into the industry could be the smartest career decision you ever make.

What advice would you give to someone looking to start a career in the space industry?

For anyone who is still early in their career, or still in education, we recommend searching for internships. They provide a golden opportunity to immerse yourself in the the space sector, gain hands-on experience, and make valuable industry connections. Every year, prominent space agencies like NASA and JPL, alongside innovative space startups such as SpaceX and Relativity Space, extend internship opportunities. We list space internships on Space Crew, so you can start your search there.

For anyone later on in their career and looking to make the switch. We’d recommend doing a bit of research on the industry first, and getting a feel for the type of companies you would like to work for, and what type of roles match your current skillset. Once you’ve got an idea, it’s worth setting up a hyper targeted job email alert through Space Crew, so you get emailed any opportunities that match.

Are there any common misconceptions about working in this sector that you’d like to address?

The most common one is thinking that the space industry is just for astronauts or engineers. In reality, it’s diverse, with opportunities for all sorts of skill sets – including communication, management, and support roles. 

The other major misconception is that you need an advanced degree in astrophysics, engineering or something similar if you want a technical role in the space industry. While advanced degrees can help, they are often not a prerequisite, and companies typically help you develop the specialised knowledge you need as your career progresses. 

For example, there are a lot of job opportunities for technicians, and after a few years of experience, it is typically possible to go from technician to engineer.

What has been the most rewarding part of creating and running this job board?

The most rewarding part is seeing the positive impact it has on both job seekers and employers. Helping someone land their dream job is incredibly rewarding, as it can make such a big difference to their lives. 

Same goes for finding a company the right employee – getting the right one can be game changing for the specific team they’re joining and the company as a whole. We love that we get to facilitate these wins. 

It’s also very rewarding when we open someone’s eyes to the possibility of working in the space industry, who previously had never considered it – as siphoning talent away from other, and in our opinion less inspiring, industries aligns very strongly with our mission.

Are there any personal experiences or success stories that stand out to you?

It’s always special when we get feedback from someone saying how useful they find the site, or how it helped them land a job/internship. Our ultimate impact will be measured by the cumulative volume of small wins like those, so each one is special to us and motivates us to keep improving. Additionally, we’ve been able to work with some incredible space companies so far, and each time we do it has been a real honour.

What is your long-term vision for the job board?

Our long-term vision is to be the go-to platform for space industry careers globally. We want to play a key role in helping millions of people start and advance their space industry careers, and we want to be the best partner possible for space industry companies looking to consistently hire top space professionals.