AIT & Electronics Technician

NewOrbit Space; Reading; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 58,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private health coverage

Hybrid work with one remote day per週

Equity and ownership stakes

Visa sponsorship & relocation support

Job summary

NewOrbit Space is seeking a hands-on technician to support build, integration and test of electronic boards and harnesses for the AURA gridded-ion thruster. You will follow IPC-A-610 Class 3 standards and contribute to the full hardware lifecycle, including test rigs and AIT campaigns, reporting to the AIT team.

You will work with electronics, control, software and satellite teams to ensure traceable, flight-grade hardware, with a strong emphasis on documentation and quality control in a

Qualifications

• Must have IPC-A-610 Class 3 certification or equivalent demonstrated experience.
• Must have IPC/WHMA-A-620 harness and cable assembly certification.
• Proven hands-on experience assembling, reworking and inspecting boards and harnesses.
• Experience building mechanical/electrical test setups from drawings and procedures.
• Experience supporting AIT or similar integration and test activities on electronic hardware.
• Confident use of lab instrumentation (oscilloscope, multimeter, power supply, DAQ).
• ESD-aware practices (ANSI/ESD S20.20 or equivalent).
• Ability to read schematics, wiring diagrams and mechanical drawings.
• Strong attention to detail and meticulous documentation/traceability.

Responsibilities

• Assemble, rework and inspect electronic boards to IPC-A-610 Class 3 standards.
• Build and terminate wiring harnesses and cable assemblies to IPC/WHMA-A-620 standards.
• Crimp, solder and lace harnesses; install backshells and EMC/HV protections.
• Build mechanical/electrical test setups, including fixtures and benches.
• Support AIT activities on thruster and electronics with functional testing and environmental tests.
• Read schematics and drawings; maintain as-built records and test logs.

Skills

Hands-on hardware

Attention to detail

Documentation discipline

Team collaboration

Education

IPC-A-610 Class 3 certification

IPC/WHMA-A-620 certification

Tools

Oscilloscope

Multimeter

Power supply

Electronic loads

DAQ systems

Test fixtures & jigs

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

You will be a hands-on technician supporting the build, integration and test of electronic boards, harnesses and mechanical test setups for the AURA gridded-ion thruster. You will work across the full hardware lifecycle - from assembling and inspecting flight-quality electronics and harnesses, through building up bench and mechanical test rigs, to supporting Assembly, Integration and Test (AIT) campaigns on the thruster and its control electronics. You will report into the AIT team and work alongside the electronics, control, software and satellite teams, taking direction from engineers while owning the quality and traceability of the hardware you build and test.

Key Responsibilities

• Assemble, rework and inspect electronic boards to IPC-A-610 Class 3 standards.
• Build and terminate wiring harnesses and cable assemblies to IPC/WHMA-A-620 standards.
• Crimp, solder and lace harnesses; install backshells, connector savers and EMC / HV protective measures.
• Build up mechanical and electrical test setups, including fixtures, jigs and bench instrumentation.
• Support AIT activities on the thruster and its electronics, including functional testing, environmental test support (thermal vacuum, vibration) and continuity / insulation checks.
• Read and work from schematics, wiring diagrams, mechanical drawings and assembly procedures.
• Maintain as-built records, test logs, travellers and non-conformance reports to support traceability of flight hardware.
• Operate and maintain lab equipment — oscilloscopes, multimeters, power supplies, electronic loads and DAQ systems.
• Support functional, performance and environmental testing of the thruster, its power processing and control electronics, the propellant feed system, and the spacecraft-level integration.

Fundamental Requirements

• IPC-A-610 Class 3 certification (or equivalent demonstrated experience to Class 3 standards).
• IPC/WHMA-A-620 harness and cable assembly certification.
• Proven hands-on experience assembling, reworking and inspecting electronic boards and harnesses.
• Experience building up mechanical and electrical test setups from drawings and procedures.
• Experience supporting AIT or equivalent integration and test activities on electronic hardware.
• Confident use of standard lab instrumentation (oscilloscope, multimeter, power supply, electronic load, DAQ).
• ESD-aware working practices (ANSI/ESD S20.20 or equivalent).
• Ability to read and interpret schematics, wiring diagrams and mechanical drawings.
• Strong attention to detail and discipline in documentation and traceability.

Nice-to-haves

• J-STD-001 soldering certification (Space Addendum desirable).
• Experience working in a cleanroom or ISO-classified environment.
• Space or other high-reliability industry experience (aerospace, defence, medical).
• Familiarity with ECSS standards, particularly ECSS-Q-ST-70 (workmanship).
• Experience working with high-voltage and/or power electronics hardware.
• Basic CAD literacy (SolidWorks, NX or CATIA) for interpreting models and marking up drawings.
• PersonalitySafety-first mindset, particularly around high-voltage, pressurised and vacuum operations.
• Comfortable in a fast-moving development environment where hardware and procedures evolve quickly.
• Collaborative team player who can take direction from engineers while owning hands-on quality.

Why NewOrbit Space?

• Pioneering Space Technology – You'll contribute to launching groundbreaking technology into space.
• 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.
• 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.