Space Domain Awareness Specialist

SHIELD SPACE; Lincoln; On-site; GBP 79,796 - 104,703; Part time

Job summary

A UK-based orbital autonomy startup is seeking a Space Domain Awareness Specialist for a 3-month contract. The role involves analyzing orbital behaviors and interpreting SDA data to support a high-skilled engineering team. Candidates should have a bachelor's degree in a relevant field and significant experience in satellite behavior analysis. This position offers a day rate of up to £500, with the opportunity for follow-on consulting based on program needs.

Qualifications

• Minimum bachelor's degree in astrophysics, astrodynamics, orbital mechanics, or a closely related field.
• Demonstrable experience in SDA, orbital mechanics, satellite-behaviour analysis, or ISR exploitation.
• Eligible for BPSS clearance.

Responsibilities

• Analyse orbital trajectories and advising on implications for modeling.
• Interpret multi-source SDA and ISR datasets.
• Support the validation of analytical models and assumptions.
• Produce concise technical assessments for internal teams.
• Provide day-to-day technical guidance to software developers.
• Help shape internal understanding of SDA data constraints.

Skills

Orbital trajectory analysis

Data interpretation

Python scripting

Orbital dynamics modeling

Technical communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in astrophysics, astrodynamics, or related field

Tools

STK

GMAT

Python-based modeling systems

Job description

Shield Space is seeking a Space Domain Awareness Specialist to provide short-term astrodynamics and SDA expertise to our engineering team. This 3 month contractor role is ideal for someone with deep experience analysing orbital behaviour, interpreting SSA data, and understanding how satellites manoeuvre, interact, and deviate from expected patterns. Your insights will be used directly by our software and systems engineers to validate models, strengthen analytical assumptions, and ensure that the outputs we build reflect real-world orbital dynamics.

You will work closely with our technical leads, providing domain-expert interpretation of SDA and orbital data sources, advising on behaviour signatures, and helping the team build a robust analytical foundation for our next development cycle. This is a focused, high-impact engagement, where your expertise will meaningfully influence how our products mature in the coming months.

Responsibilities and Qualifications

• Analyse orbital trajectories, manoeuvre patterns, and behaviour signatures, advising on their implications for modelling and data fusion
• Interpret multi-source SDA and ISR datasets, including orbital elements, EO observations, and commercial SSA feeds
• Support the validation of analytical models, assumptions, and behavioural indicators
• Produce concise technical assessments for internal engineering and leadership teams
• Provide day-to-day technical guidance to software developers to ensure analytical outputs remain aligned with domain reality
• Help shape internal understanding of SDA data constraints, uncertainty, and interpretation limits
• Minimum bachelor’s degree in astrophysics, astrodynamics, orbital mechanics, or a closely related field
• Demonstrable experience in SDA, orbital mechanics, satellite-behaviour analysis, or ISR exploitation
• Hands‑on experience with orbital‑analysis tools such as STK, GMAT or Python‑based modelling systems
• Strong ability to interpret incomplete or ambiguous orbital data and form defensible conclusions
• Clear communicator able to translate complex behaviours to non-specialists
• Eligible for BPSS clearance
• Experience in civil, commercial, or Defence space‑operations environments
• Python experience for analytical workflow automation
• Familiarity with behavioural modelling, anomaly detection, or RPO‑related dynamics
• Day rate up to £500/day
• Work directly with a high‑skill engineering team during a key development phase
• Influence how SDA concepts are operationalised in next‑generation autonomy architectures
• Opportunity for follow‑on consulting or longer‑term work depending on programme needs

About Shield Space

Shield Space is a UK‑founded orbital autonomy start‑up developing sovereign, AI‑enabled systems for secure and resilient space operations. Having recently secured significant investment we are looking to onboard the founding technical team to turn our vision into reality. Drawing on heritage from UK Space Command and beyond, we will build vision‑based guidance and decision systems that enable small satellites to act independently in orbit even under actively communications‑denied conditions. Our mission is to establish the UK as a leader in autonomous orbital defence and in‑orbit servicing capability.

How to Apply

To apply, please send your CV to [e-mail] along with a short 1–2 paragraph ‘Why Me’ statement outlining your background in SDA or orbital‑behaviour analysis.