Profile

Originally from Croydon, I now live in Oxford with my girlfriend. I work in South Oxfordshire for RAL Space (a department of the Science and Technology Facilities Council, STFC), as an electronics engineer. Before starting at RAL, I studied engineering at university, specialising in electrical & electronic engineering in my 3^rd and 4^th years, and Maths, Further Maths and Physics at A Level. Ever since a young age space, and space exploration, has fascinated me. It was only when I was lucky enough to be selected to travel to America to visit scientists and engineers at NASA I considered a career in this industry. Hopefully I can teach you more about career opportunities in the space industry, especially in the UK!

Outside of work I like to keep active by playing football and running (I ran my first half marathon this year), and socialise with friends and family.

RAL Space has been involved in over 210 space missions, which have helped humans improve our understanding of the universe. The most famous projects include: Rosetta, ExoMars, Hubble Space Telescope, James Webb Space Telescope, Solar Dynamics Observatory and many many more! With Imaging Systems, I design, build and test cameras, and other scientific equipment, which we can use to observe the universe.

Space is a very harsh environment for sensitive scientific instruments. When we know our electronics work as expected, we have to check they still work when exposed to the following conditions: vacuum; very hot and cold temperatures; rigorous vibration (like that when a rocket launches); high radiation levels (we are protected on Earth, but there is lots of harmful radiation in space). At RAL Space, we test for vacuum/temperature and vibration using the facilities shown in the pictures below.

Since joining RAL Space, I have been involved in projects to develop a method of measuring gravity using quantum physics, and to build a camera to look at the sun to forecast space weather.

A thermal-vacuum chamber at RAL Space

RAL Space Vibration Test Facility

Thankfully no day is the same for me, which keeps work interesting! If I had to come up with a timeline, I’d say something like:

8.30 Arrive at work and check emails

8.30-12.30 Project work

12.30-13.15 Lunch

13.15-13.30 Check emails

13.30-15.00 Project work

15.00-15.15 Coffee break

15.15-17.00 Project work

17.00 Check emails and leave work

But it can differ quite a lot from this! Project work can vary quite a lot depending on the stage it is at. For example, in early stages I spend a lot of time using specialist software to help me design circuits and circuit boards. During later stages I spend most of my time in the lab, testing my circuits work as expected. Regardless of the project though, a large part of my work involves working with others to solve (sometimes complex) problems.

I volunteer with an organisation called the Social Mobility Foundation (SMF), who support 16-18 year olds from low socio-economic backgrounds to explore Post-18 options e.g. applying to university, organising work experience etc. If I won the competition, I’d use the prize money to organise a trip to the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory for the SMF’s STEM students. Coming from a similar background, I was inspired by a school trip to America during my A Levels, where I met scientists and engineers working at NASA, to pursue the career I am in today. Hopefully visiting RAL will have a similar effect on others, and help open the eyes of more young people to the exciting careers in STEM.