We often get asked what it’s like to work at Spaceflight, especially as we’re in the midst of a record launch season. In 2019, we executed nine launches on four different LVs, taking nearly 50 unique spacecraft to orbit. Needless to say, everyone here is busy (and sane on most days!). We’re looking for people who embrace change, solve problems and always keep their eye on the prize: getting our customers to space on time and budget. Fair warning: if you like being micromanaged or doing the same things over and over again, this probably isn’t the place for you.
Our crazy end-of-year pace is just the start – we expect 2020 to be even busier with more launch vehicles coming to market, new constellations ramping up, and an overall growth in smallsat development. Being the industry leader in rideshare launch services means that every single person at Spaceflight plays a critical role, and everyone wears many hats. There has never been a better time to be in the commercial space industry, and no better place to be than Spaceflight.
Phil Bracken, VP of Engineering, explains why working at Spaceflight is a unique experience. “In the space industry, it’s rare that you get to work on all aspects of launch. If you work at a launch vehicle company, you only work on that launch vehicle. If you work at Spaceflight, you get to work on every one,” he explains. ”I’ve gotten to see the flow of everything all the way from customer satellite development through integration to many different launch vehicles. You just don’t get that experience anywhere else.”
Elizabeth Driscoll, Director of Business Development agrees. “I like the fact that we really cover everything in the industry,” she says. “I talk to commercial entities, governments, academics, you name it. From spacecraft manufacturers to start-ups across the globe. We touch every aspect of the entire launch ecosystem and the space community.”
Lisa Jones, Spaceflight’s Director of People Operations agrees that the breadth of experience here will be unlike anywhere else. “You have the opportunity to be involved first hand here. You could travel to launch sites for payload integration, engage with customers, work closely with engineering, mission management, business development, everything,” she says. “In a big company, it’s easy to get siloed in a specific skillset. Here, an electrical engineer won’t be just be working on one small thing – your skills will grow as will your value to the organization.”
We do a lot more than booking launches for our customers. We provide launch strategy and consulting. We build, test and fly our own flight hardware, as well as our own components and systems. We also help our customers coordinate insurance, licensing, transportation and assess mission feasibility. We promote and share news about our customers’ missions. We help our customers reduce risk at every turn. Our small, but highly experienced team is the best at what they do and the team environment is at the core of the Spaceflight culture. Everyone has to pull together to serve our customers, which is our top priority.
Driscoll also notes that it is the team that makes Spaceflight special. “I’ve never worked in an organization where 100% of the people are the best of the best and they truly care about what we’re doing. It’s rare to have a team where everyone is just performing at this level.”
Spaceflight is lucky to be based in Seattle, a tech and space hub, with a huge “newspace” footprint and a quality of life that is second to none. It’s a place many space enthusiasts are looking to relocate to, and the talent pool is rich.
So what does Spaceflight look for when adding to the team? We’re looking for people committed to the mission. People who are crazy about space and all the possibilities it brings. As a small to midsize team, every single hire is important to us and we expect each person to make an impact. Bonus: we have a lot of fun while doing it.
As an employee, you can expect professional development and support, true work/life integration, and an epic culture of people committed to the work that we do. You will have a wide range of benefits and perks designed to help you achieve personal, professional and financial growth & security, while facilitating a balance between your work and personal lives. We’re committed to collaboration, innovation, inclusion and having fun while we make the impossible possible. Working at Spaceflight, you can expect a professional, supportive, and engaged environment. Come join us! Check out our Careers page here.