Tim B.

Graduate Instrument Systems Engineer
Happy to mentor
Happy to be contacted

About me

Tim B.
Physics
Physics with Astrophysics
Undergraduate
Vanbrugh
2015
United Kingdom

My employment

Graduate Instrument Systems Engineer
Airbus Defence and Space
United Kingdom
Engineering and manufacturing
Large business (250+ employees)
2016

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A day in the life of a Graduate Instrument Systems Engineer in the United Kingdom

Working on airborne and spaceborne earth observation instruments

How I looked for work

I found out about the graduate scheme through lecturers and students during my Masters degree.

How I found out about the job

Employer's website

The recruitment process

Online application including CV and cover letter. Online tests (interpreting data and English comprehension) followed by invitation to an assessment centre including teamwork activity, interview and business presentation.

What has helped my career to progress

Studying for an MSc in Space Systems Engineering made me stand out when apply for jobs in the space industry.

Courses taken since graduation

MSc Space Systems Engineering at University of Southampton

My advice to students considering work

Get lots of advice on how to improve your CV, and tailor your application to each job you apply for.

What I do

Systems design for synthetic aperture radar instruments. These are used for earth observation on satellites such as ESA's Sentinel-1 as well as airborne systems. I am currently on the graduate programme at Airbus Defence and Space.

Skills I use and how I developed them

Understanding of synthetic aperture radar has been developed while working for Airbus, but previous knowledge of electromagnetism and electronics was developed during my physics degree. I developed skills in systems engineering and understanding of space systems requirements during my Masters degree. I do some software coding too, particularly in Matlab which I have developed over the years.

What I like most

My work concerns complicated physical concepts, which makes you engage your brain. The space industry is an exciting field to work in, and I look forward to when something I worked on is launched into orbit!

What I like least

Big companies carry with them a decent amount of bureaucracy and some things make be difficult to change.

Next steps...

If you like the look of Tim’s profile, the next steps are down to you! You can send Tim a message to find out more about their career journey. If you feel you would benefit from more in-depth conversations, ask Tim to be your mentor.

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