Handbook for a career in space

Handbook for a career in space

How to land a career in the space industry

Handbook for a career in space

You cannot teach a man anything; you
can only help him discover it in himself.
- Galileo

4
 Page 6

1 Inside the space engineering job market.

Finding your destination is essential – and this is what the
discovery phase is all about.

Page 12

2 Create your own vision.

Having a clear vision of your career aspirations and the skills
that will help you get there is indispensable before applying to
any job.

Page 18

3 Get noticed. Build a strong resume.

The resume is one of the most important parts of a job
application. Recruiters will spend less than 10 seconds reading
your resume, so you have to impress them.

Page 26

4 Advice from our recruitment professionals.

There is no magic recipe for finding a job. However, there are
a few simple steps that you can follow to get your application
noticed.

55
 Chapter one

Inside the space

engineering job market.

6
Find your destination
Looking for a job it is in itself a journey and as in any other
journey, you ought to know your destination. You might already
have an idea of what position you would like to have, and most
probably, you spent many years building the skills required
for it. However, when it comes to successfully being hired by
institutions and companies, knowledge of your subject matter
is simply not enough. If you want to have a successful career
and be hired quickly, you have to know the nuances of the
industry to be able to target your dream job.

Finding your destination is, therefore, essential – and this is

what the discovery phase is all about.

7
 handbook for a career in space

How well do you know

the space market?
You might be at the stage that you know precisely the
position you are looking for, even if you are there we
recommend you to keep reading this section because
if you don’t understand how the market looks like today
and how it works, then your efforts won’t be adequately
channelled.

Do your research
We usually recommend candidates starting with a research of
the market as soon as they possibly can. Deferring this step
could end up in failed attempts that could only make your
position even worst. Imagine the following scenario: you are
did you know...
Eurospace
a recruiter, and you find that the same person applied to very
publishes an annual different positions through your company’s website all in the
report on the state same week or month. Your reaction would be to think that
of the European the person doesn’t have a clear idea of the market he or she
space industry
wants to work in, and you most probably would think that the
where you can
find interesting
candidate doesn’t have the necessary skill to perform any of
insights. Check their those positions to their full extent.
website for more
information: https:// Having the right insights to the space engineering job market
eurospace.org/
is quite a necessary step if you are looking to pursue a career
in the industry. Therefore, we recommend starting from
there. There is no need to spend a full week on this task but
perhaps one afternoon or a couple of hours. Here is a list of
the information you should be familiar with: space missions
scheduled for the next five to ten years, the demand and offer
in the industry, the different actors, the job boards they use, the
sales volume, and the expected growth for the next years.

8
 inside the space engineering job market

Your Destination: Market Discovery Phase

Sit in a quiet place and make sure you won’t be disturbed in the
next two to three hours. We recommend spending a while on this
search as this will shape your job hunting strategy. Make sure
you dedicate time and that your sources are reliable. Otherwise,
you will start building a strategy in a house of cards.

exercise 1. Research the market and the key sales numbers

Ask as many questions as you can think of and then find an

answer either by calling institutions or online search. Here
below is an example. Note that the search doesn’t have to be
exhaustive. It has to provide you with an overview for you to
grasp where the money is and what the future holds.

Example of a short Industry overview of sales and market

numbers. Source: Eurospace (June 2018).

There has been a growing demand for positions in the sector

in the last years as the European space segment is facing
unprecedented growth in sales (+703 Million Euros). This growth
mainly compensated the decrease in exports (-188 Million Euros)
according to the Eurospace. In the last years, there was a rapid
growth of private commercial companies in the field of space
engineering. This market segment increased their sales. For
example, according to the Eurospace organization, European
private operators presented 339 Million Euros increase while
operational launcher systems rose 107 Million Euros. Military
customers also represented a segment in growth (+197 Million
Euros). Sales to the European Space Agency remained globally
stable, with a notable reduction of launcher development sales,
compensated by growth in satellite applications (mostly Earth
Observation and Navigation). On export markets, the main
segment in decrease was the segment of private satellite
operators (-241 Million Euros).

9
 handbook for a career in space

exercise 2. identify the main actors

Search for a list of the main actors of the space industry. Which
of these organizations sounds like your dream employer?

Ispace
PT scientists
Space Applications

useful links
Find a detailed
space industry
directory at
www.space-careers.
com/directory.html

10
 inside the space engineering job market

exercise 3. identify the job boards

Find the job boards these actors use to advertise their vacancies.

Example:
RHEA Group: www.rheagroup.com/careers
Space Careers: www.space-careers.com
Space Individuals: www.spaceindividuals.com
LinkedIn/Jobs: www.linkedin.com/jobs

Having a clear list would help you organize your search:

Jobsoul
https://www.spaceapplications.
com/career/

https://www.linkedin.
com/groups/6661248/

11
 Chapter two

Create your own vision.

12
Discover your unique story
Now that you are familiar with the space engineering market,
you probably realized the many career paths you can follow.
The next step is to choose the right one for you. Having a clear
vision of your career aspirations and the skills that will help you
get there is indispensable before applying to any job. To create
your own career vision, you will need to ask yourself: what is
your dream job? What are the qualifications and skills that
could help you get there? How can you make an impact on your
field of expertise?

It’s time to determine the unique skills and interests that makes
you stand out from the crowd.

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 handbook for a career in space

Learn how to stand out

from the crowd
It might be that you already know what career path
you would like to follow. In that case, you are one step
ahead of most people! If not, don’t worry. We all have
to start somewhere. In this chapter, you will explore the
different options and how you can differentiate yourself
in a competitive market.

Be memorable
Every day, recruiters receive many applications - most of them
from candidates with impressive qualifications and experience
perfectly suitable for the job. During your job search, you will
face a lot of competition. To get noticed, you need to find the
get inspired
“Try to explore
unique abilities and qualifications that make you memorable.
the career history
of professionals One way to make an impact is to prepare and efficiently deliver
who are already an elevator pitch. An elevator pitch gives potential employers
performing your
and recruiters a clear idea of your vision, where you want to go
dream job. It will
give you a good
career-wise, and why you’re the best for the job.
insight into what
you need to be Let’s get started! First, you will need to identify your dream
successful.” job and search the career opportunities that match your
aspirations. After that, you will be able to create your own
Jieun Park
International
elevator pitch.
Technical Recruiter
at RHEA Group.

14
 create your own vision

develop your elevator pitch

You have unique abilities, experience and interests. Exploring

your motivation and the main accomplishments will help you
land your dream job.

exercise 4. identify your dream job (or one that will get you
closer to it)
Think about your dream job: Do you envision yourself in a
specific type of institution or company? What are the tasks that
you have to perform? With this in mind, write down the three
primary fields of expertise where you would like to work:
Rover Vision and Control
Extra terrestrial Navigation planning
Manipulator

exercise 5. search for career opportunities

It is time to see what it is out there. Go to the job boards
you identified in Exercise 3 (page 11) and look for career
opportunities within those fields of expertise. List here the
most appealing to you.

control algorithms related to

robotics manipulation, actuator
control
Python
Gazebo

15
 handbook for a career in space

exercise 6. identify your accomplishments

You should have now an idea of the particular jobs you want to
apply. The next step is to create your unique story. We’ll start by
identifying your main career achievements. If you never worked
in the sector, try to think about achievements you had while
studying for your diploma. Try to think of accomplishments that
are quantifiable, concise and easy to understand.

Now select the three accomplishments that sound more

compelling.

16
 create your own vision

exercise 7. why are you interested in those opportunities?

When you talk with a recruiter or potential employer, you should

always be able to explain what motivates you to apply for that
job. After all, every employer wants to hire someone who is
motivated and comitted to their organization and values.

Ask yourself: What is appealing about this job? How can you
contribute to that specific organization or project? Write your
answers here:

exercise 8. write your elevator pitch

Combine the main anwers to exercises 6 and 7 and you will have
your elevator pitch. Make sure to keep it always in mind when
creating your resume, writing a cover letter, and during your job
interview.

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 Chapter three

Get noticed.
Build a strong resume.

18
Get invited for an interview

The resume has one simple objective: to get the attention of the
recruiter. Recent research conducted by the Bocconi University,
University College London and Hong Kong Polytechnic
University suggests that revealing more about yourself and
being open to sharing your own story and personality not only
in the resume but as you progress through the stages of an
interview process will help you to get the position.

Of course, your efforts shouldn’t end with a nicely polished

resume - you have to work your way to have a memorable and
easy to navigate LinkedIn profile. This section will give you
the tools to start out with this process. After completing the
exercises, you would be able to apply all these tricks not only to
your resume but also your professional profile.

A resume that gets noticed is a resume that opens doors.

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 handbook for a career in space

Anatomy of a resume
The resume is one of the most important parts of a job
application. Recruiters will spend less than 10 seconds
reading your resume, so you have to impress them. So,
what is it that they want to see? Make sure you include
the following aspects.

JOHN DOE Address Contact

Street, House number +00 000 00 00 00
Postal code, City john.doe@gmail.com
Country
System Engineer

ABOUT ME WORK EXPERIENCE

I am a systems engineer specializing in software and IT

management for mid-sized and large clients. I have extensive May 2017 - Currently
experience overseeing the development, implementation and IT Systems Engineer
management of information technology systems that Company X
improve accessibility and resolve networking issues. This
experience has helped me develop a range of relevant skills, • Managed and maintained large scale web and database servers.
including an in-depth knowledge of Linux and Unix server • Designed executed and maintained service agreements to handle all IT
architecture, confident project leadership and familiarity with items for clients.
a range of technological applications. • Researched, tested and implemented new technology for in-house
did you know? applications.
Areas of expertise: • Provided in-house and client tech support for all levels.
In the space • Software development • Migrated and consolidated all websites from several different servers onto
• Algorithm design and development three dedicated Dell servers.
industry, being • Mathematical/computational physics

compliant with
December 2015 - April 2017
Junior IT Systems Engineer
Company Y
Europass CV SKILLS
• Administered LAN and provided troubleshooting for systems or networking
template is a good Programming languages related issues.
• Performed desktop support, server configuration and hardening.
practice. Find more C++
Java
• Created and deployed standard images for manufacturing test workstations.
• Implemented and managed access control for various applications;

information on their
TCL/TK • Ensured maximum operational efficiency and availability by effectively
Python diagnosing system and network failures.
PHP
website: https:// Javacript
C#
europass.cedefop. iOS/Swift
Perl
June 2015 - December 2015
System Engineering Intern
Company Z
europa.eu/ Ruby on rails

• Interfaced with hardware, mechanical, power, thermal and software

Platforms engineers to understand system architecture
• Drove hardware optimizations by creating hardware, thermal, and
Windows mechanical test plans for server hardware
Linux • Executed tests according to plan, while keeping a thorough procedural
Unix record and data log

LANGUAGES EDUCATION

October 2014 - June 2015

Master of Science in Information Technology
Language Language Language TU Delft, Netherlands
Native C1 B2
September 2010 - June 2014
Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
University of Leiden, Netherlands

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 get noticed. build a strong resume

name and Your name should be at the very top and should stand out. Below
professional your name don’t forget to mention your professional title, even if
title you don’t have the experience yet! It gives an immediate idea of
who you are and what you’re applying for.

contact Make it as easy as possible for a recruiter to get in touch with

information you. Place your contact information at the top of your resume.
Include your full address. Also, don’t forget your phone number
and email address. If you have a LinkedIn page or personal
website, include these URLs in your contact section as well.

career The career summary should describe your skills and

summary accomplishments in a few lines. You have to give the recruiter a
glance of why your resume is worth their time. Here you can use
the elevator pitch you created in chapter two.

work List your previous jobs in chronological order with the most
experience recent employment first. Take this opportunity to talk about the
accomplishments that are really relevant for the position you are
applying for. Try to use bullet points to summarize your experience
and remember to be as specific as possible.

Education List the most recent qualifications first. Give details on the title of
your qualification, where you studied, and the date you achieved it.
If you have a PhD, give the full title of the PhD and the name(s) of
your supervisors.

SKILLS It’s important to show recruiters that you have the job-specific
skills required. For every role you apply to, tailor the skills section
of your resume so that the information included matches the skills
mentioned in the job description. Start with the most relevant
skills.

languages List all the languages you speak and your proficiency. You can use
the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
(CEFR) as a reference.

other You can also state your hobbies, volunteer experiences and any
other information you may consider important for the position. If
you do include any of this additional
Source: FAO. information, make sure it is
relevant, and be original. 95% of people love music and travelling.

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 handbook for a career in space

Resume tips:
Do’s and Don’ts
Follow these simple tips to make sure your resume
doesn’t end up in the recruiter’s trash folder.

Follow a template - but include your

personal touch
The resume is the first presentation of yourself to a potential
employer, so you want to make a first good impression. Look
online for various templates and try to follow one that suits
include facts
“Keep in mind that,
your needs. Once you have a template you like, try to give it
sometimes, less is a personal touch with color, a picture, etc. Your personality
more: don’t overload should also come across.
the resume with
useless details.
Stay factual. Include
dates, company and Tailor your resume to the vacancy you
university names,
are appying for
job titles, and tasks
you’ve performed.” Many people make the mistake of creating one generic resume
and customizing only the cover letter. However, recruiters
German Cingerli
International
normally first screen a resume to check if the applicant
Technical Recruiter has the qualifications and the experience needed. And no
at RHEA Group. pressure - but they do that in less than 10 seconds. Of course,
if something catches their eye, they are going to spend more
time on it, so you want to grab their attention. You can do that
by reading the job description and including the main keywords
in your resume. If the job requires for instance Java and C++
proficiency, you should have those skills stand out.

22
 get noticed. build a strong resume

List specific accomplishments

Demonstrate the value you will bring to the position by saying
what you achieved in each previous role. Try to always keep
your achievements relevant to the position you are applying for.
You can also use action words, such as “created,” “improved,”
“increased,” “devised,” to demonstrate that you are proactive and
able to get things done.

Don’t lie
keywords
“If you are applying It might be that you don’t have enough experience or lack one of
to an open vacancy, technical skills on the job description. We know, it can be tempting
always look at the to make stuff up to try to impress the recruiter. Please don’t. A
job description and recruiter won’t expect you to have a perfect background, but to be
use it to tailor your
honest and reliable goes a long way.
resume to make
sure that you have
all the necessary
experience that is
being asked for.”
Don’t forget your contact information
It might sound basic, but recruiters often note that many people
Vanessa Lewis
Recruitment forget to include a phone number or email address in their
Manager at RHEA resume. Make sure this section is easily visible and the contact
Group. details are correct. You can have the best resume ever, but if a
recruiter can’t get in touch with you, you won’t get anywhere.

Proofread. And then proofread again

Typos and inaccuracies are telling the recruiter that you are
not detail-oriented. Before submitting your resume, send it to
someone you trust (if you can send it to two different people, even
better) and have them proofread it. They will see mistakes you did
not, because they have some distance from the text that you don’t
have. Once you have a final version, print it and read it again for a
final check.

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 handbook for a career in space

exercise 9. identify the keywords of the job description

Read the job description and identify the main skills required
and list them below in the form of keywords. These will be the
aspects you have to cover in your resume.

Work independently
Documentation
Strength to cope schedules and
deadlines
Synthesize,summarize and draw
conclusions
stuck?
If you are a young
graduate, don’t
worry! Try to include
these keywords
in your skills and
education sections.
You can also refer
to them when you
talk about your
internships, volunter
Considering the keywords you identified, list here your skills,
experiences... All qualifications and accomplishments that are most relevant to
these activities can the position. Try to find a line between what it is required and
be mentioned in a what you bring.
professional way to
show what kind of
young professional
you are.

24
 get noticed. build a strong resume

exercise 10. make your accomplishments quantifiable

Take the accomplishments you wrote on exercise 9 and try to

make them quantifiable. Try to include facts, numbers, timelines,
and to use action words to show how your main achievements
had an impact on the organization or project.

did you know?

Customizing your
resume is crucial.
Recruiters will look
for keywords in your
resume to see if
you are a right fit for
the job. Don’t focus
too much on your
cover letter and
make sure they can
easily see that you
have the skills and
qualifications they
are looking for.

exercise 11. proofread your resume

Send your resume to someone you trust and ask them to give
you constructive feedback. Write their input down and include it
in your resume.

When you have a final version, read your resume again and look
for typos. A very effective technique you can use is to start
reading it from the end of the document.

25
 Chapter four

Advice from our

recruitment professionals

26
Stand out
This situation might sound familiar to you: you’ve finally found
a role and you know you are the perfect fit. After tailoring your
resume to the position and writing a cover letter, you are still
doubting if you have done everything right before submitting
your application.

There are certainly a few common practices that you have to

consider before taking that next important step. We spoke with
five recruitment professionals, who shared with us the best
practices and the common mistakes to avoid for landing a
career in space.

27
 handbook for a career in space

Follow the advice of

professional recruiters
There is no magic recipe for finding a job. However,
there are a few simple steps that you can follow to get
your application noticed. Five industry experts give you
their prespective.

The experts

vanessa lewis dany wolf

Recruitment Manager at International Technical
RHEA Group Recruiter at RHEA Group
Vanessa holds more than 10 Specialized in niche sectors,
years’ experience recruiting Dany is responsible for finding
for the space sector, working the best opportunities to
along the main space candidates in the space and
did you know?
engineering organizations. cybersecurity industries.
Recruiters are
finding that LinkedIn
is one of the best
Aleksey Verbitskiy jieun park
ways to identify
International Technical International Technical
top talent. Follow
Recruiter at RHEA Group Recruiter at RHEA Group
your targeted
Passionate about data For over three years, Jieun has
companies, engage
analysis, Aleksey has recruited helped candidates to develop
with recruiters on
their discussions candidates in the space and their careers in space, software
and status updates, cybersecurity industry for over engineering and cybersecurity
and be open to three years. projects.
actually connecting
with them.
german cingerli
International Technical
Recruiter at RHEA Group
With more than 10 years
experience, German has
supported job seekers as a
job coach, headhunter and
technical recruiter.

28
 advice from our recruitment professionals

#1. How can an applicant stand out from

the crowd with his/her application?

vanessa “Having a punchy introduction and a motivation letter that is short

and straight to the point will make you stand out from the rest.”

dany “Applicants should show their understanding of the role and the
company he/she is applying for. Using specific keywords from the
job description will attract the attention of the recruiter.”

aleksey “It is important to show a thorough knowledge about the position

and the project you are applying for. Go beyond the details that
appear on the job description. Do your research and show off.”

jieun “The resume should be always tailored to the specific vacancy you
are applying for. For example, including the technical skills that are
most relevant to the vacancy at the top or in a quick summary of
their profile would catch the recruiter’s attention.”

german “Mention your professional title, even if you don’t have the
experience yet! It gives an immediate idea of who you are and
what you’re applying for. For instance: if you’re applying for a
‘System Analyst’ function, you can put the title ‘Junior System
Analyst’ on top of the CV.

#2. In your opinion, what are the common

mistakes that applicants make?

vanessa “One of the most common mistakes I observe is having typos on

the resume, forgetting about including the contact information,
and showing gaps in the career history.”

dany “Sometimes, I see that applicants consider their education

years as work experience. Even if the work performed during the
studies can be demanding, it is generally not valued as year of
professional experience, even for PhD.”

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 handbook for a career in space

aleksey “Candidates often focus too much on the cover letter and forget to
tailor their resume to the position they are applying for, which is far
more important.”

jieun “Very often, candidates seem to underestimate their English level.

You don’t need to be too modest about this, because it might
prevent recruiters from contacting you.”

german “Don’t write too much on the resume. When you present a work
experience, don’t write a paragraph with long sentences. Use bullet
points to summarize the main ideas. it’s so much easier to read!”

#3. What are the three main qualities that

make a candidate successful?

Vanessa “Motivation, determination and confidence. You need to show

that you are eager for the job and be clear about what you want to
achieve in your career.”

dany “Honesty, motivation and technical understanding. Candidates

must never lie and should demonstrate motivation in the field of
expertise where they are applying. They also need to show a clear
understanding of the responsibilities of the role.”

aleksey “First of all, being responsive! Many candidates lost their

opportunity by not replying to the recruiter when contacted. Being
able to relocate is also very important. The space engineering
sector is a niche environment where specific positions are only
available in a specific geographic location. Finally, candidates
should be meticulous. We work with forms that need to have a
specific layout. ”

jieun “Having technical relevance plays a crucial role. Secondly,

candidates need to be thorough with their research of the
company where they are applying. Thirdly, I value motivation. Are
you motivated by the job description or by a name value of the
company? Finding a good balance between these two helps a
great deal.”

30
 advice from our recruitment professionals

german “I value when an applicant has warm communication skills and

enthusiasm. Candidates also need a solution-oriented mindset.
Don’t point out the problems but show that you are flexible and
suggest possible solutions. Lastly, you need to show you are
curious, interested and committed.”

#4. What is the best advice you can give to

job seekers in the space engineering
sector?

Vanessa “Know the market. Research the different companies out there
and look for the opportunities they offer. Remember that passion
that you have for space engineering and continue to learn and
develop yourself.”

dany “Avoid applying for every position within a company. Focus your
attention on one or two specific roles that could be a good match
for you.”

aleksey “The first step is to be aware of the job market. The second step is
to work hard on your resume. Be precise in the job titles you had,
mention the projects you have participated and describe well the
responsibilities you have had. The last step is to be visible on your
LinkedIn. Include as many keywords related to a specific project
or function as possible, make sure your LinkedIn account is visible
for all, let your network know that you are looking for a job, and let
the recruiters know how they can contact you. “

jieun “Explore career history of professionals who are already

performing your target job. This exercise will give you a good
insight what type of experiences you need to be successful.”

german “Be patient and committed. The space sector is one of the most
protected and difficult to integrate. But with a trustful collaboration
and combined efforts, we can make the dream come true.”

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Advancing your career - that’s our
mission

RHEA Group offers bespoke engineering solutions, system

development and security serivces. With 26 years of experience
in the professional engineering service market, RHEA Group
opens the world to the engineering services of tomorrow.

Our team places more than 100 engineers a year all over
Europe and North America. Caring about people makes our
recruiters the best consultants for your career aspirations.
We work with the most renowned companies and institutions in
the space and cybersecurity industries.

Headquartered in Belgium, RHEA Group also operates in

Canada, Czech Republic, Italy, France, Germany, Spain,
Switzerland, The Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

Get in touch. The careers division of RHEA Group is your

partner for finding your dream position.

www.rheagroup.com/careers
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