Job Description

Job number

NAT01976

Faculties

Faculty of Natural Sciences

Departments

Department of Physics

Salary or Salary range

45,700 - 55,240 per annum

Location/campus

South Kensington Campus - Hybrid

Contract type work pattern

Full time - Fixed term

Posting End Date

3 Jul 2025

full-time fixed-term contract for 12 months with possibility of extension

About the role

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Are you highly collaborative? Do you have an impressive background in scientific instrumentation? Does the idea of applying your talents and creativity to the future of space exploration excite you? If so, then this could be the perfect career opportunity for you.



The Space Magnetometer Laboratory is in search of a software engineer to become part of the highly successful, multi-disciplinary team. This unique opportunity will enable you to contribute to the development of the magnetometer onboard the European Space Agency's new space weather monitoring satellite, Vigil.

What you would be doing

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You will work within a multi-disciplinary engineering team developing the Vigil Magnetometer. You will be involved in all aspects of the instrument software with the opportunity to engage in a range of tasks, key examples of which are shown below.


Support the development of instrument software written in C/C++ Manage the design and development of Vigil ground support software in python Manage and maintain scripts for instrument testing on the spacecraft Writing supporting documentation as required

What we are looking for

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We are looking for a proactive software engineer who is willing to get involved in all aspects of the instrument software development.



You must have a degree in software engineering, electronics engineering, physics or closely related discipline. You must have experience working with python and C/C++.



This career opportunity will suit a motivated individual who would relish working with a small team who have developed instruments that have produced outstanding science on missions such as Cassini, Rosetta, Cluster, Solar Orbiter and JUICE.

What we can offer you

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The opportunity to contribute to the world's first satellite dedicated to providing an early warning system for space weather events to protect vital infrastructure on Earth. The opportunity to continue your career at a world-leading institution and be part of our mission to use science for humanity. Benefit from a sector-leading salary and remuneration package (including 39 days' annual leave and generous pension schemes). Access to a range of workplace benefits including a flexible working policy from day one, generous family leave packages, on-site leisure facilities and cycle-to-work scheme. Interest-free season ticket loan schemes for travel. Be part of a diverse, inclusive and collaborative work culture with various staff networks and resources to support your personal and professional wellbeing.

Further information

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The Space Magnetometer Laboratory at Imperial College London sits within the Space, Plasma and Climate Group, part of the Physics Department. We are a world leading centre of excellence for space instrumentation, responsible for the design and build of magnetic field instruments currently flying on the European Space Agency (ESA) Solar Orbiter and JUICE missions



This is a full-time fixed-term contract for 12 months with possibility of extension.



If you require any further details about the role, please contact: Richard Baughen - r.baughen@ic.ac.uk.

Available documents

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Attached documents are available under links. Clicking a document link will initialize its download.

Please note that job descriptions are not exhaustive, and you may be asked to take on additional duties that align with the key responsibilities mentioned above.

We reserve the right to close the advert prior to the closing date stated should we receive a high volume of applications. It is therefore advisable that you submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.



If you encounter any technical issues while applying online, please don't hesitate to email us at support.jobs@imperial.ac.uk. We're here to help.


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About Imperial

Welcome to Imperial, a global top ten university where scientific imagination leads to world-changing impact.



Join us and be part of something bigger. From global health to climate change, AI to business leadership, here at Imperial we navigate some of the world's toughest challenges. Whatever your role, your contribution will have a lasting impact.



As a member of our vibrant community of 22,000 students and 8,000 staff, you'll collaborate with passionate minds across nine London campuses and a global network.



This is your chance to help shape the future. We hope you'll join us at Imperial College London.


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Our Culture

We work towards equality of opportunity, to eliminating discrimination, and to creating an inclusive working environment for all. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries, and are committed to employing a team that has diverse skills, experiences and abilities. You can read more about our commitment on our webpages.



Our values are at the root of everything we do and everyone in our community is expected to demonstrate respect, collaboration, excellence, integrity, and innovation.