Microwave Instruments Systems Engineer Placement – 12 months

About the role

This 12‑month placement is within Airbus Defence and Space's Earth Observation and Science division, specifically the radar and microwaves department in Portsmouth. You will work alongside global experts developing spaceborne radar, microwave and optical payloads for Earth observation missions.

Key responsibilities

• Support instrument development for next‑generation Earth observation radar, microwave and optical payloads.
• Carry out architecture and design activities, creating concepts that meet technical specifications and payload constraints.
• Perform detailed analyses of space‑based payloads, defining performance allocation and functional decomposition.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary engineering teams to ensure robust technical solutions for the space environment.

Required profile

• Undergraduate student (must remain enrolled for the full placement duration) studying Physics, Engineering, Electronics, Microwave or a related discipline.
• Willingness to learn and contribute to a multidisciplinary instrument development team.
• Experience using performance modelling tools such as Matlab or Python.
• Ability to work confidently in a systems engineering environment.

Required skills

• Matlab
• Python

What we offer

• Salary of £24,500 per year.
• 37‑hour work week with flexible and hybrid working options.
• Half‑day Fridays and 25 days holiday plus bank holidays.
• Opportunity to gain hands‑on experience with cutting‑edge Earth observation payloads.