Space Engineering Technician

Lucas is a Precision CNC Machinist at RAL Space

What I do

I make things that go up into space! I work in a specialised, ultra-precise manufacturing facility at RAL Space. We support remote sensing, which is using satellites to gather information from a distance. We also use tools like satellites and radars to measure and monitor the atmosphere, all for the UK’s National Space Laboratory.

I programme and run CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machines to create small intricate parts and components used for Earth observation and ground-based astronomy. I work with everything, from design to programming and operating the machines. I also use computer software to create complex tool paths, which I use to shape material. Most of my work is for science, measuring different species of gases in the Earth’s atmosphere, which helps us understand and track changes in the Earth’s climate.

How I became a technician

At the end of my GCSEs, I was originally planning to go into sixth form and then follow the university route, but my school didn’t offer a higher education engineering opportunity which is what I was most interested in. With the help of the school's careers board, I found out about apprenticeships, so I applied to as many different engineering apprenticeships as I could find.

I received some offers and chose the Advanced Manufacturing Engineering apprenticeship with the Science and Technology Facilities Council, based at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. The first year was spent at college, and then from the second year, I was on-site doing three-month rotational placements in all aspects of engineering.

I did technician work, assembly work, design work, and both manual and CNC machining. It was a great way to get a taste of everything and find out what I enjoyed most. At the end of the four years, I accepted a position in the RAL Space Precision Development Facility, which I'm really enjoying.

A typical day in my
working life

My day starts at 8:00am and finishes at 4:30pm. The first thing we do in the morning is make tea and coffee, of course! Then we do a machine warm-up, starting all the machines in our workshop is crucial, as temperature can influence how accurate the parts are which we are making.

While that's happening, I have a team meeting where I have the opportunity to discuss what I have got on for the day, how my projects are going, and if I need a hand with anything. It’s a great chance to sort out any issues before I start.

After the machine warm-up, I load stock materials into the machines and finalise my programmes. Once the machines are running the programs, which can take anywhere from 10 minutes to several days, I usually start programming the next job.

I also do metrology – measuring the finished parts. I take them to our metrology room and use either contact or non-contact measurement to create an inspection report. I need to make sure everything is spot on to size.

Seize the moment! When work comes along, do it when you first get the chance, getting on top of things makes life so much easier.

The advice I'd give to someone younger

Seize the moment! When work comes along, do it when you first get the chance. It will feel so much better to get it done and out of the way. Then you can enjoy whatever it is you wanted to do afterwards without any guilt or stress. It is easy to delay and leave things to later, but trust me, getting on top of things early makes life so much easier. And who knows – it might even lead you to an awesome apprenticeship opportunity like it did for me!

A little more about
my everyday role

What I love most about my job

The best thing about my job is the fact that some of the things I make end up in space – how cool is that? It's fascinating to think that something I have machined is way up there, hundreds of kilometres above the Earth, orbiting the planet.

I also love that we are supporting science and things which really matter. I am helping to make our world better by partnering with the space community and helping us understand space and our environment for the benefit of everyone. A lot of our instruments are mounted on satellites to provide real-time data to predict weather and climate change. That's probably one of the biggest issues we face as a society right now, so it feels good to be part of the solution, collecting important information about the planet we live on.

It is also brilliant that I get to see the full picture of what I have been working on. I can really appreciate the impact of what I am making, which makes me put in that extra level of care and effort. It is not just a job, in my role as a technician I really am making a difference.

The best bits about working in a team

I work in a small team of five technicians, and teamwork is crucial to what we do. For example, a recent job required me to work with other engineers and technicians outside of my usual team. We worked on a new machining strategy, where the part needed to be checked at many different stages of the manufacturing process to make sure the tiny, intricate elements were perfect and in line with the specification. To give you an idea of how tiny the parts are, a human hair is 100 micrometres in diameter, and the features on this part were a tenth of the size of a hair, just 10 micrometres wide!

Our team has a great mix of experience levels too. My senior line manager and my line manager have 30 years and 9 years’ experience, which is great as I can learn from the knowledge they have in precision machining. We also have another technician and an apprentice. It is brilliant having people with loads of experience to ask for advice.

The skills I use most

Being a CNC programmer and machinist requires a mixture of skills. Problem solving is probably number one. There are always hurdles to overcome between starting and finishing a job. It is never as simple as just pressing a button! You need to be able to think on your feet and come up with solutions quickly. Aptitude is also key. This job can be challenging, and you need to be able to push through when things get tough and deadlines need to be met!

Having an appreciation for what you are making really helps too. When you understand the science behind the parts you are creating and how they will benefit society, it really motivates you to put in that extra level of care and effort.

Of course, you need technical skills too – programming, understanding materials, operating the machines, but those are all learnable. It's the problem-solving, determination and on-the-job experience that really make the difference.

My favourite piece of equipment

My favourite piece of equipment is a high performance 5-axis CNC milling machine. The things that are great about this machine are the speed, power and it’s incredibly accurate. It is extremely versatile too. It can handle big, heavy-duty cutting at serious speeds, but it can also do those super intricate, precise jobs. It's like the Swiss Army knife of CNC machines – whatever the job needs, it can handle it.

My school days

At GCSE level, I did the full triple science, plus engineering, geography, and business as my options. I was lucky that our school had a great engineering and design and technology department with some decent equipment. It gave us all a good feel for the world of engineering, which definitely helped me figure out what I wanted to do later in my career.

Looking back, I wish I'd been less of a procrastinator. That means, when schoolwork came along, I would often put it off. Now, I would tell my younger self to just do it, when you first get the chance. It feels so much better to get it done and out of the way, then you can enjoy whatever it is you wanted to do afterwards without that nagging feeling in the back of your mind.

But overall, I am glad I took the opportunity to do the engineering GCSE. It set me on the path to where I am now, even if I did not realise it at the time!

Find out more about this role

Discover what qualifications you’ll need, how much you can earn, and what the next steps are.

Nine apprentices sitting on sofas socialising

Meet other technicians

Read more real life technicians stories, see what they do every day, and how they got started.