Name: Bill Tandy
LinkedIn: My Profile
Education: PhD in Aerospace Remote Sensing, MS in Aerospace Structures and Materials
Dog Status: One fun (but not that smart) dog
Profile picture is current as of: November 2021
Ideal Job: Living and working on the frontiers of space exploration
SpaceX, Blue Origin, Rocket Lab, and others are making it easier and more affordable to launch payloads to orbit. However, the spacecraft industry is ill-positioned to take full advantage of these opportunities. We need to dramatically improve tools and knowledge while growing the next generation of talent.
I truly believe you can have an incredible career in the space industry. Land people on the moon? Yes. Send thousands of satellites up in a globe-spanning constellation? Yes. Work on nuclear engines, giant space stations, and/or reusable spacecraft that return in a fireball? Yes.
There are hundreds and thousands of jobs available right now in the space industry and people from all career fields are finding success. I've worked with teachers, technicians, nurses, mailmen, dental hygienists, and more who have joined later in life and raved about the great pay, steady hours, and awesome sense of contributing to something they love. I believe that a little bit of space-centric education combined with your life experiences will have you ready for a new job.
One of the hardest positions to fill right now are mentors and managers. Many of these positions have gone unfilled for over a year. Other positions require people who understand the value of great documentation and an appreciation for organization and detail. Just to throw out an example: Supply chain teams are seriously understaffed and they'd love to find people who are ready to track things down and get the paperwork done right.
Space Steps