This is a future role. We're building a shortlist now and will contact you when it opens.
About us
Foundational is building the most precise picture of Earth and orbit, using lasers fired from the ground. We call it ground truth for orbit.
We design and run low-cost, autonomous satellite laser ranging stations. They measure the distance to satellites with extreme precision, day and night. Our data platform turns those measurements into tracking data and orbit products for satellite operators, space agencies and governments. We also build our own flight-proven laser retroreflector arrays, so any satellite can be tracked.
Our station network is expanding across Europe, South America, Africa and Australia. The data supports resilient navigation, Earth observation and the safe, sustainable use of space.
We're a small, fast-moving team of engineers, scientists and operators in London. We're backed by venture investors and supported by ESA, the UK Space Agency, Innovate UK and the European Innovation Council.
Position Overview
London · Full time · On-site
You'll own hiring as we grow, from the first CV to the signed offer, and make sure every candidate has a great experience.
What you'll do
Run full-cycle recruitment across engineering, commercial and operations roles
Source specialists in small technical fields such as laser ranging, geodesy and optics
Run our applicant tracking system, pipelines and reporting
Design interview processes with hiring managers
Manage our talent pool and keep promising candidates warm
Shape our employer brand, careers content and onboarding
What you'll bring
In-house or agency recruitment experience for technical roles
Strong sourcing skills for niche profiles
Strong organisation, and a fast, respectful candidate experience
Confidence advising founders and hiring managers
Nice to have
Space, defence or deep-tech hiring
Experience with Ashby
Visa, right-to-work and security-clearance hiring processes
What We Offer
A high-impact role with real ownership at an early-stage, venture-backed spacetech company
EMI share options (UK employees)
25 Days Annual Leave + Bank Holidays
Enhanced Parental Leave
Cycle to work schemes
Work alongside engineers and scientists across optics, lasers, software and astrodynamics
Offices in central London, with snacks, tea, coffee and regular socials
We actively champion underrepresented groups and seek to bridge gaps in our workforce. If you're excited by the role but don't match every point, or you’re seeking a part time role, please apply anyway and add a note into your application. Building the best team is our priority.
Skills Required
- In-house or agency recruitment experience for technical roles
- Strong sourcing skills for niche profiles
- Strong organization and ability to deliver a fast, respectful candidate experience
- Confidence advising founders and hiring managers
- Experience hiring within space, defense, or deep-tech industries
- Experience with Ashby
- Experience with visa, right-to-work, and security-clearance hiring processes
What We Do
We're an early-stage, mission-driven startup tackling one of the most exciting and complex challenges today to create the most precise understanding of space and earth using ground-based lasers. Using satellite laser ranging (SLR) data we are empowering the next generation of space companies with exquisite data that allows new forms of resilient navigation, earth observation and precise space traffic control - essential for the sustainability and resilience of the space domain, resilient navigation an the future of earth observation.
