Develops laser telemetry stations and a data platform to track satellites and space debris.
Full Stack Software Engineer
Foundational is hiring a Full Stack Software Engineer in London to develop and deploy its SaaS applications with Python, React and AWS. The role covers frontend and backend development, as well as DevOps practices and deployment automation. The company designs laser stations that measure distances to satellites and develops an orbital data platform.
Job details
The full description published by Foundational.
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 continents.
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, and Innovate UK.
What You'll Be Doing
- Designing, developing, and deploying scalable and robust SaaS applications using Python, React and modern AWS cloud services.
- Building and maintaining both the frontend and backend of our core product, ensuring seamless user experiences and high performance.
- Implementing DevOps practices to streamline development workflows, automate deployments, and ensure continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD).
- Collaborating closely with the product team to translate user needs and business requirements into innovative and user-friendly features.
- Writing clean, maintainable, and well-documented code, adhering to best practices and industry standards.
- Troubleshooting and resolving technical issues, ensuring the smooth operation of our platform.
- Staying up-to-date with the latest technologies and trends in web development, DevOps, and the space industry.
- Growing with us! As an early team member, you'll have the opportunity to contribute to all aspects of the development process and make a real impact on our product and company culture.
What We're Looking For
- Proven experience as a Full Stack Developer, with a strong portfolio showcasing your skills in both frontend and backend development.
- Solid understanding of DevOps principles and experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP)
- Proficiency in front end e.g., React, Angular, Vue.js and frameworks such as e.g., Node.js or FastAPI.
- Experience with databases such as MongoDB and MySQL.
- Familiarity with API design and development, including serverless technologies, e.g.
Aws ecs/api
Gateway/Lambda.
- A passion for space technology and a genuine interest in the space sector (desirable, but not essential).
- A proactive, problem-solving attitude and a desire to learn and grow in a fast-paced startup environment.
- Excellent communication and teamwork skills.
- The ability to work independently and take ownership of your projects.
- A strong desire to make a tangible difference and help build something extraordinary. Bonus Points (We'd love it if you have...)
- Experience with containerisation technologies, e.g. Docker, Kubernetes.
- Contributions to open-source projects.
- Familiarity with space situational awareness, space domain awareness or other ground-based space sensors (optical, RF, etc.)
What We Offer
A high-impact role with genuine ownership and autonomy.
- EMI options in a fast-growing VC backed startup in the spacetech industry
- Generous compensation and pension contributions
- Offices in central London right in the heart of Borough and London Bridge with snacks, tea, coffee and regular socials.
Requirements
- Experience as a Full Stack Developer
- Understanding of DevOps principles and cloud platforms
- Proficiency with frontend technologies and frameworks
- Experience with databases
- Familiarity with API design and development
- Interest in space technology
- Problem-solving attitude and willingness to learn
- Communication and teamwork skills
- Ability to work independently
- Experience with Docker or Kubernetes is a plus
- Open-source contributions are a plus
- Familiarity with space situational awareness or ground-based space sensors is a plus
Benefits mentioned
- High-impact role with ownership and autonomy
- EMI options
- Compensation and pension contributions
- Central London offices with snacks, tea, coffee and regular social events
Apply for this job
How do I apply?
The job is published on Foundational’s website. Open the original posting ↗ to submit your application. Screeningpass does not fill in a form for you.
Who should you write to at Foundational about this role?
Start a contact search from this page. Screeningpass suggests up to three people connected to the role. Choose whom to write to, then Screeningpass looks for their professional email and prepares a message. You review it and send it yourself with Gmail. An email address is not always available, and a reply is never guaranteed.
How much does finding a contact cost?
A search costs 1 credit. Your credit is returned if the search fails. Signing up gives you 3 credits, enough for 3 searches.
What does Screeningpass do?
Screeningpass brings together internships, apprenticeships and jobs published by companies. For a job, Screeningpass finds someone to contact at the company, looks for their professional email and prepares a message using your CV. See how it works in detail.
More jobs at Foundational
27 other jobs currently available.
You will design and integrate satellite and space debris laser ranging systems, from modelling through on-site validation. The role combines time-of-flight data processing, orbital determination, and laser safety expertise at a startup based in London. Python, Linux, and experience with laser ranging stations, optical ground stations, or atmospheric LiDAR are required.
In London, the Technical Sales Engineer leads discovery calls and demos with prospective customers, then defines satellite tracking solutions suited to their missions. The role involves answering technical requirements in RFPs, supporting the integration of retroreflectors onto satellites, and sharing customer needs with the product and engineering teams. This full-time, on-site role focuses on Foundational’s laser ranging data and retroreflectors, as part of a company specializing in space technology.
The DevOps / SRE role is a future full-time, on-site position in London, focused on keeping the cloud platform and remote station software reliable and secure. Responsibilities cover cloud infrastructure, CI/CD, monitoring, remote access and updates, and incident response. Terraform, Kubernetes, Docker, Linux, networking, and experience with a major cloud provider are required.
Foundational is building a shortlist for a future Backend / Data Platform Engineer role in London. The role involves building the platform that ingests, processes and delivers satellite tracking data, from stations to the customer API. It requires extensive experience building backend systems in production, as well as Python (or Go or Rust), SQL and data pipelines.
The BD Manager EMEA role will grow Foundational’s business in defence, national security and the space sector, serving institutional and commercial customers. You will build customer relationships and lead business opportunities from initial conversations through to contracts, contributing to tenders and proposals. The role is based in London and involves travel across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Vous piloterez les appels d’offres et demandes de subventions, de la sélection des opportunités au dépôt des dossiers. Vous rédigerez les sections non techniques, préparerez les budgets et coordonnerez les partenaires et le suivi après attribution. Le poste à temps plein et sur site est basé à Londres, au sein d’une entreprise de technologie spatiale.