Materials Technical Textiles Engineer

Harwell, United Kingdom | Posted on 22/07/2026

Oxford Space Systems develops innovative deployable antennas for Space.

Our aim is to be the global leader in this field, providing effective solutionstoday for the space-based services of the future. We are leveraging innovationsfrom beyond the space sector to make our deployable antenna designs more lightweight,cost effective and industrialised when compared to legacy approaches.

This is an exciting time to join us as we scale up for the future,having already delivered multiple systems for operational satellites within-orbit deployment success, and significant investment in our facilities witha state-of-the-art head office at Harwell and a bespoke manufacturing facility in Abingdon.

Reporting to the Chief Mechanical Engineer, you will be our materials and technical textiles specialist, supporting across OSS deployable antennaproduct lines and working closely with project teams to deliver qualifiedspaceflight hardware that meets customer requirements. You will provideexpertise, guidance and review across the development, qualification and delivery of spaceflight metallic meshes for our lightweight deployablereflectors. You will establish materials engineering standards and processes that underpin consistency, quality and agility in project delivery.

You will collaborate with Chief Engineers and Production teams to ensure that design formanufacture and industrialisation is front-and-centre of the design process.

You will also maintain strong links into the space industry, academia and thewider aerospace community, keeping OSS at the forefront of materials and technical textiles innovation.

You will hold a degree, or equivalent, in mechanical or aerospace engineering, materials science, textile technology, composites or a related subject, with proven experience of designing, characterising and developingtextiles, polymers, composites or other high-performance materials fordemanding environments. Hands-on knowledge of technical textile or otheradvanced material manufacturing methods is essential, along with experience of mechanical or thermal modelling software and of providing technical support tocomplex multi-disciplinary projects.

You will bring a pragmatic, logicalapproach to problem solving and the communication and interpersonal skills toconvey materials engineering concepts to colleagues across disciplines.

This role may be appointed at Senior or Principal level depending on thedepth of experience, autonomy and breadth of influence the successful candidate demonstrates. The core responsibilities are consistent across both levels; whatdiffers is the scale and independence with which they are delivered.

• a competitive salary that will reflect the level the role is appointed at
• exciting career opportunities
• the ability to work flexibly
• a benefits allowance
• employee discount and assistance programme
• aswell as 28 days basic holiday plus bank holidays
• a contributory pension scheme