Project Description:

The aim of this project is to offer undergraduate university students the opportunity to gain industry-relevant, hands-on experience in working with satelliteground station and support systems. The student will get to learn about space communications and the technology used in radio communications. The student will also learn about orbital prediction methods used in ground station operations.

The Universities ground station is a full duplex system capable of both UHF and VHF. The system interfaces with a computer in the wider satellite lab fordecoding and information gathering, the systems are also pointing capable with both UHF and VHF antennas mounted on a rotating apparatus.

This role would be to further maintain current hardware and develop new hardware/ software to improve communication capabilities. For example, theintroduction of a s-band system or a system of higher frequency to be able to communicate with more advanced satellites, and/or migration to a SoftwareDefined Radio (SDR) based setup.

The candidate would be integrated into the university’s CubeSat research group which meets regularly once a week. This work will contribute to futurecommunications to the volcano imaging mission which the University hopes to launch soon.

• Find out more about SPIN and explore FAQs here.

Applicant Specification:

Technical

The candidate must also show an interest in space and a curiosity about satellites. They must show a good grasp of radio wave propagation, and communication systems and have a general idea of CubeSat operations.

The candidate will develop practical skills like soldering and learn how to diagnose and test radio frequency equipment. The applicant will increase theirknowledge in analogue design used for RF systems, and to identify characteristics of radio frequency electronics. The applicant will develop their understandingof antenna design and evaluation, and orbital mechanics. Also they will work with the ground station softwares GPredict, SharpSDR and GNURadio.

Human

The applicant will work closely with the departments at the University of Bristol, so they will develop their teamwork skills. They will also be working with andgaining feedback from experts with first-hand knowledge of the space sector. They will be contributing to the University of Bristol Satellite project. They will report on results and write up their work as they go along, producing a summary at the end of the internship. This will also contribute to the material for a posterat the SPIN showcase, contributing to their communication skills. This project has an ongoing commitment to outreach for young people in the local area andthe students will be involved in contributing to this effort (training will be given) thus developing their outreach skills.

Minimum requirements:

• Passion and enthusiasm

• Studying for a bachelors or master’s degree in electronics/aerospace/space engineering/physics

• Basic knowledge of engineering design and test

• Proven motivation to work in the space domain

• Ability to communicate effectively both written and verbally

Desirable requirements:

• Experience of space projects and orbital mechanics

• Experience of RF design and/or manufacture

• Experience of electronics manufacture techniques including soldering

• Experience of software such as gpredict, gnuradio

• Experience of working in teams

Process details:

• 8 weeks minimum fixed term contract to be agreed with successful candidate

• In-person Induction Event to be held on 24 Jun 2024, and an in-person/hybrid Showcase Event to be held in October 2024 (date TBD).

• 5 days holiday to be taken during the placement

How we work:

We strive to create a high trust environment that enables team members to bring their whole selves to work – this helps to create the foundations of an innovation culture. Our shared values are critical to this:

• We care - for our people, our partners, and our planet

• We connect - and engage with people and ideas

• We learn - and grow, as people and as an industry

Underpinning this is our belief in great teams, our combined efforts will always deliver outcomes beyond that of any individual providing we are honest through debate, experiment and reflect, and create shared resolutions in support of our purpose. Live these values, work to our principles, take ownership to deliver, and we are certain you will thrive with us.

This job description set outs the skills and experience we believe are needed to be able to do this job but, research also tells us women are much more likely than men to take this list of requirements as absolute and self-select out of the process. If you think you can deliver this role then we want to hear from you, regardless of the boxes you didn’t tick.