Q&A: Insights from a graduate spacecraft propulsion engineer

Who are you, what is your job role and what do you do?

My name’s Jimara and I’m currently a Graduate Spacecraft Propulsion Engineer at Airbus. Being part of the propulsion team means that I get to work on lots of exciting space projects, including some science missions, which are always really interesting to learn about. A lot of what we do in propulsion includes: propellant budget (how much propellant we need) calculations; being the authority - or go-to person - for technical components; coming up with creative ideas for problems; procedure writing, and considering what the future of propulsion might look like.

As a graduate, I rotate around different departments and I am currently working in the propulsion test department, which means I get to be involved with the practical part of things as well.

Can you tell us about any current projects that you’re working on? 

At the moment, a lot of my time at work is spent on testing and writing up the test report for a satellite propulsion system in one of our clean rooms. This involves setting up our ground-support equipment (GSE), connecting it up to the spacecraft, and performing cleanliness checks, amongst other things. The report I have been writing up is for a different set of tests that were carried out by people in my team before I started my rotation, which was a great way to introduce myself to the way procedures are carried out and how propulsion test reports should be written.

I recently also carried out the test procedure for two of our regulators for the propulsion system on a science mission to make sure there were no leaks in the system and that the regulators were performing as expected. It’s so cool to think that the equipment I test in a clean room in the UK will one day be on a spacecraft in space on its way to make new discoveries!

What was your career path and how did it lead you to where you are now?

Until year 11, I never saw myself studying engineering; if you’d told 15-year-old Jimara - who was convinced she’d become a lawyer - that in less than a decade she’d be working as an engineer, she would have cackled in your face. I was fantastically average at Maths and Science, but loved to read, learn about the world’s history and make music, so was very happy to remain in my comfort zone. That was until my Triple Science teacher convinced me to stop chatting quite so much and actually apply myself. She then encouraged me to choose Maths, Physics, Further Maths and English Literature at A- Level, and opened my eyes to the possibility of a career in engineering.

After that, I did my own research and settled on studying Mechanical Engineering at Queen Mary University of London and discovered the wonderful world of engines. I was fascinated by how they work and their future capabilities. While at university, I completed a year in industry (which I highly recommend) as a New Product Integration engineer working on fire safety products, but I was already convinced that I was born to work on and develop the engines of the future. This led me to pursuing a Master’s degree in Power Systems Engineering at UCL and looking for powertrain/propulsion graduate roles.

What do you enjoy most about your current role and company?

I love the variety that comes with my role. There is such a diverse range of projects that I could get involved with and people in my team are always happy to give me something to work on to widen my knowledge. Also, propulsion is such a large department that I have the opportunity to rotate within the team and still learn so much about different types of propulsion systems - how we test them, and even how we bid for new contracts.

Outside of propulsion, being on the graduate scheme at Airbus means that I can rotate to other departments as well, so I'm planning to spend some time soon in the Thermal department to improve my working knowledge of spacecraft and have the opportunity to apply a few more of the principles I learnt at university. Airbus also gives graduates the opportunity to engage in a lot of outreach - working with universities to organise site visits and competitions, which is great to be involved with.

What would be your main piece of advice to students looking to pursue a career in engineering?

My advice to anyone wanting to pursue a career in engineering is to do as much research into different sectors as you can through insight days, work experience, workshops, anything you can! This will help you to understand what you like, as well as what you don't. Engineering is so broad, it's always a good idea to gain as much experience as you can - even informal experience is helpful. It also gives you more to talk about in interviews, which shows employers your passion about engineering. As you start your career, you will begin to understand what really works for you and what you want to spend your time working on, so don't worry too much if you don't have a particular niche - that will come naturally.

Alongside that, don't forget to feed into broadening your life experiences in general. Engineers often get a bad reputation for being boring or one-dimensional but there are so many things we do in our personal lives that make us, not only better engineers, but also make sure that we add to the culture of our workplaces, ultimately making it a much more enjoyable place to be.

Jimara Amadi, Graduate Spacecraft Propulsion Engineer at Airbus. 

The Student Engineer is a special channel of The Engineer aimed at educating and inspiring engineering undergraduates about the career opportunities in engineering and also offering practical advice on how they can access these opportunities.

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