What it takes to build a space startup + 24 new jobs

Hello everyone,

And we’re now on week 13!

While looking for a space job is one thing, building a space company is quite a different challenge altogether.

This week we bring you something different. I spoke with Jordan Vannitsen, the cofounder and CEO of Odysseus Space. We talked about his journey from aerospace engineer to CEO, the challenges of building a deep tech startup and the future of laser communications.

It is a look behind the scenes that I think you will find valuable, whether you want to start your own company or just want to understand the companies you are applying to (btw, they are hiring).

But jobs first 👇

🚀 Spotlight: New on findaspacejob.com

Here are a few of the fresh roles added directly to the site this week.

• AIT Engineer @ Odysseus Space (Luxembourg)
  👉 If you've heard the CEO talk about their laser communication tech on the podcast… this here's a chance to build it.

• Embedded Software Engineer @ Odysseus Space (Luxembourg)

  👉 And this is a chance to build the brain behind the hardware of future laser communication systems.

• Electronics Technician Intern @ Involve Space (Italy)

  👉 A proper hands on internship. You’ll assemble, test (and of course break/fix) electronic systems for stratospheric balloons!

🚀 The Odysseus Space Journey

I am excited to share this episode of the Space to Grow podcast. My conversation with Jordan Vannitsen, CEO of Odysseus Space, is a great lecture in space entrepreneurship and space communications.

We talked about the real story behind building a space startup in Europe, from the initial dream to the technical and commercial challenges.

A few key takeaways from the conversation:

• The transition from being an engineer to becoming a CEO.

• Why they pivoted from consultancy to building a scalable laser communication product.

• The technical challenges of developing high-tech laser communication for satellites

• Why partnerships are crucial for building out a network of ground stations (and in general).

• His vision for connecting all human assets in space by 2030.

If you have ever wondered what it takes to lead a company in the space industry, give it a listen.

Listen to the full episode on Youtube or Spotify

And here’s the Spotify link 👉 https://open.spotify.com/episode/77wE6RYEfEYFbB8uoKY0D4?si=9dc553aa10fd473e

🔗 Help This Community Grow

I need your help to expand our reach:

1. Tell me: Which company (or kind of role) should I add next? I’ll use your replies to prioritise upcoming job hunts.

2. Share: Know someone looking for a role in space? Forward this email or share findaspacejob.com - your share helps grow this for everyone.

3. Build with me: Have you got any feedback for the newsletter or board? The more feedback, the better the site becomes.

Your input directly shapes our next steps!

That’s all for the week. I hope you found it helpful! (Let me know if you didn’t 🧐)

As usual, more to come in findaspacejob.com during the week.

Until next Thursday,

Jaime
Find a Space Job

— Connect on LinkedIn and follow the Find a Space Job for updates between issues.

👉 Looking for a role?
Know someone hunting for their next space role in Europe? Forwarding this email is a great way to help them out. And if you haven’t subscribed: you can do so here.

📣 Hiring in aerospace?
Get in touch if you’d want to share your job with the Find a Space Job community. You can do so here.