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Who decides which space startups survive? (And who is hiring)

Plus: Vega C returns, a big budget boost for Spain, and 15+ new roles you should see.

Author

Jaime Martín
December 11, 2025

Hello everyone

One week closer to the Christmas holidays and the end of the year… but the industry definitely isn't slowing down yet.

Last week we talked about the "risk" of joining a lunar startup. This week, we (more or less) flip the script. We are looking at the people who actually work to make those startups possible.

We often focus on the founders and the engineers building the hardware. But there is a whole other engine running in the background: the investors, accelerators and public programs that give these companies the runway to survive.

Great email this week 👇

🚀 Spotlight: New on findaspacejob.com

Check out some of the best roles of the week!

  • Systems Engineer @ AAC Clyde Space (UK)

    👉 Systems Engineer roles never disappoint; so be quick

  • Lead Payload Engineer @ ESA (Netherland)

    👉 You’ll work on getting stuff to Venus and back (at least the data). Mainly work on the SAR instrument

  • Flight Software Engineer @ Orbit Fab (UK)

    👉 Work on orbital refuelling. It’d be difficult to make it sound cooler

  • Business Development Intern @ Revolv Space (Italy)

    👉 A nice non technical internship role! (it’s not the only one available so check the full list!!!

  • Mechanical / Propulsion Engineer @ Liftero (Poland)

    👉 Work on developing/desigining in-space chemical propulsion systems

  • Launch Operations Specialist @ Involve Space (Italy)

    👉 Help launch stratospheric balloons. Not space but nearly there… but it still counts ;)

There are plenty of other jobs in the job board so be sure to check it out.

🎙️ New Podcast Episode: The people putting money into space

It’s been a month since the last episode (time flies...), but we are back!

After talking to the founders building the tech last time, I wanted to flip the script. Who are the people deciding which startups get support?

I sat down with Andreas Heitmann, the Managing Director of Space Founders (Germany).

If you don't know them, they run a massive accelerator program for European space startups. But here is the kicker: they don't take any equity. They are publicly funded to focus help companies survive and grow.

Andreas sees hundreds of teams and pitch decks. He knows exactly why some companies hire and grow, and why others disappear.

What we talked about:

  • The no equity deal: How they support startups without taking a “slice of the pie”

  • Team vs tech: Why he creates diverse cohorts and why a "perfect" technology often fails without the right people behind it.

  • The reality check: The massive cultural difference between pitching to a US investor vs. a European one.

  • Dual use: A bit of a buzzword recently but space is increasingly becoming a defense play (and where the jobs are going because of it).

It’s a great look behind the curtain of the European startup ecosystem. If you want to understand how the industry is funded, give this a listen.

» Listen on YouTube or Spotify «

🗞️ Industry News: Vega C is back & Spain gets serious about space

Since we already covered the main ESA budget updates recently, here are three quick interesting news for you this week:

Vega C flies again 🚀 

After a long hiatus and some difficult years for European launchers, Vega C is officially back in business. It successfully launched the KOMPSAT-7 satellite this week. This is a massive relief for the industry—we finally have our own functional small-lift capability back online without having to book a flight to Florida.

Spain opens the wallet 🇪🇸 

I might be biased 😅 but just in case you cared: Spain announced a massive increase in their contribution to ESA, and have now become the agency's 4th largest contributor. They are committing nearly €455M per year through 2030. For anyone job hunting in the best country in the world Spain, expect to see more "ESA Project" tags on job descriptions soon.

Galileo fleet expands 🛰️

Get ready for next week’s launch of two new Galileo satellites (launching on Ariane 6). The prelaunch briefings started this Tuesday. It’s good to see the constellation maintenance getting into a “steady rhythm” on European rockets again.

That’s it for the week.

Until next Thursday!

P.S. The Career Spotlight is still on so if you want to be part of it: you can do so here!

P.S.S. If your company is hiring and is looking to promote its openings to the Find a Space Job audience, just reach out directly.

As usual: connect on LinkedIn and follow the Find a Space Job for updates between issues.

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