About Unbound
At Unbound, we design and build the key technologies that enable the emerging In-Orbit Servicing, Assembly and Manufacturing (ISAM) ecosystem - cameras, sensors, and processing units that let spacecraft inspect, repair, and extend the life of satellites already in space. We are a small and highly-experienced team solving some of the hardest problems in the space industry.
Our aim is to enable great people to move fast: quick to hardware, quick to testing, quick to orbit!
The Opportunity
We are looking for an intern to join us for six months to support the optical and electrical testing of the systems we are developing. This is a hands-on role in the lab. You will help set up and run test campaigns on real flight-representative hardware — characterising cameras and optical assemblies, exercising sensors and electronics, and turning raw measurements into results the team can act on.
Testing is where our hardware proves itself, and it is where an intern can make a real contribution quickly. You will be given genuine responsibility for pieces of the test campaign, with an experienced engineer alongside you throughout.
What you’ll get to do:
- Work hands-on with hardware — from soldering and PCB bring-up to optical characterisation,
- Build and automate your own test setups rather than following someone else’s script,
- Prototype fixtures, mounts, and test jigs (CAD + 3D printing) to solve problems as needed,
- Sit with a highly experienced, cross-disciplinary team and learn from all of it,
- Build hardware, test it and learn in fast iterations,
- Enjoy a modern central London office with flexible hybrid working options.
Key Responsibilities
- Support the set-up, alignment, and operation of optical test benches for camera and sensor characterisation,
- Lead lab-based performance measurements campaigns and record them rigorously,
- Write Python scripts to automate instrument control (cameras, power supplies, source meters, oscilloscopes, motion stages) and to acquire data unattended,
- Process and analyse test data, producing plots and summaries that clearly show whether a requirement has been met,
- Help draft and maintain test procedures, test reports, and as-run records so results are traceable,
- Support integration activities and environmental test campaigns alongside the mechanical, electronics, and optical engineers,
- Flag anomalies early, investigate them, and help work out whether the problem is the hardware, the setup, or the measurement.
Desired Qualifications
- Currently studying towards, or recently graduated with, a degree in spacecraft or aerospace engineering, optical engineering or physics, electrical or electronic engineering, or a closely related discipline,
- Practical hands-on experience from coursework, a hobby, a personal project, or a previous placement — for example, using a multimeter or oscilloscope, soldering, working on an optical bench, PCB design or rework, 3D printing, or CAD modelling,
- Able to write and debug Python (or similar language) — you should be comfortable with scripting, and ideally with NumPy, Matplotlib, and reading data from files or instruments,
- Understanding of optics, imaging systems, or detector physics,
- Understanding of analogue and digital electronics,
- Careful and methodical in the lab, with the instinct to write down what you did and what you measured,
- Curious, proactive, and comfortable asking questions in a small team where nobody has time to hover,
- Clear written and verbal communication — a test result that nobody can interpret is not a result.
- Experience with specialist engineering software is a bonus, such as CAD and optical design software.
Don’t meet every requirement? Apply anyway. We’d rather talk to someone with the right curiosity and drive than pass on a great engineer. If this role excites you, we want to hear from you.
What Unbound Offers
- 25 days of annual holiday (prorated) plus a dedicated office shutdown period between Christmas and New Year,
- Hybrid working model with a balanced expectation of 3 days in the office per week,
- Benefits such as medical, dental, and life insurance,
Application question(s):
- Do you require visa sponsorship to work in the UK?
- We're looking for candidates with hands-on experience. Please describe a project or hobby where you designed, built, or debugged something yourself. Briefly explain what it was, your role, and a challenge you had to work through.
- We're aiming to start in September for a 6-month internship. Is this something you can commit to? If not, please let us know your availability.
- This is a hands-on position, so we require in-office presence in our London office at least 3 days a week. Are you willing to commit to this?
Work Location: In person
