Name of Company/Organisation you work for:

MBRYONICS Ltd

What is your position in the company/organisation?

Research and Development Manager

Tell us a little about the company you work for and how it’s involved in the space sector

MBRYONICS Ltd is an emerging global leader in end-to-end free space optical communications technologies and systems for space and terrestrial market applications. MBRYONICS is a vertically integrated company which designs, manufactures, sells and operates optical communications systems and infrastructure for the space and terrestrial markets. Our technologies are deployed on aerial and satellite systems for secure communications links, quantum key distribution, data relay systems, satellite optical mesh networks, optical feeder links, direct-to-Earth, and deep space missions.

We serve the high-technology industries through five primary business units:

Satellite Free Space Optical Communications ground stations, equipment, payloads and photonics subsystems and components for data relay, Earth stations, user terminals, cross-links and intra-satellite communications
Design and manufacture of high precision optical and mechanical equipment: Telescopes, space optical systems and sensors, test equipment for space instruments, and high-precision mechanical and mechatronics equipment
Earth Observation and Satellite Operations and Ground Segments System developments
Photonic Integrated Circuits (PIC): design, engineering and AIT of packaged PIC-based components and modules
Automation of production, assembly, inspection and testing for photonics and optics. Research, design, engineering, manufacture and system integrator of bespoke automated photonics micro-assembly and testing equipment.

Questions about your current Job

How did you get your current job?

By networking! I contacted MBRYONICS a long time ago as I was interested in their activities. We could see a future of cooperation, we just had to understand the right time for both of us. Through the years, we kept in touch with the idea that one day I would be able to join them. When the time was right in MBRYONICS’ growth trajectory and in my professional and personal life, this has happened!

Describe a typical day.

I have no typical day really, it depends a lot on the various commitments and activities that are ongoing. If I am in the middle of a bid, I will spend a lot of time writing proposal documents and making sure the budget is aligned with the reality of what the effort will be. Sometimes I will attend events to network with possible customers or partners/suppliers, and therefore those days are quite different! Mostly they include talking to a lot of people and discussing our capabilities and if/how we could cooperate. Finally, I have days where I just need to review past activities or budgets, alone or with the team, to make sure what we did was what we thought we would and whether there would be better ways to do it in the future!

Does your job allow you to have a lifestyle you are happy with?

Yes, there are periods that are more intense than others (for example bidding is the more intense one!), where I am working longer hours to meet deadlines, but overall I think I am able to achieve a very good life/work balance. I work in a hybrid situation, a bit from home and a bit from the office, which allows me to keep this balance right.

What’s the coolest part of your job?

Knowing that what we are doing every day at our desks and in our lab, one day will go into space and orbit around us. It’s amazing!

Are there any elements of your job that you dislike?

Managing people can be challenging sometimes, as no one likes to tell people off when they don’t do what they were meant to. However, I try to improve my communication skills every single time!

Questions about education and training

What subjects did you take in school/college and how have these influenced your career path?

Physics and maths. I always loved these subjects and despite not using them in my every day work, I strongly believe they gave me the right frame of mind.

What non-technical skills are necessary for your job?

Learn how to write both technical and non-technical content is very important in my job, when trying to breach the gap between the super-cool and innovative research, and the everyday commercial product. Plain and simple number crunching via Excel formulae is another massively underrated skill! Finally, logical work organisation and concise presentation skills are a must for me.

How did you develop those 21^st Century Skills?

By working, by looking at more experience people doing things correctly, as well as wrongly!, around me. By trying, failing, and trying again.

Questions about yourself

What have been the most rewarding events in your career so far?

Trusting myself to be able to push outside my comfort zone when deciding to change job. I knew I wanted to, I just needed to trust myself that I could.

What is your dream job?

The job I am doing right now! It implies a continuous learning curve that challenges me daily and that makes me interested in what I do every single day.

Advice for people thinking of this job as a career choice

What advice would you give to someone considering this job?

Are there important personal characteristics, or good work experience they can undertake for example. Let the people around you be your mentor: once you find that person that sparks your interest and your admiration for their skills, methods, and achievements, follow them and learn from them. There will be nothing more powerful than what you learn by example.