John E. Ward

I work at Réaltra Space Systems Engineering in Dublin as a Space Product Manager 

A typical day for John: 

Usually, I will go through my action list to check what are the most pressing things for the day – these can range from organizing or attending the test facility for a qualification campaign of a new space product, to writing and reviewing project documents and proposals, to meetings with customers, to assembling or testing space hardware in our laboratories. 

Top tip from John for those interested in a similar career:

Internships or summer work in an engineering company will give you a head start when looking for work in the field. If the engineering is for a regulated/requirements driven field (e.g., space, medical etc.) that is an additional advantage as it will expose you to the traceability and documentation rigor needed in the space industry. Réaltra offers internships and work experience for example. 

Any personal engineering/science projects or hobbies can also help your CV stand out. Many people have engineering degrees now, so you need something to help differentiate yourself from the rest. 

Also, in a start-up company, an independent mindset is crucial as there is a lot of varied work with usually few staff and resources – so flexibility and a willingness to put your mind to many different problems, i.e., working outside of your comfort zone, is critical. A pro-active mindset is important too – taking on work that you think needs to be done, without being told to do it.