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Flight director

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Engineering
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Career outlook for flight director

Average UK salary

£46,280

Currently employed in Scotland

16,200

"LMI for All" supplies our salary and employment status information. "Oxford Economics" supplies job forecasts and employment figures. Due to COVID-19 the jobs market is constantly changing. Some of the information may not reflect the current situation.

What's it like?

A lot of people need to work together to make space missions successful, including:

  • astronauts
  • ground controllers
  • scientists
  • engineers
  • researchers

Much of the action happens in a busy mission control centre, but people can work from all over the world to provide support. Picture yourself as the person everyone looks to for direction and to make the big decisions.

You'd help everyone work towards the goals of the mission and look after the safety of astronauts in space. You might support the International Space Station orbiting Earth or work on new missions. Imagine leading a mission to Mars or the moon!

Your tasks might include:

  • leading a large team of people in a control centre
  • coordinating support personnel working in other areas
  • communicating with controllers to check on different systems, for example flight dynamics or communications
  • looking out for astronaut safety and welfare
  • making decisions critical to the success and safety of the mission
  • running simulations to train people and prepare for missions

Working conditions

Hours

You’d work at a console that’s operated 24/7. You’d work in shifts to keep your console staffed. You'd work nights, weekends and holidays depending on the needs of the mission.

Environment

You'd work for a space agency, in a busy mission control centre. You'd be sitting at a desk for long periods of time monitoring technical data. It's a fast-paced environment where you'll need to stay alert. You'll have to react to any issues or complex situations that arise.

Travel

You'd likely work from a set base of operations but may need to travel occasionally depending on the needs of the mission. This could include international travel.

UK employment status

Full-time

82%

Part-time

3%

Self employed

15%

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Here are some of the skills needed for this job. Sign in to see how your skills match up.

  • Adaptability
  • Resilience
  • Cooperating
  • Listening
  • Verbal communication
  • Problem solving
  • Time management
  • Making decisions
  • Motivating others
  • Taking responsibility

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Our Skills Explorer tool will help you understand what skills you have and match them to jobs that might suit you.

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Getting in

Entry requirements for courses can change. Always contact the college, university or training provider to check exactly what you'll need.

Foundation Apprenticeships

Choosing a Foundation Apprenticeship as one of your subjects in S5 and S6 can help you get a head start with this type of job.

You'll get an SCQF level 6 qualification (the same level as a Higher) plus valuable work placement experience and skills you can't learn in a classroom.

Interested? Find out what's on offer at your school on Apprenticeships.scot.

Qualifications

To work in this role, you'd need at least a bachelor's degree in a relevant field, such as aerospace engineering. Other engineering subjects, maths and physics are also useful.

If you're not quite ready for university, consider an apprenticeship or college first. You can gain skills, experience and a qualification that could lead on to a degree course.

Apprenticeship

You can start learning the skills you'll need in this career through a Foundation Apprenticeship. While you're in S5 or S6, you'll gain work experience while you study.

Have a look at this Engineering apprenticeship on Apprenticeships.scot. It could set you up for further study or to get into a job where you can develop your skills.

If you’re 16 or older, a Modern Apprenticeship will let you work and earn while you study for a qualification. After you qualify, you'd be able to study further or move into a role where you can build experience.

Check out this Engineering Modern Apprenticeship.

You could also earn a degree level qualification through a Graduate Apprenticeship. Check out this course:

College

There are many subjects where you can learn useful practices. Some cover engineering from a general perspective and others offer more specialised knowledge. You could study:

  • aircraft engineering
  • civil engineering
  • electrical engineering
  • engineering
  • engineering systems
  • mechanical engineering

Entry requirements will depend on the subject and the level you're studying. For HNC or HND courses, you'll likely need 1 or 2 Scottish Highers at Grade C. Courses value school qualifications in maths or physics.

Search for courses relevant to this role.

University

Degrees in aerospace engineering are particularly valuable. Some subjects you could study include:

  • aerospace systems  
  • aircraft engineering  
  • civil engineering 
  • computer science 
  • electrical engineering   
  • engineering   
  • mathematics 
  • mechanical engineering 
  • physics

The qualifications you need for degree courses will depend on the subject. You'd likely need either:

  • an HNC or HND in a relevant subject  
  • 4 Highers at BBBB or above

Courses value qualifications in maths, science and technology subjects.

Search for relevant undergraduate courses. 

Useful subjects

  • maths
  • physics
  • engineering science
  • design and manufacture
  • application of maths
  • Foundation Apprenticeship: Engineering
  • Pactical craft skills
  • Practical electronics
  • Skills for Work: Engineering
  • computer science

You will also need

You’ll need a lot of experience working in the space industry, particularly in mission control centres. Many flight directors have worked as ground controllers on space missions. 

You'd do further training while working for a space agency to prepare for this role. This would include areas like:

  • operational leadership 
  • risk management 
  • flight control 
  • spacecraft systems

Before you start work, you'd need to pass background checks and a physical examination. 

Helpful to have

Having experience in leadership roles and knowledge of risk management is important.

Competition for jobs in the space sector is very high. Check out the Space Placements in INdustry scheme (SPIN). It offers placements each year to students considering working in the sector.