HR Lead

HR Lead

This is a future role. We're building a shortlist now and will contact you when it opens.

About us

Foundational is building the most precise picture of Earth and orbit, using lasers fired from the ground. We call it ground truth for orbit.

We design and run low-cost, autonomous satellite laser ranging stations. They measure the distance to satellites with extreme precision, day and night. Our data platform turns those measurements into tracking data and orbit products for satellite operators, space agencies and governments. We also build our own flight-proven laser retroreflector arrays, so any satellite can be tracked.

Our station network is expanding across Europe, South America, Africa and Australia. The data supports resilient navigation, Earth observation and the safe, sustainable use of space.

We're a small, fast-moving team of engineers, scientists and operators in London. We're backed by venture investors and supported by ESA, the UK Space Agency, Innovate UK and the European Innovation Council.

Position Overview

London · Full time · On-site

You'll own hiring as we grow, from the first CV to the signed offer, and make sure every candidate has a great experience.

What you'll do

Run full-cycle recruitment across engineering, commercial and operations roles

Source specialists in small technical fields such as laser ranging, geodesy and optics

Run our applicant tracking system, pipelines and reporting

Design interview processes with hiring managers

Manage our talent pool and keep promising candidates warm

Shape our employer brand, careers content and onboarding

What you'll bring

In-house or agency recruitment experience for technical roles

Strong sourcing skills for niche profiles

Strong organisation, and a fast, respectful candidate experience

Confidence advising founders and hiring managers

Nice to have

Space, defence or deep-tech hiring

Experience with Ashby

Visa, right-to-work and security-clearance hiring processes

What We Offer

A high-impact role with real ownership at an early-stage, venture-backed spacetech company

EMI share options (UK employees)

25 Days Annual Leave + Bank Holidays

Enhanced Parental Leave

Cycle to work schemes

Work alongside engineers and scientists across optics, lasers, software and astrodynamics

Offices in central London, with snacks, tea, coffee and regular socials

We actively champion underrepresented groups and seek to bridge gaps in our workforce. If you're excited by the role but don't match every point, or you’re seeking a part time role, please apply anyway and add a note into your application. Building the best team is our priority.