Dreamers & Makers

What inspired you to pursue a career in space sector?

From a very young age, I was deeply fascinated by astronomy and the exploration of space. This attraction to the universe accompanied me through practically every stage of my education. I was particularly inspired by grand and ambitious undertakings like the Apollo program and planetary missions to the edges of the solar system. At the same time, I always enjoyed creating new things, so space engineering became a natural path of development for me.
That is why I decided to move to Warsaw to study Aerospace engineering, as it was only place in that time where it was possible to learn about space technologies. As a student I also joined the Student Space Association in which I was participating in student satellite project PW-Sat 2 through which I got know Sener.

What got you interested in Sener?

I got to know Sener as a company during my studies. At that time, Sener stood out in the young Polish space sector with its experience in providing critical components for leading European space missions. I assumed that working in such a mature and recognizable company would be an opportunity for my development and learning from experienced colleagues, as well as a chance to participate in ambitious and outstanding projects.

What business area do you belong to and what do you do on your day-to-day?

I work as a Space Project Manager in Sener Polish office in Warsaw, specializing in space mechanisms and Ground Support Equipment (MGSE). My daily work revolves around project management, team leadership, organizing meetings, and maintaining communication with clients and subcontractors.

It’s worth noting that the team organization within Sener allows me to actively engage in design and other technical activities, providing me with a continuous opportunity for development not only as a leader and project manager but also as an engineer. I also value the opportunity to collaborate with other Sener offices in Spain.

What has been your progression since you joined Sener? What are the most outstanding projects you are currently working on?

I began working at Sener during my studies in 2016 as an assistant engineer. From the first day of work, I was assigned to the International Berthing and Docking Mechanism (IBDM) project – a mechanism for manned spacecraft docking. I worked in this role until completing my studies in 2019, at which point I was promoted to a project engineer. I held this position until the end of 2020. During this time, I also had the opportunity to work on the GSE device for testing solar panels for the JUICE probe.

Afterwards, I decided to explore development opportunities outside the company. However, after about a year and a half, I chose to return and continue my work at Sener, this time as a project manager. I am currently in this role.

Currently, I am leading two technology development projects for the upcoming LISA mission, which aims to sense and study gravitational waves. Additionally, I continue to work on the IBDM system as the team leader in Poland. I derive  satisfaction from working on such ambitious, precise, and sophisticated projects that aim to push the boundaries of our technical capabilities and to help to understand and explore the Universe.

In your opinion, what distinguishes Sener from its competitors?

Sener is a company with immense experience and tradition in its specialties, and the people working here are engineers who approach their work with passion and reliability. I also notice that our company is highly valued and respected by clients and other partners, which further motivates me to perform my work in the best possible way.

Compared to local competitors, Sener stands out with its maturity and the projects it’s involved in. At the same time, I experience a strong willingness to share knowledge and experience from senior colleagues, both from the Polish office and those working in Spain.

What new challenges do you see yourself working on in the medium term?

In my projects, we are facing demanding test campaigns for the devices we are developing for the LISA mission, as well as delivering flight model devices for the IBDM mechanism.

With the recent dynamic growth of the Polish space sector, I believe that as the Polish branch of Sener, we will have the opportunity in the coming years to take on more significant and intricate projects and participate in leading ESA space missions.