Launching Your Career in the Space Industry

Want to launch your career in the space industry?

There's a lot of excitement about the growth of the space industry in Seattle and around the world, and just like any career or life choice, there are many potential options and paths to take. How do you decide which one is right for you, and how do you maximize your chances of success?

Come hear from a diverse panel including local space entrepreneur Christopher Richins of RBC Signals, Blue Origin Recruiter Heather Nelson, UW Aeronautics and Astronautics Interim Chair Kristi Morgansen, and Career Consultant Matt Youngquist. They'll help you think through how to plan your next steps on your path to a great career in the space industry and will discuss topics such as what opportunities are available now and in the future, what skills are in demand, being an entrepreneur vs employee, and more.

The first 50 attendees will receive a Blue Origin notebook. We'll also raffle off a free hour of career coaching with Matt Youngquist. Enjoy refreshments and dessert at the beautiful ThinkSpace South Lake Union location.

About the panelists:

Christopher Richins, CEO & Founder, RBC Signals

Christopher Richins is founder and CEO of RBC Signals, a provider of global satellite communication "infrastructure as a service." Richins began his career as an RF Communications Engineer at Boeing Sea Launch, where he supported multiple launch campaigns from the ship-based equatorial launch site. After business school, he completed an internship with SpaceX before joining Bain & Company as a management consultant. Post Bain, Richins held management roles at Planetary Resources, Space Angels Network, Expedia, and Applause. He earned an MBA from the Darden Graduate School of Business at the University of Virginia as a Jefferson Fellow, a master's degree in Astronautics from USC, and a bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from BYU.

Heather Nelson, University Relations and Early Career Recruiting, Blue Origin

Heather Nelson leads the University Relations team at Blue Origin which includes university partnerships, the Internship Program and all early-career recruiting responsibilities. She’s always been a space head. Before joining Blue she was working on a MS in Astronomy, spent time as a Research Associate at Penn State University and worked for the NASA Space Grant Consortium. She enjoys building relationships with schools, faculty and students and finds great joy in helping students achieve their dream of working in the space industry. She is particularly passionate about building a diverse and inclusive workplace.

Kristi Morganesen, Interim Chair, UW Department of Aeronautics & Astronautics

Kristi Morgansen received a BS and a MS in Mechanical Engineering from Boston University, respectively in 1993 and 1994, an S.M. in Applied Mathematics in 1996 from Harvard University and a PhD in Engineering Sciences in 1999 from Harvard University. Until joining the University of Washington, she was first a postdoctoral scholar then a senior research fellow in Control and Dynamical Systems at the California Institute of Technology. She joined the UW Department of Aero and Astro in the summer of 2002.

Matt Youngquist, President & Founder, Career Horizons

Matt Youngquist is a Seattle-based career coach and job hunting expert who specializes in helping Puget Sound professionals navigate through today's uncharted employment waters. In his current role, as President of Career Horizons, he consults with clients at all levels on how to strategically manage their careers, explore their occupational options, and market themselves successfully to new opportunities. His services include both privately-paid career coaching and resume writing, as well as corporate outplacement support. He has personally assisted over 12,500 clients through the job hunting process, in addition to the audience he reaches through his blog and columns in the Seattle Times, Puget Sound Business Journal, and other top media outlets.