Want to work in the space industry? There is a big hiring spree going on in the Space Coast

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Lockheed Martin needed to fill 80 jobs with 100 percent of those positions directly connected to the space industry. Northrop Grumman Corp. wants to hire a couple hundred for its fast-growing Melbourne operations. Boeing advertised 70 open positions on the Space Coast.

"The space industry is hot right now," said Laura Forczyk, owner and consultant of the space research and consulting firm Astralytical. "There's been a lot of capital flowing into the industry over the past year or two."

That combined with the increasing commercialization of space means the space sector is on a large-scale recruiting drive. And Brevard County, home of Kennedy Space Center, finds itself at the hub of activity with many companies hosting multiple hiring events over the last month.

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"It's just a really competitive job market right now," said Chris Warner, manager of talent acquisition for Northrop's engineering organization. "This is the most challenging job market that I've ever worked with." 

Brevard's identity as Florida's Space Coast drives companies' desires to be close to the action. Emmanuel Tormes, senior manager of government operations for Boeing, said companies chose to be here and hire here because the Space Coast is "the core for the aerospace industry compared to the rest of the country." 

"NASA always serves as the tip of the spear driving exploration and research. But behind that, you've got all these companies and organizations that are able to capitalize on the work that they've already blazed the trail for," Tormes said.

He credited the "super-qualified" workforce, Space Coast Economic Development Commission, as well as local colleges for helping to put Brevard at the center.

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State lawmakers seem to agree. In June, Eastern Florida State College received $20.9 million in funding for the development of a Center for Innovative Technology Education on the Melbourne campus and an Aerospace Center of Excellence on the Titusville campus.

"The timing is perfect because high-tech firms are increasingly looking to EFSC to increase their ranks with the rapidly growing commercial space companies at Kennedy Space Center a prime example," said EFSC President Dr. Jim Richey in a statement.

More space industry jobs than applicants 

But even with Brevard's skilled workforce, Tormes said, recent growth in the space sector has created more jobs than qualified applicants.

"Those programs moving here are driving that need for more employees," he said. "We just need more people that could come in and do it."

Renu Aggarwal, director of global talent acquisition at Lockheed Martin, told FLORIDA TODAY that, "there's certainly more competition for experienced professionals as the space industry continues to grow. In many of these roles, employees will get the chance to work on the next mission to the moon or play a part in defending our country."

The upside of a hot market is the availability of positions at many different skill levels said Aggarwal.

"Many of the (Lockheed Martin) openings are for experienced professionals and those who've graduated four-year colleges, but we're also hiring those with technical two-year associate degrees to join our engineering teams," Aggarwal said.

Forczyk noted that there's room for less technical positions as well, "there is actually a great need for people in machine shop positions, welding, 3D printing."

"I think that's been lost in the conversation, not only can you have any degree and work in space, but you don't even need to have a degree," said Forczyk.

Challenges of hiring for the space industry

But the space industry faces a hurdle in hiring that many industries don't: the need, in some jobs, for top-secret security clearance.

"The response to the jobs that we're offering the space industry has been great, but one challenge we've faced in hiring relates to security clearances for top defense jobs," Aggarwal said.

However, she noted, security clearance isn't required for every job. But for those that do, it "can add another layer to the talent acquisition process," said Aggarwal.

Another challenge: the shortage of space industry software jobs coupled with an abundance of applicants that prefer positions at tech companies.

"We're getting tremendous amounts of data from satellites, more than humans could possibly go through," said Forczyk. "That requires coders, software engineers who have expertise in machine learning and (artificial intelligence)."

"What we're seeing is a shortage of software positions that are highly sought after in other industries," said Forczyk. "All the hardware has software."

Love space? There's a job for you in Florida

There are even opportunities to work in jobs adjacent to the space industry. With visitor rates improving and the addition of a new attraction, the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex has also held recent hiring events.

Year-round, part-time positions ranging from security to food service and retail have been advertised by Delaware North Parks and Resorts, which operates the Visitor Complex.

Delaware North will host its next hiring event on June 22 and will feature on-the-spot interviews and offers to fill 14 part-time positions advertised on the company website.

With Brevard County's unemployment rate at under 3 percent, the opportunities are bountiful and no one anticipates a slow-down.

"I think there's a lot of potential and a lot of opportunity," said Tormes.

The Space Coast is positioning itself "as the main port to sustain all that activity out in deep space, beyond low-Earth orbit. As it's been before, (it's) the last place people have their feet on the ground before going to space," said Tormes.

"When you're talking about long-term duration missions to the moon, going to Mars, you're going to need a complex sustainment system and at the core of that is the Space Coast."

Jamie Groh is a space reporter for Florida Today. You can contact her at JGroh@floridatoday.com. Follow her on Twitter at @AlteredJamie.