Julia

What began as a childhood fascination with the cosmos has evolved into a stellar career in space engineering for Julia. Her journey to the forefront of South Australia’s space industry is a testament to her ingenuity and passion. Today, she champions both innovation and inclusion – advocating for diversity across gender, backgrounds, ages and industries.

Earlier this year, Julia Mitchell was named Female Space Leader of the Year in the SME category at the 2025 Australian Space Awards – with her journey to the stars beginning at an early age.

“For my 10th birthday, my aunt gave me a glow-in-the-dark poster of the solar system,” Julia recalls. “Since then, I’ve always wanted to work in space in some way, shape or form.”

That early spark set Julia on a path to study Aerospace Engineering and Physics at UNSW Sydney, where hands-on experience through internships at GKN Aerospace and Thales helped shape her career.

Her undergraduate thesis investigating the concept of a micro aerial vehicle for Mars foreshadowed real-world innovation, with her initial design bearing similarities to NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter that later flew on the red planet.

Her career has since spanned roles at FrontierSI (formerly the CRC for Spatial Information), SITAEL Australia and SES, before landing at Space Machines Company’s Mission Operations Centre at Lot Fourteen in Adelaide.

There, she leads a payload engineering team working on Space MATRI (Mission for Australia-India’s Technology, Research and Innovation) – a collaborative mission funded by the Australian Space Agency and ISI India.

The mission aims to tackle the growing threat of space debris and will showcase key sustainability technologies, including the company’s Australian-built Rapid Response Vehicle, which will be integrated and launched in India.

In her role, Julia is leading the preliminary design review and managing relationships with external stakeholders, including the satellite launch provider.

“Working with all the different stakeholders, across Australia and India, has been incredibly rewarding,” she says. “It’s exciting to see it all starting to come together.”

Engineering excellence

Julia has contributed to multiple spacecraft successfully operating in orbit, including SES-16/GovSat-1, a geostationary communications satellite.

She also led a space-based augmentation system test bed, which played a key role in securing Australia’s largest commercial space funding—supporting Lockheed Martin’s South PAN (Southern Positioning Navigation Augmentation Network) program with Geoscience Australia.

“Knowing I positively impacted those missions is incredibly rewarding,” she says. “I love the complexity of the problems we solve and the innovative ways we approach them.”

Championing diversity in space

Julia is a passionate advocate for diversity, not just in gender, but across backgrounds, ages and industries.

“To me, gender is just a small part of it,” she explains. “Diverse perspectives bring better outcomes. It can be challenging, but it’s worth it.”

She’s encouraged by the growing number of graduates entering the space sector and the influx of talent from other industries. “You can’t build an industry with just graduates, you need experience. And that experience brings broader points of view.”

There has never been a better time to explore a career in South Australia’s fast-growing space sector. Home to the Australian Space Agency, the Australian Mission Control Centre, and over 100 space-related organisations, the state is at the forefront of the nation’s space endeavours.

Explore the Find Your Place website to explore out-of-this world career opportunities in South Australia’s space sector today.