Daniel St John’s career has always involved responsibility. The kind that comes with working in high-pressure environments, where teamwork matters and decisions count. He began his professional life in the UK military, serving in the Royal Air Force (RAF) before moving into space operations with Serco.
In the RAF, Daniel worked as an ICT Technician, although the title only tells part of the story. His role covered server administration, networking, airfield radar and ground-to-air radio systems. Much of his career was spent at RAF Boulmer, helping maintain the systems that support the policing of UK airspace. He also deployed several times to the Middle East, supporting critical infrastructure on operational bases.
What stayed with him most was not just the technical training, but how people worked together. “In the military, teamwork and communication are everything,” Daniel says. “If those break down, the consequences can be serious.”
Naturally inclined towards leadership, Daniel was given responsibility from his first week of basic training. It taught him early that trust, clarity and strong communication are essential. Those lessons followed him into civilian life and would later feel very familiar in space operations.
Moving into the space sector
Daniel’s move into the space sector began while he was preparing to leave the military. Through the Career Transition Partnership in the UK, he came across a Spacecraft Controller role with Serco. The advert stood out because it recognised the value of military experience. What began as an exercise during resettlement training soon became a real opportunity. Germany made sense, both professionally and personally, and once the recruitment process began, Daniel knew it was the right move.
The transition from military life to civilian work brought challenges. While Daniel had worked with people from many countries before, this time his colleagues came from very different professional backgrounds.
Daniel's Journey at EUMETSAT
Daniel joined Serco as a spacecraft and ground controller on the Metop mission at EUMETSAT, the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites, working 24/7 shifts to monitor satellites and respond to anomalies in real time. He later moved into a data processing analyst role, acting as a link between operations and engineering teams, before progressing into data processing engineering.
His work has spanned major European missions, including Metop and Sentinel-3, as well as preparations for future programmes such as CO2M.
“CO2M really matters to me,” Daniel says. “It is about holding countries accountable for CO₂ emissions. I joined early enough to help shape how operations will work once it launches.”
Today, Daniel has stepped into a new role as Contract Manager at EUMETSAT. He now manages Serco contracts covering real-time operations and user services, including the very team where his Serco journey began.
"The key has always been trust. My managers and I talked openly about where I wanted to go, and how to make that happen in a practical way. Serco gave me the opportunity to work in space. I want to help others achieve things they did not think were possible, just like I did."
Daniel St John, Contract Manager
Alongside his career, Daniel has been studying for a degree with the Open University since 2018, supported by Serco. He is due to complete it in October 2026. Balancing full-time work, part-time study and family life while settling into a new country was demanding. Learning the language and navigating daily life in Germany was not always easy, but it built confidence and resilience. “That balance is what I am most proud of,” he says. “Being able to grow professionally while studying has shaped my career.”
Ask Daniel what working at Serco feels like, and his answer is simple. “I belong here.”
From his early days on customer sites to his current role, he describes a culture that is open, welcoming and supportive.
“There is no such thing as a stupid question,” he says. “You can always ask, and you will be taken seriously.”
For Daniel, being part of Serco’s space team is more than a job.
“It’s my life now,” he says. “Serco gave me the opportunity to work in space. I want to help others achieve things they did not think were possible, just like I did.”
Now settling into his new role, his focus is clear: supporting the teams operating satellites every day, making sure they have the right people, skills and backing to deliver safely and reliably.
“I have just started something new,” Daniel says. “Right now, it is about doing the job well. The next steps will become clear in time.”