Belfast based 3DEO NI is creating 33 highly skilled technology jobs over the next four years. Pictured (L-R) Bill Montgomery, Director of Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering, Invest NI and Andy Macpherson, 3DEO NI. Invest NI/PA.

One of the first companies in Northern Ireland to significantly invest in opportunities from the space sector is creating 33 new jobs.

Belfast-based 3DEO NI works in areas like defence and disaster risk management.

It uses observations of Earth from space satellites and is preparing to commercialise the technology.

Andy Macpherson, chief executive at 3DEO NI, said: “Earth observation data has the potential to offer advantageous insight for a range of sectors.

“We are working towards developing products and solutions that will enable better informed, real-time decision making in the future for defence, governments and the civic markets.

“Invest NI’s support is enabling us to build a workforce with the technical skills and industry contacts to help make our ambition a reality.”

3DEO NI is a unique business, operating in a highly innovative technology areaBill Montgomery, Invest NI

Invest NI is backing the recruitment drive, which will generate more than £1.5 million a year in additional salaries.

Bill Montgomery, the Stormont business support organisation’s director of advanced manufacturing and engineering, said: “3DEO NI is a unique business, operating in a highly innovative technology area.

“It is one of the first companies in Northern Ireland to embark on a significant investment as the result of opportunities that will flow out of the space sector.

“Supporting this project aligns with our strategy to become a globally-recognised region for space sector innovation and creativity. 3DEO NI is working towards positioning itself to capitalise on the new global opportunities that space can enable.”

3DEO is recruiting specialist IT professionals, in graduate and experienced roles. The jobs include space system engineers, satellite data consultants and business development roles.

Half of the 33 new jobs are already in place.

The UK Space Agency has been set the ambitious target of quadrupling UK revenues to £40 billion by 2032 and acknowledges that can only be achieved by the entry of new companies into this sector.

Earlier this year, 3DEO was chosen as a “One to Watch” start-up business at the 2018 Data Space conference in Scotland and also won the Space for Sustainable Living, SME Challenge, sponsored by Airbus Space, Digital Catapult and Invest NI.

Invest NI has offered 3DEO NI more than £700,000 to support its development and recruitment activities.

PA