Students and academics from City St George’s School of Science & Technology discuss what engineering in 2076 could look like.
By Dr Shamim Quadir (Senior Communications Officer), Published
Today is National Engineering Day 2026. Led by the Royal Academy of Engineering, the annual, national awareness day aims to make the UK's engineers and engineering more visible and celebrate how they improve everyday lives and shape the world around us for the better.
The theme for National Engineering Day this year is the “the engineers of 2076".
To mark the day, students and academic staff from the School of Science & Technology, City St George’s, University of London, came together to share what the engineering roles of 2076 could look like.
Student perspectives
Watch current students discuss what engineering challenges and engineering roles of 2076 might look like.
Hiring for 2076
We asked three of our academic engineering staff at the School of Science & Technology what roles for engineers in their fields in 2076 could be.
Dr Sumsun Naher is a reader in materials engineering at the School. Her research lies in the area of understanding the properties of the materials we build things from and finding out how important properties can be achieved through various ways of processing materials.
Role: Earth–Space Sustainability Engineer, 2076
Job description:
Help us shape humanity’s future across Earth and space. Design intelligent, resilient systems to tackle materials scarcity, climate risks, and planetary challenges. Combining engineering, AI, and environmental intelligence, you will ensure technological progress in manufacturing parts to support life on Earth and beyond. We seek visionary problem solvers who can balance design, innovation, sustainability, and human wellbeing in the new space age.
Tong Sun OBE FREng is Professor of Sensor Engineering at the School and leads research in developing and applying optical fibre sensors and instrumentation to address topical industrial problems.
Role: Interplanetary Bio-Sensing Architect
Job description:
As humanity expands into permanent habitats on the Moon, Mars, and orbital stations, engineers may be tasked with monitoring not only infrastructure, but also the health of entire human ecosystems. An interplanetary bio-sensing architect would combine expertise in sensing technologies, biotechnology, AI, and space systems engineering to create integrated monitoring networks for astronauts, habitats, crops, and life-support systems.
Professor David Stupples is an experienced space-systems researcher, practitioner and independent technical adviser at the School, specialising in space observation and surveillance.
Role: Designer – Crewed expedition to Titan
Job description:
Your destination is Titan. Your challenge is to get the crew there — and home again.
Join a dedicated team designing Europe’s first crewed expedition to Saturn’s largest moon. Plot a course through the Solar System, plan a landing beside Titan’s methane lakes and work out how the crew will explore a world colder than anything on Earth. Working with astronauts, engineers and autonomous AI, you’ll test daring ideas, weigh difficult choices and prepare for emergencies when Earth is too far away to give an immediate answer.
Bring your curiosity, imagination and engineering judgement. Help turn an extraordinary ambition into a mission that works.
Reporting to Professor David Stupples, Director of Crewed Space Missions.