As far as niche careers go, we thought we’d seen (and considered) them all.

After all, who wasn’t tempted by the ‘gintern’ tipple-tasting role doing the rounds on job boards last year, or the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to cuddle baby pandas for a living?

However, the latest job spec to catch our eye is the most out-of-this-world yet.

The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), based in Oxford, is one of Europe’s largest research organisations - and it’s currently looking for new recruits to assist with the creation of *drum roll* space blankets.

That’s right, these are not your average blankets – and it takes more than the knit one, purl one technique to whip one up. But if you’ve got a hankering for haberdashery or some serious skills on the sewing machine, you could count aiding space missions as one of your career highlights.

The role of ‘Insulation Blanket Technician’ involves the crafting and fitting of thermal insulation blankets, which are used to protect satellites and their equipment in space. The blankets are necessary because the equipment used in research missions is subjected to extreme temperatures when it leaves our atmosphere, and therefore needs layers of protection to keep it safe.

The multi-layer insulation blankets are handmade from sheets of reflective material, which are specifically designed to be able to fold around space hardware. They are used on almost every satellite that is launched, and are critical in protecting the equipment from the cold temperatures in space.

As well as making the blankets, technicians are responsible for packing completed blankets and helping fit them to spacecraft and instruments.

You’d be forgiven for assuming you need a degree in astrophysics or experience working at NASA to bag yourself such a position. However, the STFC is looking for candidates with a little more about them than just a specific degree or qualification.

In fact, someone with “hobbies where delicate operations with hands are needed, such as dressmaking, model making and handicrafts” is the biggest box that recruiters are looking to tick. So, if you consider yourself a Pinterest-aholic, a craft connoisseur or a keen sewer, this could be the career move you’ve been looking for.

This outer-space job role is looking for crafty types to join the next mission