Senior Satellite Systems Engineer

SES•Sterling, VA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Satellite Systems Engineer, Space Programmes, provides resident systems engineering support throughout all phases of satellite procurement programs. The role participates in design, test, and failure reviews and oversees spacecraft design, assembly, integration, and launch activities. The position is part of the SES Resident Field Office Team at spacecraft manufacturer premises and provides technical support to the Field Office Program Manager on investigations, resolutions, and corrective actions. The engineer reviews and trends platform equipment test data at unit, subsystem, and system levels; verifies compliance with requirements; monitors manufacturer activities; and supports launch preparation and early operations. The role includes 24/7 on-call support during spacecraft testing and single line flow, as well as support for LEOP critical activities or anomalies. The job description notes that responsibilities may evolve according to business needs. The role requires at least 80% onsite work, preferably 100%, and approximately 30% domestic and international travel for supplier visits.

Requirements

Master’s degree or PhD in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related discipline.
At least 8 years of experience in space systems engineering or spacecraft bus engineering.
Strong knowledge of spacecraft bus systems.
Experience working with a spacecraft bus supplier and in an AIT environment.
Good knowledge of space product and quality assurance processes.
High-level knowledge of satellite subsystems and ability to challenge industry experts in their fields.
Self-starter with a high level of personal accountability.
Ability to prioritize and work as a team member.
Demonstrated influencing and negotiation skills.
Willingness to be self-critical, continuously improve skills, learn from mistakes, work within one’s competence, and recognize boundaries.
Agile and flexible, with the ability to work across a geographically distributed team.
Excellent communication skills, including persuasive and diplomatic communication to inspire collaboration and drive collective achievement.
Highly organized and able to track multiple streams of critical activities.
Project and execution orientation, including ability to drive initiatives and manage schedules and criticality.
Eligibility to obtain security clearance.
Ability to work independently with limited supervision in complex environments, including multi-stakeholder projects.
Flexibility and adaptability in response to evolving project requirements and dynamic environments.
Ability to think strategically and align project goals with organizational objectives.
Excellent problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
Effective written and verbal communication skills.
Willingness to work at least 80% onsite, preferably 100%.
Willingness to travel approximately 30% domestically and internationally for supplier visits.

Responsibilities

Ensure each platform equipment unit specification meets end-to-end system performance and functional requirements.
Provide technical assessment of platform units and subsystem definition and development, requirements, analyses, trade-offs, budgets, validation, and tests.
Identify, assess, and mitigate technical risks associated with the spacecraft bus, and develop contingency plans.
Ensure platform unit, subsystem, and system test procedures comply with contractual requirements.
Participate in design, test readiness, material, and failure review meetings at manufacturer, subcontractor, and prime-contractor facilities as needed.
Examine anomaly investigation results and root-cause analyses, and verify implementation of corrective actions.
Follow platform components through build, test, and integration into the next higher assembly.
Review overall and spacecraft platform test data for compliance with requirements.
Monitor daily activities at spacecraft manufacturer facilities and oversee manufacturer and subcontractor activities as needed.
Perform inspections and reviews as needed.
Review design, manufacturing, and test documentation.
Ensure program action items are adequately addressed and closed.
Provide summary reports of issues and recommended actions.
Provide 24/7 on-call support during spacecraft testing and single line flow.
Support launch-site activities in preparation for launch.
Support the operational team during LEOP critical activities or in case of anomaly.