Senior Systems Engineer

Mission Control Space Services•Ottawa, ON

16d•CA$105,000 - CA$170,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Mission Control is seeking a Senior Systems Engineer to lead the expansion of our technology portfolio for robotic space missions, with a focus on planetary rover systems. As part of our team, you will serve as a technical authority and system-level leader, responsible for defining, architecting, and delivering complex, mission-critical systems across the full lifecycle—from early R&D through to flight operations. The ideal candidate is passionate about building solutions to automate and operate space robotics across Technology Readiness Levels. The successful candidate will support technical leadership across our projects and products with a focus on system architecture, requirements definition and management, assembly, integration and test, verification and validation, and multidisciplinary collaboration. We are seeking candidates who enjoy critical and strategic thinking, thrive on technical communication with multiple stakeholders internally and externally, and find creative solutions to meet the challenges of everything from fundamental R&D to flight missions. You could be a good fit for this role if you are passionate about making an impact on the space sector and want to contribute to growing a small company from the ground up! You will be exposed to a wide variety of tasks with the potential to make a difference in the emerging space economy, so you must be a versatile self-starter who works well in teams and is not afraid to learn something new. You will support and become a critical member of our team – a team of engineers, scientists, and space enthusiasts, who are passionate about being part of humanity’s next bold steps in space exploration, with a view to inspiring the next generation and the public through our work and our contributions to exploring the solar system!

Requirements

7-12 of work experience in complex multidisciplinary engineering projects; space robotics, satellite, defence or autonomous vehicles highly desirable.
A Bachelor’s degree in a technical discipline, e.g. engineering, physics, data science, computer science, mathematics etc., graduate degree an asset
Proven experience leading system architecture and integration
Strong background in requirements engineering and lifecycle management
Hands-on experience with mechanical and mechatronics flight systems and subsystems, space avionics, and electrical/data/software interfaces
Experience developing and managing ICDs and interface specifications.
Familiarity with GN&C, embedded software, and visual navigation sensor development and integration.
Proficiency with requirements management tools (e.g., DOORS, Jama) and systems modeling languages (e.g., SysML/UML).
Skilled in hardware/software integration, simulation, and test methodologies including HIL.
Ability to lead technical discussions and collaborate across disciplines.
Excellent analytical, documentation, and problem-solving skills.
Strong prioritization and execution leadership, with the ability to balance competing technical objectives, program constraints, and long-term system goals in a dynamic environment.
Proven ability to operate effectively under ambiguity, making sound, timely decisions with incomplete information while maintaining progress across multiple workstreams.
Advanced problem-solving and systems thinking, with a proactive approach to identifying risks, resolving complex technical challenges, and driving solutions across organizational boundaries.
Continuous improvement mindset, with demonstrated ability to introduce and scale new processes, tools, and best practices that enhance engineering effectiveness and system quality.
Excellent communication and influence skills, capable of clearly articulating complex technical concepts to diverse audiences, including engineers, executives, customers, and external partners.
Strong collaboration and leadership presence, with the ability to guide cross-functional teams, build alignment, and mentor others without relying on formal authority.

Nice To Haves

Experience interfacing directly with customers, partners, and senior leadership in high-stakes environments
Experience contributing to or establishing engineering processes, quality frameworks, or system governance
Familiarity with program or project leadership (e.g., managing cost/schedule/technical trade-offs), including tools such as MS Project

Responsibilities

Own system architecture and technical baseline
Lead end-to-end system architecture definition for lunar rover technologies and platforms, including avionics, guidance navigation and control (GN&C), sensors, communication, ground segment, control subsystems and rover software and firmware
Establish system design principles, constraints, and trade-space for mission success
Lead trade studies balancing performance, cost, risk, and schedule
Lead the definition, documentation, and management of hardware and software requirements, ensuring traceability across all mission segments
Specify, design, and validate mechanical, electrical, thermal, data, and software interfaces between avionics, embedded computers, sensors, actuators, payloads and users.
Collaborate with experts in GN&C, rover mobility, and operations to ensure robust integration and compatibility.
Oversee the integration of visual navigation sensors (e.g., cameras, LIDAR), and GN&C algorithms with spacecraft avionics and embedded systems.
Develop and manage ICDs (Interface Control Documents) for mechanical, electrical, thermal, data, software and user interfaces, ensuring compliance with space industry and other applicable standards.
Conduct system-level verification and validation, including simulation, hardware-in-the-loop (HIL), field tests and environmental qualification.
Ensure full traceability, verification alignment, and configuration control
Drive multidisciplinary design reviews and technical trade studies, both internally and externally with customers and other team members
Identify and mitigate system-level risks, focusing on interface robustness, data integrity, timing/synchronization, fault tolerance, redundancy and maintenance and serviceability.
Lead anomaly resolution and root cause investigations
Communicate technical concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Mentor junior engineers and foster a culture of rigorous systems engineering and technical excellence, providing engineering leadership and mentorship
Contribute to the evolution of engineering best practices, and providing opportunities for improvement in existing policies, processes and procedures.