Senior Electrical Satellite Systems Engineer for Fastwater Staffing

As a Senior Electrical Satellite Systems Engineer, you’ll play a pivotal role in ensuring end-to-end mission success. You will lead the definition, integration, verification, and operational readiness of the satellite electrical architecture — from subsystem trade studies and design reviews to launch and early orbit phases.

You’ll act as a technical authority across payload and bus domains, mentoring junior engineers and serving as a trusted point of contact for operators, customers, and launch partners.

Key Responsibilities

System Design and Development

• Support ongoing design of electrical subsystems through final flight design, build, and test.
• Define system requirements and maintain performance budgets across power, data, and reliability.

Requirements Management

Maintain system requirements, verification, and test matrices from mission level down to subsystems.

Technical Analysis

Perform and manage analyses including power budgets, failure mode analysis, and reliability.

Interface Control

Manage interface control documents (ICDs) to ensure proper electrical connections between subsystems.

Testing and Verification

Develop and oversee execution of test plans and procedures to verify and validate satellite performance through qualification and LEOP phases.

Documentation

Prepare and maintain design reports, specifications, and verification matrices.

Team Leadership

Provide technical guidance and mentorship to junior engineers and collaborate with multidisciplinary teams (software, mechanical, ground segment)

Supplier and Project Management

Oversee subcontractors and vendors to ensure compliance with program requirements.

Program Support

Participate in major reviews including SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, PSR, and LRR.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field.

Experience

15+ years in satellite systems design for LEO constellations, with full lifecycle experience.

Technical Expertise

Systems Leadership & Architecture

• Define spacecraft electrical system architecture ensuring optimal payload–bus integration.
• Develop and maintain system-level documentation (Satellite Reference Database, Parameter Book, CONOPS).
• Oversee subsystem interfaces for avionics, power, AOCS, propulsion, TT&C, thermal, and data handling.
• Own requirements management, flow-down, and traceability across the project lifecycle.
• Conduct gap analyses and ensure subsystem requirements meet mission-level objectives.

Design, Verification & Validation

• Define and validate electrical performance budgets (power, data, fault management).
• Lead all V&V phases including electrical ground testing (qualification, TVAC, EMC/EMI), and environmental qualification.
• Drive fault detection, isolation, and recovery (FDIR) strategy and contribute to flight software validation.
• Oversee system-level integration testing and ensure design compliance.
• Lead readiness for launch, early orbit, and end-of-rendezvous operations.

Operations & Launch Support

• Interface with launch providers to ensure compliance with integration and environmental requirements.
• Provide technical leadership during launch campaigns, LEOP, and in-orbit testing.
• Support Satellite Operations Control Center (SOCC) activities including telemetry, command databases, and anomaly resolution.

Stakeholder Communication & Leadership

• Engage with customers and satellite operators on complex technical matters.
• Mentor junior engineers and promote systems thinking and disciplined engineering practice.
• Lead and document design reviews ensuring compliance with ECSS, PUS-STD, and internal standards.

Tools & Soft Skills

• Experience with flight engineering software, Agile methods, and modeling/simulation tools (e.g., MATLAB).
• Strong written and verbal communication with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Proven analytical and problem-solving abilities in dynamic, ambiguous environments.