Space Systems Engineer, Mission Lead - Space Laser Communications

(Senior) Space Systems Engineer, Mission Lead - Space Laser Communications

About the Role

As a Senior Space Systems Engineer at Transcelestial, you will be a key part of the Space & Defense Team, led by Dr Jan Smisek (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-smisek/). You will bring real-world experience from developing and launching satellites or payloads to guide our engineering efforts, initially focusing your project management skills on delivering one of our upcoming missions. Your primary technical focus will be the systems development for a novel, miniature space-based laser communication terminal. You will collaborate closely with the hardware, manufacturing, and software design teams to assist with the overall development of optical systems, while actively helping us build the processes needed to scale from small-volume production.

As a Space Systems Engineer, you will:

• Develop features, fix issues, and optimize software for FPGAs used in Transcelestial’s ground and space products, using VHDL/Verilog
• Collaborate with external parties to design and develop capabilities for FPGAs that meet Transcelestial’s needs
• Develop test benches and verification environments to ensure functional correctness and performance
• Perform simulations to validate FPGA software design
• Perform hardware testing and validation on development boards and production systems
• Debug and troubleshoot FPGA issues in the field
• Develop features and fix issues for embedded software for the CENTAURI
• Develop features and fix issues for embedded software for satellite communication payloads

Responsibilities:

• Take ownership of the systems engineering and project management for an initial upcoming satellite mission, guiding the team with your practical experience.
• Interact closely with internal stakeholders and external partners to ensure mission requirements are clearly communicated and executed.
• Lead systems engineering activities for space-based laser communication terminals, taking charge of requirements definition, interface control, and performance analysis (including pointing error budgets, power, communications link budgets, mass, and thermal margins).
• Design and validate mechanical and thermal subsystems for space and optical payloads, utilizing CAD modeling, vibration analysis, and thermal simulations.
• Manage and lead Assembly, Integration, and Test (AIT) procedures, ensuring successful environmental qualification and payload integration into client satellite buses.
• Deliver core first-phase projects on an aggressive timeline within 90-180 days.

Qualifications you will bring:

• 5+ years of design and analysis engineering experience in satellite missions.  Real, hands-on experience with launching satellite platforms in space.  
• Degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, or Electrical Engineering, or equivalent work experience.  
• Experience with CAD tools (e.g., SolidWorks, Onshape) for structural design for space platforms and interface development.  
• Strong communication skills with a proven ability to work autonomously while collaborating in international, multidisciplinary teams.  
• Strong general technical, documentation, and time management skills with a deep desire to fix things and optimize solutions.
  

Preferred Skills and Experience:

• Full lifecycle experience building a satellite mission or space optical payload.
• Extensive experience in satellite or optical payload assembly, integration, and test (AIT). Demonstrated drive and capability to expand manufacturing processes from small-volume production to larger scales.
• Expertise in one or more of the following areas: AOCS/GNC, optics, mechanical design, electronics for space, control engineering, or signal processing.
• Expertise in mechanical design, vibration analysis, and thermal simulations, strongly applied to optical or space payloads. Proficiency with industry-standard tools such as SolidWorks, Ansys, Onshape, Zemax, LTspice, and Python.
• Experience working in a high-growth or startup environment.