Program Chief Engineer

Kepler Communications Inc.; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation with equity

Health, dental, and vision insurance (

Unlimited vacation and parental leave

Relocation packages

Professional development fund 1500 CAD

Toronto HQ onsite amenities

Great Place to Work certification

Job summary

Kepler Communications in Toronto seeks a Program Chief Engineer, the senior technical authority for the spacecraft program, reporting to the Senior Director of Satellite Systems. You provide tech leadership across all engineering disciplines to ensure the spacecraft is designed, built, verified, and operated as an integrated system.

You establish direction, drive execution, conduct reviews, and communicate with engineering teams, executives, customers, and suppliers; maintain technical

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's in an engineering discipline.
• 15+ years building complex spacecraft or aerospace systems.
• Experience as the technical authority on a spacecraft program.
• Excellent technical judgment and leadership with strong communication.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership across Systems, Software, Electrical, Mechanical, RF, GNC, Payload, AIT, Manufacturing, Operations, and Product Assurance.
• Drive engineering convergence toward a technically coherent spacecraft.
• Lead rigorous technical reviews across all spacecraft subsystems.
• Balance performance, cost, schedule, manufacturability, reliability, and mission risk.
• Mentor senior engineers and future technical leaders.

Skills

Technical leadership

Spacecraft systems

Communication

Stakeholder management

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree in engineering

Job description

At Kepler Communications, we're not just imagining the future of on-demand space connectivity - we're leading it!

Our mission is to provide real-time on-orbit connectivity for critical missions, enabling a new era of data-driven intelligence and innovation. With 33 satellites launched to date, Kepler operates the first commercial optical data relay constellation, enabling real-time, continuous space communications while supporting advanced on-orbit compute and hosted payload capabilities.

Industry-leading technology is only part of the story. What sets Kepler apart is our team: bold thinkers, skilled builders, and passionate problem-solvers who thrive on pushing the boundaries ofwhat'spossible in space. We believe great ideas come from diverse perspectives, andwe're committed to creating an environment where you can grow, lead, and make a global impact.

Ifyou'reready to reach higher, move faster, and do work that shapes the future space economy - this is your launchpad. Come build the future with Kepler!

What We Offer:

• Competitive compensation with a robust equity plan to share in our success.
• Comprehensive coverage for health, dental, and vision insurance - including dependents.
• Unlimited vacation, supportive parental leave policy, and company-wide holiday shutdown.
• Semi-annual company-wide parties and frequent in-office team events.
• Relocation packages available for approved roles.
• $1,500 annual professional development fund to support your growth.
• Fully stocked Toronto office kitchen with snacks, drinks, games and top-notch kitchen appliances.
• Town Halls, Celebration Calls, and Company-wide events to stay connected and engaged.
• We're a certifiedGreat Place to Work®, seven years in a row!

As the Program Chief Engineer, you are the senior technical authority for the spacecraft program and the single point of technical accountability for mission success. Reporting directly to the Senior Director of Satellite Systems, you provide technical leadership across all engineering disciplines to ensure the spacecraft is designed, built, verified, and operated as an integrated system. You establish the technical direction, drive engineering execution, make timely decisions, conduct rigorous technical reviews, and communicate effectively with engineering teams, executive leadership, customers, and suppliers.

The Chief Engineer is accountable for the overall technical success of the mission. You are responsible for maintaining technical integrity, driving engineering progress, ensuring design maturity, balancing performance, reliability, cost, schedule, manufacturability, and mission risk, and delivering flight-ready spacecraft that enable successful mission execution.

Key Responsibilities:

• Please note: Though this role provides a Hybrid flexibility, it will require an on-site work presence at Kepler's Toronto HQ
• Provide technical leadership across Systems, Software, Electrical, Mechanical, RF, GNC, Payload, AIT, Manufacturing, Operations, and Product Assurance
• Drive engineering convergence toward a technically coherent spacecraft
• Ensure engineering activities remain aligned with mission objectives
• Drive engineering progress and maintain technical momentum
• Identify and remove technical roadblocks
• Ensure timely technical decision-making and accountability across engineering disciplines
• Lead rigorous technical reviews across all spacecraft subsystems
• Challenge assumptions, analyses, margins, interfaces, and verification evidence
• Lead design reviews, anomaly reviews, and readiness reviews
• Make timely, evidence-based technical decisions
• Balance performance, cost, schedule, manufacturability, reliability, and mission risk
• Remove technical barriers or blockers to maintain engineering momentum
• Communicate technical direction clearly and consistently across the engineering organization
• Translate complex technical issues into concise recommendations for executive leadership
• Represent Engineering during customer reviews, supplier meetings, executive briefings, and governance boards
• Ensure decisions, assumptions, risks, and actions are clearly documented and communicated
• Build alignment across Engineering, Program Management, Product Assurance, Manufacturing, Operations, and executive leadership
• Mentor senior engineers and future technical leaders
• Continuously raise the standard of technical rigor, engineering reviews, and engineering excellence
• Drive continuous improvement, platform standardization, and lessons learned

Required Skills & Qualifications:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in a relevant engineering discipline
• 15+ years of experience developing complex spacecraft or aerospace systems
• Experience serving as the technical authority or senior technical leader for at least one spacecraft development program
• Extensive knowledge of spacecraft architecture, integration, verification, manufacturing, qualification, launch, and mission operations
• Exceptional technical judgment, communication, stakeholder management, and leadership skills

Bonus Points:

• Chief Engineer, Deputy Chief Engineer, or equivalent technical leadership experience
• Constellation or multi-spacecraft program experience
• Experience across multiple spacecraft disciplines
• Mission assurance, Integration and test campaign, launch campaign, and on-orbit operations experience
• Experience driving engineering standardization and AI-enabled engineering workflows

Employment Equity & Accommodation Statement

Kepler Communications is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. We welcome applications from all qualified individuals, including women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible minorities, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities.

If you require accommodation during any stage of the recruitment process, please contact our People & Culture team at [e-mail] , and we will work with you to meet your needs.

At Kepler Communications, all hiring decisions are made by people. Human recruiters are involved in every step of our recruitment process. We use AI-based tools (such as Lever AI and HireEZ) to assist with the initial review of applications by ranking candidates based on job-relevant criteria. These tools support - but do not replace - human judgment.