Senior Satellite Systems Designer - Payload Lead

Kepler Communications Inc.; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 126,000 - 176,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Health, dental, vision insurance

Unlimited vacation

Parental leave

Holiday shutdown

Company-wide events

Relocation packages

Professional development fund

Office kitchen

Great Place to Work

Job summary

Kepler Communications seeks a Senior Satellite Systems Designer focused on Payload Management to coordinate, integrate, and manage payload activities across a multi-provider mission. You will serve as the main systems engineering interface between internal teams, external suppliers, customers, and bus stakeholders to ensure clear payload requirements, interfaces, deliverables, test plans, and CONOPS.

The ideal candidate has hands-on payload domain experience (optical, RF, radar, or related

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace, Electrical, Systems Engineering, Physics, or related field.
• 7+ years in spacecraft or payload engineering leadership roles.
• Experience integrating spaceflight payloads or aerospace instrumentation.
• Experience defining and managing payload requirements, interfaces, and verification.
• Strong understanding of mechanical, electrical, thermal, software, comms interfaces.
• Experience working with customers, suppliers, or external partners in a lead role.
• Ability to draft engineering docs like requirements, ICDs, CONOPS, test procedures.
• Strong analytical and systems-thinking skills; able to evaluate tradeoffs.
• Excellent written and verbal communication; cross-functional collaboration.
• Experience leveraging AI-assisted tools to boost engineering productivity.

Responsibilities

• Lead payload systems engineering across the mission lifecycle from concept to commissioning.
• Interface between customers, payload suppliers, spacecraft teams, and stakeholders.
• Define, manage, and verify payload requirements, interfaces, and integration plans.
• Coordinate payload accommodation across ME, EE, thermal, software, RF, and ops interfaces.
• Review payload docs including requirements, ICDs, verification plans, test procedures.
• Perform mission/system analyses on payload impacts to power, thermal, data, and allocation.
• Support payload integration, spacecraft tests, anomaly resolution, and launch readiness.
• Identify risks, resolve issues, ensure alignment with customer and spacecraft capabilities.
• Support payload commissioning and early mission ops as required.
• Mentor junior engineers and advance payload systems engineering practices.

Skills

Payload systems engineering

Customer interfacing

Systems thinking

Documentation

Communication skills

AI-assisted engineering

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Python

MATLAB

ECSS/NASA/INCOSE

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’recommitted 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 partiesand frequent in-office team events.

* Relocation packagesavailable for approved roles.

* $1,500 annual professional development fundto support your growth.

* Fully stocked Toronto office kitchenwith snacks, drinks, games and top-notch kitchen appliances.

* Town Halls, Celebration Calls, and Company-wide eventsto stay connected and engaged.

* We’re a certified Great Place to Work®, seven years in a row!

As a Senior Satellite Systems Designer / Engineer focused on Payload Management, you will serve as a key technical leader responsible for coordinating, integrating, and managing payload-related engineering activities across a mission with multiple payload providers. You will act as the primary systems engineering interface between internal teams, external payload suppliers, customers, and satellite bus stakeholders to ensure payload requirements, interfaces, deliverables, test plans, and operational concepts are clearly defined, aligned, and executed.

This role requires strong systems engineering judgment, practical experience with payload-level integration and planning, and the ability to build trusted customer and supplier relationships while guiding external stakeholders toward Kepler’s engineering standards, mission requirements, and verification expectations. You will help ensure that payload designs, documentation, test campaigns, and operational concepts integrate safely and effectively into the broader satellite system.

The ideal candidate has first-hand experience with one or more payload domains such as optical payloads, RF or SIGINT payloads, radar systems, or related mission instrumentation. Success in this role requires the ability to translate payload capabilities and constraints into mission-level scenarios, CONOPS, coverage analysis, test plans, and system budgets including power, thermal, data, and operational timelines.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead payload systems engineering activities throughout the mission lifecycle, from concept through integration, test, launch, and commissioning.
• Serve as the primary technical interface between customers, payload suppliers, spacecraft engineering teams, and program stakeholders.
• Define, manage, and verify payload requirements, interfaces, and integration plans.
• Coordinate payload accommodation across mechanical, electrical, thermal, software, RF, and operational interfaces.
• Review payload documentation including requirements, interface control documents (ICDs), verification plans, test procedures, and operational concepts.
• Perform mission and systems analysis to assess payload impacts on spacecraft resources, including power, thermal, data handling, pointing, storage, and communications.
• Support payload integration, spacecraft-level testing, verification, anomaly resolution, and launch readiness activities in collaboration with AIT and V&V teams.
• Identify technical risks, resolve integration issues, and ensure alignment between customer expectations and spacecraft capabilities.
• Support payload commissioning and early mission operations as required.
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to the continued development of payload systems engineering practices.

Required Skills & Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Physics, or a related technical discipline.
• 7+ years of experience in spacecraft systems engineering, payload engineering, mission systems engineering, or a related technical leadership role.
• Experience integrating or supporting spaceflight payloads or complex aerospace instrumentation.
• Experience defining and managing payload or subsystem requirements, interfaces, and verification activities.
• Strong understanding of spacecraft subsystem interactions, including mechanical, electrical, thermal, software, communications, and operational interfaces.
• Experience working directly with customers, suppliers, or external partners in a technical leadership role.
• Experience developing or reviewing engineering documentation such as requirements, ICDs, verification plans, CONOPS, or test procedures.
• Strong analytical and systems thinking skills with the ability to evaluate technical tradeoffs and resolve complex engineering challenges.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to work effectively across multidisciplinary teams.
• Demonstrated ability to leverage AI-assisted engineering and productivity tools to improve engineering efficiency and innovation.

Bonus Points:

• Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
• Experience with one or more payload types, including optical, RF, communications, radar, remote sensing, or scientific instrumentation.
• Experience supporting spacecraft integration and test, environmental testing, or flight verification activities.
• Experience supporting spacecraft commissioning, LEOP, or mission operations.
• Familiarity with mission analysis and modeling tools such as Python, MATLAB, STK, or equivalent.
• Knowledge of industry systems engineering practices and standards (ECSS, NASA, INCOSE, or equivalent).

Salary Range: $125,622 - 175,622 CAD

Actual total compensation will be determined at the Company’s discretion and is based on a variety of job-related factors, which may include, but are not limited to, relevant knowledge, skills, experience, performance, and education and/or training. The Company encourages all qualified applicants to apply, even if the posted salary range does not align with their expectations, as it does not reflect our total compensation package.
Job Type: This is for a current vacancy

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.