Spacecraft EMC Systems Engineer

MDA; Montreal (administrative region); On-site; CAD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Extended healthcare

Dental and vision benefits

Disability income protection

Life insurance

Group retirement savings plans

Employee and family assistance program

Job summary

MDA Space is seeking a Spacecraft EMC Systems Engineer to own EMC concepts, analyses, verifications and mitigations for multiple high‑performance satellites. You will drive architecture decisions and lead cross‑disciplinary teams to ensure an electrically clean, launch‑ready spacecraft from requirements capture to hardware design.

Ideal candidates have 10+ years in electrical design for space, strong EMC discipline knowledge, and the ability to mentor junior engineers while coordinating with

Qualifications

• 10+ years of electrical design experience on space missions.
• Proficiency in EMC requirements and simulations.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams.

Responsibilities

• Own EMC concept, analysis, verification and mitigation across satellite programmes.
• Define shielding, grounding, antenna placement and harness routing.
• Coordinate with RF, power, structures, software and ground segments.

Skills

EMC design

Systems engineering

Leadership

Education

MSc in Electrical Engineering

BSc in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Confluence

JIRA

Job description

Building the space between proven and possible, MDA Space is a trusted mission partner to the global space industry. A robotics, satellite systems and geointelligence pioneer with a 55-year+ story of world firsts and more than 450 missions, MDA Space is a global leader in communications satellites, Earth and space observation, and space exploration and infrastructure. The global MDA Space team of more than 3,800 space experts has the knowledge and know-how to turn an audacious customer vision into an achievable mission – bringing to bear a one-of-a-kind mix of experience, engineering excellence and wide-eyed wonder that’s been in our DNA since day one. For those who dream big and push boundaries on the ground and in the stars to change the world for the better, we’ll take you there. For more information, visit www.mda.space.

Role overview:

MDA is seeking a Spacecraft EMC Systems Engineer for its high‑performance spacecraft for our remote sensing and communications satellites. The Spacecraft EMC Systems Engineer will own the EMC concept, analysis, verification and mitigation for multiple satellite programmes, driving architecture decisions, leading cross‑disciplinary teams. He will ensure all electrical‑subsystem on the bus and payload, from requirements capture to hardware design, do not interfere with themselves or launch vehicles. The role works closely with platform and payload teams to ensure an electrically clean, reliable and launch‑ready spacecraft.

Tasks summary:

EMC Architecture Concept & Requirements

• Capture, allocate and trace EMC functional, performance, and requirements.
• Define the EMC architecture (shielding strategy, grounding scheme, antenna placement, mode‑control, and harness segregation requirements & routing constraints).

EMC Analysis & Electrical Design

• Perform EMC analyses of the whole spacecraft (accounting for the payload specifics) for radiated/conducted emission and susceptibility, antenna coupling, shielding effectiveness, fuse blowing…etc. and verify compliance early in the design cycle.
• Recommend mitigation such as shielding, filtering, grounding schemes, layout rules.

DC Power Distribution

• Review DC power distribution architecture (primary bus, secondary bus lines, converters, fusing, protection) for EMC/EMI aspects.
• Review conductors, termination, connectors and back shells (material, gauge, shielding…etc.) that satisfy EMI control requirements.

Cross‑Functional Coordination, Stakeholder & Program Interaction

• Communicate technical status, risk assessments and trade‑study results to senior management and/or customers or partners.
• Support ICDs with payload and platform teams and suppliers.
• Act as the EMC authority in System and subsystem design reviews
• Liaise with RF, Power, Structures, Propulsion, Software and Ground‑Segment teams to resolve cross‑disciplinary EMC issues early.
• Support B&P (Phase 0 & pre-Phase A).

Integration & Verification (IVV)

• Author the EMC Verification Master Plan covering component level, subsystem level and full spacecraft tests (CE/CS, RE/RS).
• Oversee test‑facility set‑up, instrumentation calibration, test execution, data reduction and results certification.
• Author test procedures, and acceptance criteria.
• Lead CE/CS tests, RE/RS tests on hardware and review suppliers test results.

Technical Leadership & Mentorship

• Mentor, guide junior engineers and interns and provide EMC training sessions.
• Act as technical liaison with customers, partners and external vendors.
• Act as Continuous Improvement stakeholder.
• Contribute to MDA’s knowledge‑base, process enhancements, and standards development.

Configuration, Documentation & Standards Management

• Participate in Change Control Boards (CCB) and ensure impact analyses are performed for any electrical change.
• Maintain GDIR and EDTS streamlining.
• Ensure all artefacts, analysis and documentations are version controlled in PLM environment.
• Support design reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, MRR/TRR…etc.).
• Support Technology Road‑Mapping & Innovation.

On‑Orbit & Operations Support

• Support root‑cause investigations for on‑orbit anomalies; update design baselines and lessons‑learned.
• Support SOOH development and associated operator training.

Required Qualifications:

• Sc. in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace or Physics, (M.Sc. preferred) with 10 + years of electrical design engineering experience on LEO/MEO/GEO missions.
• Proficiency in spacecraft and unit EMC requirements and simulations.
• Prior experience supervising a team of EMC engineers or leading multi‑disciplinary task‑forces.
• Strong understanding of aerospace system engineering fundamentals
• Hands‑on individual who can support systems integration processes and capability to test systems and resolve problems.
• Experience with Confluence and JIRA.
• Demonstrated capability to efficiently work with little to no supervision.
• Ability to distill complex problems to fundamentals to solve with analysis, similarity, or creativity.
• Demonstrate excellent written and oral communication skills in English; knowledge of French will be considered an asset (Contact with clients outside Quebec and work on deliverables in English).

Comments/Special Considerations:

Successful candidates must obtain and hold security clearance at the reliability status level, and pass security assessment for the Controlled Goods Program (CGP).

We’re a dream team of purpose-driven, collaborative and passionate people, and we are constantly looking for others to join #TeamMDA to ignite new and innovative approaches to problem-solving that push us forward to improve life on and above Earth. If you’re excited to expand our place in space and driven to inspire the next generation, we’ll take you there.

We have entered a new era of exploration and development, and MDA welcomes all who yearn to suit up and be part of it. An equal opportunity employer prizing diversity, integrity and collaboration, we are committed to growing MDA’s and Canada’s leadership in this next golden age.

MDA provides competitive compensation and benefits packages for its employees at all locations.

• extended healthcare and flexible drug plans
• dental and vision benefits
• disability income protection
• life insurance
• group retirement savings plans
• employee and family assistance program

MDA is proud to provide accommodation(s) during the recruitment process. Should you require any accommodations, please indicate this on your application/cover letter and we will work with you to meet your accessibility needs.