Systems Engineer, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Payload

MDA Space; Richmond; On-site; CAD 95,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health care benefits

Flexible drug plans

Dental and vision benefits

Disability income protection

Life insurance

Retirement savings plans

Employee assistance program

Job summary

MDA Space is seeking a SAR Payload System Engineer in Richmond, Canada. This role involves defining and integrating SAR payload subsystems across multiple satellite programs. The successful candidate will have over 5 years of experience in remote sensing and will serve as the technical interface with customers and multidisciplinary teams.

You will guide design reviews, support performance testing, and mentor junior engineers while ensuring compliance with mission requirements. MDA offers competitive compensation including health, dental, and retirement benefits.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience supporting remote sensing system development.
• Strong technical writing ability and presentation skills.
• Hands-on support for systems integration processes.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Knowledge of French is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Define, design, integrate, and verify SAR payload subsystems.
• Gather and map requirements from stakeholders.
• Design the SAR system architecture including antenna arrays.
• Develop and lead verification plans for payload testing.
• Provide technical support to Mission Operations.

Skills

Technical writing

Systems integration

Aerospace system engineering

Problem-solving

Communication in English

Education

B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science or Physics

Tools

Confluence

JIRA

Job description

About Mda Space

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.

This is a role suited for an ambitious professional wanting to solve complex problems and develop novel concepts that contribute to the betterment of our world. You will contribute to our world leading Synthetic Aperture Radar missions that generate high value imagery and real‑time actionable intelligence for our customers.

The Role

MDA is seeking a SAR Payload System Engineer to support our current and next‑generation earth observation and remote sensing satellites. The SAR System Engineer will own the definition, design, integration, verification and sustainment of SAR payload subsystems across multiple satellite programs and will influence system‑level tradeoffs, drive technology road‑maps. The incumbent will act as the primary technical interface with customers, prime contractors and internal multidisciplinary teams to cover the full program life cycle.

Responsibilities

Architecture Concept & Requirements

• Gather functional, performance, pointing, environmental and security requirements from mission stakeholders & CONOPs.
• Capture, trace and map payload requirements from mission level to subsystem level.
• Coordinate with cybersecurity team for payload‑specific assessments.
• Perform requirement management and maintain bidirectional traceability throughout the program life cycle.

Payload Architecture & Design

• Design the SAR system architecture (antenna arrays & RF front‑end Tx/Rx components, digital beamforming, processing chain and digital electronics, power, thermal, and mass).
• Lead the conceptual, preliminary, and detailed design phases, producing trade studies, performance budgets.
• Produce Interface Control Documents (ICDs) with other subsystems and ground segment.
• Provide system‑level specifications to hardware designers, review schematics, layouts, thermal interfaces, and mechanical constraints.

Simulation & Analysis

• Perform performance simulations for tolerance budgeting and image quality.
• Support algorithm and analytical development to process SAR and Moving Target Indicator (MTI).
• Define and maintain Payload DC power budget with utilization models.
• Perform FMECA, Fault tree and FDIR, reliability modeling and availability to meet mission objectives.

Cross‑Functional Coordination, Stakeholder & Program Interaction

• Communicate technical status, risk assessments and trade‑study results to senior management and/or customers or partners.
• Support payload design authority in System design reviews, Power/Structure/Thermal interfaces and Mission Operations assessments.
• Liaise with Electrical, Power, Structures, Thermal, Software, Ground‑Segment and Mission‑Operations teams to resolve integration issues early.
• Support B&P (Phase 0 & pre‑phase A).

Integration & Verification (IVV)

• Develop Payload Verification Master Plan covering unit‑test, subsystem‑test, payload‑level test, environmental and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) test campaigns.
• Lead test‑automation framework set‑up, test‑case definition, results analysis and test‑report certification.

Technical Leadership & Mentorship

• Mentor, guide junior engineers and interns.
• 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

• Ensure all artefacts, analysis, firmware, deliverables and documentation are version controlled in PLM environment.
• Lead and Support design reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, MRR/TRR…etc.).
• Support Technology Road‑Mapping & Innovation.

On Orbit & Operations Support

• Provide technical support to Mission Operations for routine payload health monitoring, contingency handling and performance trending.
• Lead root‑cause investigations for on‑orbit anomalies; update design baselines and lessons‑learned.
• Analyze on‑orbit telemetry, update filter parameters, and generate performance reports.
• Support SOOH development and associated operator training.

Required Qualifications

• Sc. in Electrical Engineering, Computer science or Physics with 5+ years of experience supporting remote sensing system development, integration and test on LEO/MEO missions.
• Strong technical‑writing ability (requirements, ICDs, test procedures, risk reports) and presentation skills; comfortable interfacing with customers, suppliers and senior leadership.
• 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 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.

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. As a team member of MDA, you and your qualified dependents are eligible to participate in a benefit plan that ensures a comprehensive level of protection through competitive health care including extended healthcare and flexible drug plans, dental and vision benefits, disability income protection, life insurance, group retirement savings plans; and an 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.

The compensation range for this position is $95K - $130K annually. The specific compensation offered will be based on the qualifications and experience of the successful candidate.