Satellite TT&C Engineer

Aerospacelab; Lausanne; On-site; CHF 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Aerospacelab in Lausanne, Switzerland is seeking a Senior TT&C Procurement Engineer to lead the sourcing of TT&C systems for LEO/GEO missions. You will define requirements, manage supplier relations, and ensure ECSS and ITU compliance across the procurement cycle.

The ideal candidate has MSc/PhD in Electrical/Telecommunications or aerospace, 3+ years in TT&C procurement or systems engineering, strong RF expertise, and experience interfacing with ESA or space agencies.

Qualifications

• MSc/PhD in Electrical, Telecommunication, Aerospace Engineering, or related field.
• 3+ years in technical procurement, systems engineering, or supplier management for TT&C/telecom systems.
• Strong RF background: link budgets, RF performance metrics, antenna pattern analysis.
• Experience with EMC/EMI requirements and testing.
• Ability to write clear, verifiable requirements and specifications.
• Solid understanding of TT&C interfaces and ICDs.
• Good knowledge of ITU regulations (incl. Article 22) and frequency coordination/licensing.
• Working knowledge of ECSS standards.
• Experience interfacing with ESA and/or national space agencies.
• Fluent English and strong communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Own the technical procurement of TT&C systems and equipment for LEO/GEO missions in S-band and Ka-band (and other bands as needed).
• Write and maintain TT&C requirements and specifications, and manage compliance through the procurement cycle.
• Define and control TT&C interfaces (electrical, RF, data) between spacecraft, TT&C equipment, and ground segment via ICDs.
• Generate and review RF link budgets and RF performance metrics, including installed antenna pattern simulations, to validate supplier designs.
• Assess EMC/RFI requirements (auto-compatibility, inter-satellite interference, etc)
• Lead technical evaluation of supplier proposals, trade studies, and compliance matrices against requirements.
• Ensure supplier deliverables meet ITU/national regulatory requirements and ECSS standards (e.g., ECSS-E-ST-50/70).
• Interface with ESA, national agencies, and ground station providers (ESTRACK, KSAT, SSC, Leaf Space, AWS Ground Station) on ground segment compatibility, including LEOP phases.
• Manage suppliers through design reviews (PDR, CDR, TRR), progress monitoring, testing, and acceptance.
• Maintain a strong market overview of TT&C products, suppliers, and ground networks to inform make-vs-buy decisions.

Skills

RF link budgets

RF performance metrics

Antenna pattern analysis

ECSS standards knowledge

ITU regulations familiarity

Scripting with Python

Supplier management

Systems engineering

Technical procurement

Education

MSc/PhD in Electrical, Telecommunication, Aerospace Engineering, or related field

Tools

HFSS

ADS

SystemVue

Job description

About Aerospacelab

Our mission is supported by an ambitious vertically integrated approach: design & manufacture of small satellites combined with development of earth observation services.

Since its creation in 2018, the company has already grown substantially. Our team gathers more than 25 engineering expertise, from hardware design to software development & data science.

In 2026, Aerospacelab counts offices in Louvain-la-Neuve (Belgium), Toulouse (France), Lausanne (Switzerland) and US West Coast with more than 450 full-time employees, with the ambition to position itself as the European leader in small satellites.

Duties

• Own the technical procurement of TT&C systems and equipment for LEO/GEO missions in S-band and Ka-band (and other bands as needed).
• Write and maintain TT&C requirements and specifications, and manage compliance through the procurement cycle.
• Define and control TT&C interfaces (electrical, RF, data) between spacecraft, TT&C equipment, and ground segment via ICDs.
• Generate and review RF link budgets and RF performance metrics, including installed antenna pattern simulations, to validate supplier designs.
• Assess EMC/RFI requirements (auto-compatibility, inter-satellite interference, etc)
• Lead technical evaluation of supplier proposals, trade studies, and compliance matrices against requirements.
• Ensure supplier deliverables meet ITU/national regulatory requirements and ECSS standards (e.g., ECSS-E-ST-50/70).
• Interface with ESA, national agencies, and ground station providers (ESTRACK, KSAT, SSC, Leaf Space, AWS Ground Station) on ground segment compatibility, including LEOP phases.
• Manage suppliers through design reviews (PDR, CDR, TRR), progress monitoring, testing, and acceptance.
• Maintain a strong market overview of TT&C products, suppliers, and ground networks to inform make-vs-buy decisions.

Must have

• MSc/PhD in Electrical, Telecommunication, Aerospace Engineering, or related field.
• 3+ years in technical procurement, systems engineering, or supplier management for TT&C/telecom systems.
• Strong RF background: link budgets, RF performance metrics, antenna pattern analysis.
• Experience with EMC/EMI requirements and testing.
• Ability to write clear, verifiable requirements and specifications.
• Solid understanding of TT&C interfaces and ICDs.
• Good knowledge of ITU regulations (incl. Article 22) and frequency coordination/licensing.
• Working knowledge of ECSS standards.
• Experience interfacing with ESA and/or national space agencies.
• Fluent English and strong communication skills.

Nice to have

• Background in TT&C subsystem design.
• Experience with satellite constellations
• Experience with spread spectrum techniques.
• Experience in ITU/FCC frequency coordination filings.
• Knowledge of SDR and DSP.
• Experience with RF systems analysis tools (e.g., HFSS, ADS, SystemVue).
• Experience with scripting (Python) for RF/link-budget automation.
• Prior space industry experience, ideally with small satellite constellations.
• Willingness to work out of your comfort zone.