IRIS2 Satellite Telecommunications Payload Engineer - LEO Constellations & Regenerative Payloads

Eutelsat; Friauville; Hybrid; EUR 90,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible schedules

Hybrid work options

Job summary

Eutelsat invites applications for an IRIS2 Satellite Telecommunications Payload Engineer in France. You will manage end-to-end regenerative payloads for LEO satellites, translating mission requirements into payload specifications and budgets, while coordinating with ground networks and suppliers.

You will oversee architecture trade studies, onboard processing functions, and inter-satellite/link interfaces, ensuring performance aligns with constellation objectives and mission success.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the complete lifecycle of regenerative telecommunications payloads for LEO constellation satellites, from initial concept and architecture definition through production, launch, commissioning, and in-orbit operation.
• Translate service, mission, network, and system requirements into payload‑level technical requirements, performance budgets, interface‑control documentation, verification requirements, and unit specifications.
• Define payload functional architectures and allocate functions across RF hardware, digital processors, FPGA and ASIC devices, embedded software, onboard network‑processing functions, inter-satellite links, and ground infrastructure.
• Lead architecture trade studies covering regenerative, transparent, and hybrid payload implementations, including the allocation of processing functions between the satellite and ground network.
• Define and assess onboard processing functions such as digitisation, channelisation, demodulation and decoding, packet or traffic switching, routing, regeneration, re‑encoding, remodulation, beamforming, and dynamic bandwidth allocation.
• Ensure that payload architecture and performance support constellation‑level objectives for coverage, capacity, throughput, latency, service availability, resilience, security, scalability, and graceful degradation.
• Perform and maintain RF, digital, processing, and network performance budgets, including EIRP, G/T, gain, noise figure, linearity, interference, processing capacity, throughput, latency, memory, compute resources, timing, power, and thermal allocations.
• Analyse LEO‑specific communications effects, including Doppler and Doppler‑rate variation, timing and frequency synchronisation, satellite and beam handovers, feeder‑link switching, gateway diversity, moving coverage patterns, and time‑varying interference.
• Contribute to the definition and performance assessment of user links, feeder links, and inter‑satellite links, in close collaboration with ground‑network, terminal, antenna, modem, and system‑engineering teams.
• Assess onboard routing and inter‑satellite connectivity strategies, including traffic steering, path diversity, resilience, congestion management, and coordination with the ground‑based network‑control architecture.
• Analyse and optimise active and phased‑array antenna architectures, digital beamforming, beam steering, beam hopping, coverage allocation, calibration, and dynamic resource‑management functions.
• Lead technical reviews and design evaluations with satellite manufacturers, payload suppliers, and equipment manufacturers, ensuring compliance with RF, digital, software, network, reliability, and system‑

Job description

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IRIS2 Satellite Telecommunications Payload Engineer - LEO Constellations & Regenerative Payloads

Country/Region: FR

Connect with Eutelsat

Be part of a new era in communications, transforming connectivity with Eutelsat – the world’s first GEO-LEO integrated global satellite operator.

As a leader in satellite communications, we provide global connectivity solutions - connecting businesses, communities, and governments around the world. We can connect you at on land, at sea and in the air. We also deliver broadcast television channels and packages, transmitting vital news reports around the world.

With Eutelsat You’ll Get To:

• Pioneer the future of Space Technology
• Bring connectivity to remote frontiers
• Collaborate with customer-centric experts
• Embrace cultural diversity in our global team

In a dynamic industry where passion drives our teams to make a difference to become the most trusted partner for global satellite connectivity, you will elevate your skills in a stretching, rewarding, and meaningful environment. At Eutelsat, we’re united by inclusion and diversity, striving for gender balance and social responsibility, on Earth and in Space.

Why Eutelsat ?

• Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion: With colleagues from over 75 countries, we embrace our global DNA and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace. We are proud that one-third of our executive team and 60% of our board are represented by women.
• Ways of Working That Drive Us: As "One Team," we work collaboratively towards shared goals, with customer-centricity, respect, and inclusivity as our guiding principles.
• Sustainability at Our Core: At Eutelsat, sustainability is more than just a word; it’s woven into our strategy. We’re dedicated to balancing social, environmental, and economic growth — both on Earth and in space.
• Work-Life Balance: We offer flexible schedules and hybrid work options to help you balance your personal and professional life. At Eutelsat, we are committed to supporting your well-being and ensuring you have the flexibility you need to succeed both at work and at home.

Who You’ll Be

As a Satellite Telecommunications Payload Engineer, you will be responsible for the end-to-end technical management of advanced telecommunications payloads for LEO constellation satellites, from mission and service definition through architecture, design, industrialisation, assembly, integration, testing, commissioning, and in-orbit operation.

You will lead the technical definition, design follow-up, and performance verification of regenerative and digitally processed payload architectures. These architectures may include onboard digital processing, modem functions, channelisation, packet switching and routing, traffic aggregation, digital beamforming, dynamic resource allocation, and software-defined or reconfigurable payload functions.

The role requires a strong understanding of how an individual satellite payload operates as part of a complete LEO communications network. You will ensure consistency between the payload, spacecraft platform, inter-satellite links, gateways, user terminals, ground network, network-management systems, and constellation operations.

You will translate constellation‑level service requirements—including coverage, capacity, latency, availability, resilience, mobility, and quality of service—into payload requirements, performance budgets, interfaces, and verification objectives.

You will also act as the technical interface for the procurement and industrialisation of payload equipment, ensuring that onboard processors, RF chains, active antennas, amplifiers, frequency converters, filter assemblies, and associated hardware and software meet mission‑level performance, recurring‑cost, reliability, production, and schedule objectives.

What You’ll Do

• Oversee the complete lifecycle of regenerative telecommunications payloads for LEO constellation satellites, from initial concept and architecture definition through production, launch, commissioning, and in-orbit operation.
• Translate service, mission, network, and system requirements into payload‑level technical requirements, performance budgets, interface‑control documentation, verification requirements, and unit specifications.
• Define payload functional architectures and allocate functions across RF hardware, digital processors, FPGA and ASIC devices, embedded software, onboard network‑processing functions, inter-satellite links, and ground infrastructure.
• Lead architecture trade studies covering regenerative, transparent, and hybrid payload implementations, including the allocation of processing functions between the satellite and ground network.
• Define and assess onboard processing functions such as digitisation, channelisation, demodulation and decoding, packet or traffic switching, routing, regeneration, re‑encoding, remodulation, beamforming, and dynamic bandwidth allocation.
• Ensure that payload architecture and performance support constellation‑level objectives for coverage, capacity, throughput, latency, service availability, resilience, security, scalability, and graceful degradation.
• Perform and maintain RF, digital, processing, and network performance budgets, including EIRP, G/T, gain, noise figure, linearity, interference, processing capacity, throughput, latency, memory, compute resources, timing, power, and thermal allocations.
• Analyse LEO‑specific communications effects, including Doppler and Doppler‑rate variation, timing and frequency synchronisation, satellite and beam handovers, feeder‑link switching, gateway diversity, moving coverage patterns, and time‑varying interference.
• Contribute to the definition and performance assessment of user links, feeder links, and inter‑satellite links, in close collaboration with ground‑network, terminal, antenna, modem, and system‑engineering teams.
• Assess onboard routing and inter‑satellite connectivity strategies, including traffic steering, path diversity, resilience, congestion management, and coordination with the ground‑based network‑control architecture.
• Analyse and optimise active and phased‑array antenna architectures, digital beamforming, beam steering, beam hopping, coverage allocation, calibration, and dynamic resource‑management functions.
• Lead technical reviews and design evaluations with satellite manufacturers, payload suppliers, and equipment manufacturers, ensuring compliance with RF, digital, software, network, reliability, and system‑