Payload Systems Project Lead

MDA Space; Stevenage; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Job summary

MDA Space in the United Kingdom is seeking a Payload Systems Engineer to lead the design, integration and test of RF payload and antenna systems for GEO and other environments. You will work closely with internal and external systems teams to develop robust trade analyses, defining requirements and architecture.

The role requires 10+ years in space system engineering, leadership experience, and a strong grasp of ECSS standards.

Qualifications

• Degree in Engineering, Maths or Physics.
• 10+ years of experience in communications system engineering and/or engineering management.
• Experience with space industry standards (ECSS).
• Experience managing an engineering team.
• Experience in communications satellite design (RF payload systems, antenna design and digital payload architecture).
• Ability to develop and analyse E2E system requirements, perform trade studies (e.g., link budgets and capacity analysis) breaking down the complete system into the constituent parts and solutions.
• Ability to lead technical proposals to RFI/RFPs, including developing presentations to describe the technical approach in a clear manner to customers.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including a demonstrated ability to interact effectively with customers, management, and peers.

Responsibilities

• Lead an engineering project team by defining scope, schedule, cost, resources, and risks, ensuring alignment with delivery teams and leadership.
• Forecast technical performance against baselines to enable timely decision-making and mitigation.
• Lead cross-functional technical execution to deliver scope on schedule and within budget and quality standards.
• Manage technical task budgets, cost forecasts and schedule performance within agreed baselines.
• Define, validate and manage technical requirements to maintain alignment with schedule, quality and cost targets.
• Guide the project systems engineering team in generating requirements, specifications and interface definitions.
• Perform system design trade-offs and allocate requirements to sub-systems/components.
• Develop system and satellite payload concepts of operations and architecture focusing on RF and physical layers.
• Develop requirements for antenna and on-board processing functions.
• Enable technology maturation and risk reduction plans for ground infrastructure and satellite subsystems.
• Conduct specification trade-off negotiations with customers, partners, engineers and working groups.

Skills

Leadership

Communication skills

Education

Degree in Engineering, Maths or Physics

Job description

MDA-UK is looking for a Payload Systems Engineer to lead the design, integration and test of future RF payload and antenna systems for GEO and other environments. You will work closely with various systems engineering groups internally and externally to the business, building a robust and informative trade analysis with a clear and well-structured set of conclusions and recommendations, including ground infrastructure, payload solutions and technology trade-offs.

Responsibilities

• Lead an engineering project team by:
  • Developing and maintaining technical plans defining scope, schedule, cost, resources, and risks, ensuring alignment across cross‑functional delivery teams and upstream project leadership.
  • Continuously assessing and forecasting technical performance against cost, schedule, risk, and resource baselines to enable timely decision‑making and early mitigation.
  • Leading cross‑functional technical execution to deliver assigned scope on schedule, on budget, and to required technical and quality standards.
  • Managing technical task budgets, cost forecasts, and schedule performance to ensure delivery within approved technical scope and baseline constraints.
  • Defining, validating, and managing technical requirements to ensure scope is completed to specification while maintaining alignment with schedule, quality, and cost targets.
• Guide the project systems engineering team in:
  • Generation of systems level requirements, specifications and interface definitions.
  • Performance of system design trade‑offs.
  • Analysis of system level performance requirements to allocated sub‑system/component requirement.
  • Development of system and satellite payload concept of operations and architecture with particular focus on the radio frequency and physical layer aspects.
  • Development of requirements for antenna and on‑board processing functions.
  • Enabling technology maturation and risk reduction plans for critical system elements including ground infrastructure and satellite subsystems.
• Conduct specification trade‑off negotiations with customers, partners, engineers and working groups.

Requirements and Qualifications

• Degree in Engineering, Maths or Physics.
• 10+ years of experience in communications system engineering and/or engineering management.
• Proven capability in developing technologies for the space environment.
• Experience working with space industry standards (e.g. ECSS).
• Experience managing an engineering team.
• Experience in communications satellite design (RF payload systems, antenna design and digital payload architecture).
• Ability to develop and analyse E2E system requirements, perform trade studies (e.g., link budgets and capacity analysis) breaking down the complete system into the constituent parts and solutions.
• Ability to lead technical proposals to RFI/RFP’s, including developing presentations to describe the technical approach in a clear manner to customers.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including a demonstrated ability to interact effectively with customers, management, and peers.

Desirable

• Experience with line management and/or project management.
• Experience and expertise in digital signal processing.
• Experience in designing phased array antenna systems.

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 leadership in this next golden age.

Comments / Special Considerations

• Right to work: To confirm that you are entitled to take up the position as well as check your nationality and immigration status.
• Identity: Full ID check.
• Criminal records: Basic Disclosure.
• Employment history check: Confirmation of past three years of employment (minimum) history/activity.
• Reference checks.

Benefits Statement

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 private healthcare, disability income protection, life insurance, pension plan, and an employee assistance program. We also have a Hybrid work model in place, for a better work/life balance.

Equal Opportunity Statement

MDA is an equal opportunity employer prizing diversity and inclusion. We are committed to treating all employees and applicants for employment with respect and dignity. If you require assistance and/or reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please feel free to notify us.

Accommodations

MDA Ltd. 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.