Principal Systems Engineer

Holt Executive Ltd; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 75,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading aerospace company in Greater London is seeking a Principal Systems Engineer to contribute to innovative space missions. The role involves defining spacecraft system architecture, managing project schedules, and providing technical leadership across development programs. The ideal candidate will have over 9 years of systems engineering experience and proficiency in spacecraft systems. This position offers stock options and flexible working arrangements.

Benefits

Stock options

Private healthcare (for you and your family)

Bespoke learning & development fund

Hybrid & flexible working

Qualifications

• 9+ years of systems engineering experience across the full spacecraft lifecycle.
• Proven leadership and collaboration with space systems engineering teams.
• Experience generating verification and validation plans and executing qualification campaigns.

Responsibilities

• Define system architecture for spacecraft, interfacing with subsystem leads and external partners.
• Perform analysis and modeling of spacecraft systems.
• Manage development schedules, system requirements, and design budgets.

Skills

Systems engineering experience

Collaboration with engineering teams

Technical leadership

Problem-solving

Job description

We are seeking an exceptional Principal Systems Engineer to join a pioneering team developing next-generation in-space systems. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to complex space missions, including full spacecraft lifecycle development from concept through prototyping, detailed design, integration, testing, launch, and operations.

About the Role

As Principal Systems Engineer, you will provide expert insight, practical problem-solving, and technical leadership across multiple flight development programmes. You will work closely with colleagues and partners across Europe to establish robust system architectures, define clear requirements, and enable innovative satellite servicing missions.

You will draw on your breadth of experience developing complex systems within budget and on schedule, bringing passion for space systems engineering, whether across large or small space missions, or other technically challenging projects.

Key Responsibilities

• Define system architecture for spacecraft, interfacing with all subsystem leads, external partners, and key suppliers
• Perform analysis and modelling of spacecraft systems
• Manage development schedules, system requirements, and design budgets
• Guide systems engineering processes and facilitate technical trades across disciplines
• Control and trade-off platform systems budgets (mass, power, data, fuel)
• Perform top-level mission analysis and support the development of internal tools
• Produce mission-level test and verification plans, FMECA, and FDIR
• Coordinate rapid feasibility studies into different scenarios and architectures
• Maintain configuration control of systems work and documentation
• Support proposal writing from a systems engineering perspective

Qualifications & Experience

• 9+ years of systems engineering experience across the full spacecraft lifecycle
• Proven leadership and collaboration with space systems engineering teams
• Experience generating verification and validation plans and executing qualification campaigns
• Deep knowledge in one or more of the following:
  • Spacecraft systems & avionics
  • Sensors and optical systems
  • Flight software development
  • Orbital mechanics
  • Structures and mechanisms
  • Propulsion systems and fluid components
  • Spacecraft operations

Desirable Skills

• Experience in startup or high-growth environments
• Experience on European-wide missions with multinational consortiums
• Understanding of the spacecraft supply chain
• Experience with both low and high budget space system development

Benefits

• Stock options
• Private healthcare (for you and your family)
• Bespoke learning & development fund
• Hybrid & flexible working
• & much more!