Satellite Payload Engineer: Shape Space Connectivity

Starion; Harwell; Remote; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation support

Training and development programmes

Inclusive workplace

Job summary

European Space Agency (ESA) ECSAT in Harwell, UK, seeks a SatCom Payload Engineer to contribute to cutting-edge telecommunications satellite programmes and future connectivity systems.

You will work with a multinational ESA team on payload hardware, onboard processing architectures, and end-to-end satellite communications engineering, ensuring security clearance and export-control compliance throughout the project lifecycle.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Engineering, Physics, or a related discipline.
• At least 4 years of experience in development/manufacturing of aerospace or telecom satellite equipment.
• Strong knowledge of low-level solution definition and implementation.
• Experience with satellite payload hardware and end-to-end satellite communications systems engineering.
• Knowledge of spacecraft subsystems such as propulsion, EPS, AOCS, TT&C or onboard data processing is a plus.
• Eligible for ESA/EU Security Clearance and Export Control compliance.
• Collaborative, proactive, and able to work in multicultural teams.
• Fluent in English, both written and spoken.

Responsibilities

• Support development of innovative telecommunications satellite technologies.
• Initiate and deliver technology and product development activities for satellite applications.
• Contribute to definition, maintenance, and control of ESA requirements and documentation.
• Support evaluation, negotiation, and management of development contracts.
• Prepare status reports, work plans and key documents for internal reviews.
• Collaborate with ESA experts across a diverse portfolio of telecom projects.
• Monitor market developments and industry trends to shape future activities.
• Support ARTES programme initiatives including market intelligence and socioeconomic analysis.

Skills

Payload systems

Satellite communications

Systems engineering

Education

Master’s degree in Engineering, Physics, or related discipline

Job description

European Space Agency (ESA) ECSAT in Harwell, UK, seeks a SatCom Payload Engineer to contribute to cutting-edge telecommunications satellite programmes and future connectivity systems.

You will work with a multinational ESA team on payload hardware, onboard processing architectures, and end-to-end satellite communications engineering, ensuring security clearance and export-control compliance throughout the project lifecycle.