Senior FPGA Engineer

Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL); Guildford; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

32 days holiday

Pension with life assurance

Private medical & international travel

Annual bonus scheme

Share incentive plan

Enhanced maternity

Paternity & shared parental pay

High street discount scheme

Job summary

Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) invites applications for an OBDH Systems Engineer to lead the onboard data handling activities. The role involves defining requirements, delivering robust OBDH solutions, and coordinating with cross-disciplinary teams on space missions.

You will own the OBDH system, perform FPGA design in VHDL, and manage work packages including budgets and schedules. Hybrid working from Guildford is supported.

Qualifications

• 5+ years OBDH system engineering experience in a systems/OBDH electronics role
• BTEC/Degree in Electronics or equivalent
• Strong digital electronics knowledge
• FPGA design experience in VHDL
• Familiar with lab/test equipment and schematic capture/simulation tools
• Good interpersonal and communication skills
• Organised, able to prioritise workload and manage a work package
• Creative problem solving and ability to work under pressure

Responsibilities

• Act as OBDH Subsystem Lead and Work Package Manager in Space Projects
• Identify and flow-down spacecraft requirements to the OBDH system
• Deliver an OBDH solution meeting requirements with defined processes
• Manage and verify requirements
• Own the OBDH system and feeding interfaces
• Interface and trade-offs at system/subsystem level
• Manage technical solution and support design engineers
• Deliver satellite OBDH work packages including budget and schedule
• Interface with internal and external customers
• Author technical documents (interface level FMEA, test/verification plans, procedures)
• Minor circuit design updates and ECN generations
• Design, implement and verify FPGAs in VHDL
• Support product development if required
• Typical OBDH equipment: On-board Computer, Data Recorder, Payload Interface Unit

Job description

This role is an exciting opportunity to join the On-Board Data Handling team. Engineers at SSTL have involvement on a mission right from concept through to launch, commissioning and operational life; a true cradle to grave experience, and will give you the chance to see your work in Space in a rapid timescale! This key role will often sit within the core team of a satellite mission interacting with other technical leads across multiple disciplines to generate the technical solutions for innovative projects.

Key Tasks

• Act as OBDH Subsystem Lead and Work Package Manager in Space Projects
• Identification and flow-down of spacecraft system requirements to the spacecraft OBDH system
• Delivery of a OBDH system solution that meets these requirements with defined company processes
• Management and verification of these requirements
• Ownership of the OBDH system and all aspects feeding into and of it
• System / subsystem level interfacing and trade-offs
• Manage the technical solution, supporting design engineers
• Management and delivery of satellite OBDH systems work packages including budget and schedule
• Interface with internal and external customers
• Authoring of technical documents (including interface level FMEA, development/test/verification plans, procedures and technical descriptions)
• Minor updates to circuit designs (changing obsolete parts, incremental performance improvements, ECN generations, etc)
• Design, implementation and verification of FPGA’s in VHDL
• Support product development if required
• Typical OBDH System Equipment in a spacecraft defined as follows: On-board Computer, Data Recorder, and Payload Interface Unit

Previous Experience 5 years plus OBDH System Engineering experience in a systems / OBDH electronics role, ideally in the Space or Aerospace industries but not essential

Qualifications Knowledge & Skills

• BTEC / Degree in Electronics or equivalent
• Good understanding of digital electronics
• Knowledge of FPGA design in VHDL
• Knowledge of Lab Test Equipment
• Recent experience with schematic capture and simulation software (ie/ Mentor Graphics, OrCAD PSPICE, etc.)
• Self-motivated and able to manage a package of work
• Excellent inter-personal skills - both written and oral communications; ability to interface with customers and technical representatives
• Good organisation skills and able to prioritise own workload
• Creative problem solving
• Flexible & adaptable to changing priorities
• Ability to work simultaneously on a variety of projects
• Ability to work under pressure
• Good attention to detail
• Good MS Office skills (Word, Excel, PowerPoint particularly)
• Able to demonstrate company mindsets and behaviours; Be accountable, Drive & delivery, Communicate effectively, Self-manage effectively, Work as one team

Location

SSTL prides itself on being a super flexible company. The role is based in our Head Office in Guildford but we fully support hybrid working and a range of flexible working options.

Benefits

• 32 days Holiday plus Bank Holidays
• Pension Scheme with Life Assurance
• Private Medical & International Travel Insurance
• Annual Bonus Scheme
• Share Incentive Plan
• Enhanced Maternity
• Paternity & Shared Parental Pay for new parents
• High Street Discount Scheme and many more!