Senior Mission Concept Engineer

Jobtailor; Harwell; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Open Cosmos is seeking a senior space mission designer to lead the definition and development of advanced mission concepts from initial customer discussions to fully developed proposals.

You will design complex missions across Earth observation, telecommunications, and technology demonstration, defining architectures across space, ground, and launch segments while engaging customers to refine requirements and shape solutions.

Qualifications

• Strong understanding of all space mission phases including design.
• Hands-on experience defining and analysing complex missions such as constellation sizing and orbital analysis.
• Specialisation in a mission domain (embedded software, satellite operations, mission control systems, or flight dynamics).
• Experience leading technical workstreams or proposals in a commercial or institutional context (ESA, UKSA, or EC).
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including delta-V or power budgets and mission-level trade-off evaluation.
• Excellent communication and storytelling skills for technical and non-technical audiences.

Responsibilities

• Lead the definition and development of advanced space mission concepts from early customer discussions through fully developed proposals
• Design complex missions across Earth observation, telecommunications, and technology demonstration
• Define mission architectures across space, ground, and launch segments
• Engage institutional and commercial customers to refine requirements and shape solutions
• Lead or contribute to satellite mission proposals, ensuring technical credibility, cost realism, and alignment with customer expectations
• Support consortium definition and structure partnerships across the value chain
• Contribute to early-stage mission shaping and pre-sales activities, including feasibility assessments and concept iteration
• Work cross-functionally with engineering, project management, and commercial teams
• Develop tools, models, and approaches to assess mission performance, risk, cost, and schedule
• Mentor team members, share knowledge, and contribute to Open Cosmos’ mission design capabilities and long-term roadmap

Skills

Space Mission Design

Mission Architecture

Satellite Operations

Analytical Problem-Solving

Technical Proposal Leadership

Feasibility Assessment

AOCS

System Trades

Delta-V Budgeting

Power Budgeting

Job description

• Lead the definition and development of advanced space mission concepts from early customer discussions through fully developed proposals
• Design complex missions across Earth observation, telecommunications, and technology demonstration
• Define mission architectures across space, ground, and launch segments
• Engage institutional and commercial customers to refine requirements and shape solutions
• Lead or contribute to satellite mission proposals, ensuring technical credibility, cost realism, and alignment with customer expectations
• Support consortium definition and structure partnerships across the value chain
• Contribute to early-stage mission shaping and pre-sales activities, including feasibility assessments and concept iteration
• Work cross-functionally with engineering, project management, and commercial teams
• Develop tools, models, and approaches to assess mission performance, risk, cost, and schedule
• Mentor team members, share knowledge, and contribute to Open Cosmos’ mission design capabilities and long-term roadmap

Requirements

• Strong understanding of all space mission phases including design
• Hands-on experience defining and analysing complex missions, such as constellation sizing, orbital analysis, payload integration, communications, AOCS, or system trades
• Specialisation in a mission domain, such as embedded software, satellite operations, mission control systems, or flight dynamics
• Experience leading technical workstreams or proposals in a commercial or institutional context, including ESA, UKSA, or EC
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including delta-V or power budgets and mission-level trade-off evaluation
• Confidence dealing with ambiguity and complexity using structured thinking
• Excellent communication and storytelling skills for technical and non-technical audiences
• Collaborative mindset and willingness to exchange knowledge and build scalable processes
• Legal right to work in the chosen location
• Application and CV submitted in English

Core Competencies

Demonstrates expertise in defining and developing advanced space mission concepts, with a strong focus on mission architecture, performance assessment, and cross-functional collaboration. Proficient in leading technical workstreams and proposals while effectively communicating complex ideas to diverse audiences.

Highest-signal resume keywords

• Space Mission Design
• Mission Architecture Definition
• Satellite Operations
• Analytical Problem-Solving
• Technical Proposal Leadership

Hard Skills

• Complex Mission Analysis
• Constellation Sizing
• Orbital Analysis
• Payload Integration
• AOCS
• System Trades
• Delta-V Budgeting
• Power Budgeting
• Mission-Level Trade-Off Evaluation
• Feasibility Assessment

Soft Skills

• Excellent Communication
• Collaborative Mindset
• Structured Thinking
• Mentoring
• Knowledge Sharing

Industry Keywords

• Earth Observation
• Telecommunications
• Technology Demonstration
• ESA
• UKSA
• EC
• Mission Control Systems
• Flight Dynamics
• Pre-Sales Activities
• Value Chain Partnerships