Senior Systems Engineer – Communication Architecture

Viasat; London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company is seeking a Senior Systems Engineer to support the architecture and design of the Moonlight Communications System for lunar exploration. The role involves defining service architecture, managing system integration, and ensuring communication standards for lunar missions. Ideal candidates will have a degree in Telecommunications or Systems Engineering and proven experience in space communications.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in space communications architecture.
• Understanding of physical layer protocols and CCSDS/ITU standards.

Responsibilities

• Define and maintain the lunar communications service architecture.
• Identify and define key functional elements and interfaces.
• Define and manage waveform and protocol stack for user links.

Skills

Coordination

Documentation

Stakeholder Engagement

Education

Degree in Telecommunications Engineering

Degree in Systems Engineering

Job description

About us

One team. Global challenges. Infinite opportunities. At Viasat, we’re on a mission to deliver connections with the capacity to change the world. For more than 35 years, Viasat has helped shape how consumers, businesses, governments and militaries around the globe communicate. We’re looking for people who think big, act fearlessly, and create an inclusive environment that drives positive impact to join our team.

What you'll do

Space agencies around the world are investing heavily into lunar exploration with the aim of establishing the Moon as a platform for mankind to become a multi-planetary species. Lunar exploration missions are furthering key scientific objectives around surviving and prospering in space as well as providing information on the origins of life as a whole. The lunar roadmap foresees in-situ resource utilisation on the Moon to establish a permanent human presence during the 2030s, as well as using the Moon as a “refuelling station” for further space exploration to Mars and beyond.

As part of the investment into lunar exploration, European Space Agency (ESA) created the Moonlight programme – a private-public partnership. Moonlight will develop new communications and navigation capabilities and services that will be provided to missions on and around the Moon through the launch of dedicated infrastructure.

Viasat is entering the programme as the design authority for the communications service, responsible to design and procurement of the space segment, ground segment and user infrastructure to provide communications services by the end of the decade.

Viasat is seeking a Senior Systems Engineer to support the architecture and design of the Moonlight Communications System (LCNS), part of ESA’s Moonlight programme to enable commercial and institutional lunar services. You will contribute to the definition of the communications service architecture, CONOPS, system design, and waveform strategy, ensuring performance, interoperability, and service continuity across Space, Ground and Lunar User Terminal segments.

The day-to-day

1. Communications Service Architecture & CONOPS
- Define and maintain the lunar communications service architecture baseline and concept of operations (CONOPS), including use cases, user interactions, and service flows.
- Ensure architecture and CONOPS support system-level requirements, end-user needs, and validation strategies.
- Conduct system trade-offs and propose architectural improvements to enhance business case and service offering, in alignment with waveform/protocol standardization efforts, user onboarding and orchestration activities.

2. System Integration & Interfaces
- Identify and define key functional elements, capabilities, and interfaces, in coordination with space, ground, software and service segments teams.
- Define and maintain consistency of internal and external interfaces and related data streams (e.g. crypto, high-speed commanding, data schemas) across the entire end-to-end system. Generate and consolidate interface requirements and control documents (IRDs, ICDs).

3. Waveform Definition & Evolution
- Define and manage waveform and protocol stack for user links, working with partners to evolve the standards (e.g. CCSDS) for the lunar environment.
- Contribute to the definition of functional needs through engagement with institutional and commercial users, considering cost, timeline, and regulatory implications (e.g. ITU, LunaNet, CCSDS).

4. Service Orchestration & Delivery
- Contribute to the service implementation plan, ensuring the definition of services is aligned with the end-to system capabilities and CONOPS.
- Support the definition of requirements for the communications simulator, used for pre-deployment service validation by end-users.

What you'll need

- Degree in Telecommunications Engineering, Systems Engineering, or equivalent.

- Proven experience in space communications architecture, system-level design, and interface specification.

- Understanding of physical layer protocols, waveform development, and CCSDS/ITU standards.

- Familiarity with ESA project phases and complex multi-partner programmes.

- Excellent coordination, documentation, and stakeholder engagement skills.

What will help you on the job

- Experience with end-to-end system modelling, simulation environments, and validation strategies.

- Background in lunar or deep-space communication systems.

- Knowledge of LunaNet, secure communications, or standardisation activities in relevant domains.

EEO Statement

Viasat is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, seeking to create a welcoming and diverse environment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, genetics, age, or veteran status or any other applicable legally protected status or characteristic. If you would like to request an accommodation on the basis of disability for completing this on-line application, please click here.