Systems Engineer (Space Missions)

cosine Research BV; Benevento; On-site; EUR 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work options

Development budget

13th month salary

Annual bonus

1-year contract with long-term goal

Job summary

cosine is seeking a Systems Engineer to bridge our Earth observation payloads with satellite platforms, translating mission requirements into concrete engineering solutions.

You will define system requirements, manage interfaces, and guide verification activities, ensuring payloads meet mass, power, thermal and data interface constraints while coordinating across mechanical, thermal, electrical, software, and electronics teams.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, Physics, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or related technical discipline.
• Proven experience in systems-engineering for complex high-technology products.
• Strong understanding of multidisciplinary engineering domains and interfaces.
• Experience with requirements management, configuration control, verification and validation processes, and technical documentation.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work with customers and multidisciplinary teams.

Responsibilities

• Act as the primary technical interface between cosine and satellite manufacturers for payload integration activities.
• Define, maintain, and manage system requirements, interface control documents, and verification plans for remote sensing payloads.
• Ensure payload specifications (mass, dimensions, power, thermal, data interfaces) are communicated and aligned with spacecraft requirements.
• Translate spacecraft requirements into actionable requirements for internal teams across mechanical, thermal, electrical, software and electronics engineering.
• Coordinate system-level integration, verification, and validation activities throughout the project lifecycle.

Skills

Systems engineering

Multidisciplinary engineering

Requirements management

Verification & validation

Technical documentation

Communication skills

Proactive mindset

Education

Master's degree in Aerospace/Systems Eng or related

Job description

Your (space) mission

As the Systems Engineer at cosine you are the technical bridge between our advanced Earth observation payloads and the satellite platforms that carry them into space. You ensure that our remote sensing instruments integrate seamlessly into a complete satellite system by translating mission requirements, technical constraints, and interface specifications into clear engineering solutions.
You have a thorough understanding of the payload's performance, physical characteristics, and operational requirements. Working closely with satellite manufacturers, subsystem engineers, and project teams, you coordinate the system-level engineering activities that enable successful missions. Your work directly contributes to bringing innovative remote sensing technology from development to launch and operation in orbit.

Tasks & responsibilities

In this role you will:

• Act as the primary technical interface between cosine and satellite manufacturers for payload integration activities
• Define, maintain, and manage system requirements, interface control documents, and verification plans for remote sensing payloads
• Ensure payload specifications such as mass, dimensions, power consumption, thermal characteristics, data interfaces, and operational constraints are accurately communicated and aligned with spacecraft requirements
• Translate new or changed spacecraft requirements into actionable requirements for internal teams, including mechanical, thermal, electrical, software, and electronics engineering disciplines
• Coordinate system-level integration, verification, and validation activities to ensure the payload performs successfully within the overall satellite architecture throughout the project lifecycle

Your profile

We are looking for candidates with the following qualifications:

• Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, Physics, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical discipline
• Proven experience in systems engineering for complex high-technology products, preferably in the space, aerospace, optics, remote sensing, or instrumentation sector
• Strong understanding of multidisciplinary engineering domains, including mechanical, thermal, electrical, software, and hardware interfaces
• Experience with requirements management, configuration control, verification and validation processes, and technical documentation
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to work effectively with customers, satellite integrators, and multidisciplinary engineering teams
• A structured, proactive mindset and the ability to maintain technical oversight from concept development through integration and mission delivery

What we offer

At cosine, we highly value our employees, and we will support your professional and personal development. We also provide our employees with:

• A unique, international working environment at the intersection of physics and engineering
• The opportunity to deliver end-to-end solutions in autonomous project teams, in close collaboration with customers
• A competitive salary with an annual bonus based on individual and company performance
• 20 days of annual leave (based on full-time employment)
• 13th month salary payment
• Hybrid working options, including the possibility to work partially from home
• A personal development budget
• Initial one-year contract, with the aim of long-term collaboration

About cosine

Founded in 1998, cosine is a world-leading developer of space instrumentation and measurement systems, making the invisible measurable and the complex actionable.
Its expertise spans High-Energy Optics, including optics developed for ESA's future NewAthena X-ray observatory, as well as remote sensing solutions for Earth Observation and planetary science.
With over 25 years of experience and advanced cleanroom and assembly facilities across the Netherlands, Germany, and Italy, cosine brings deep scientific and engineering expertise to some of the most demanding missions in space and on Earth.
What makes cosine a unique place to work is that your work goes end-to-end: from concept and design to building, testing, and delivering hardware that actually flies in space. You work in small, highly skilled teams where you have real ownership and impact, alongside experts in optics, physics, nanofabrication, and systems engineering.
cosine is committed to providing an inclusive and equal opportunities work environment where everyone can thrive. As a proud member of the Women in Aerospace community, we recognise the importance of diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunity in the workplace.