Hyper Payload Lead: Orchestrating Real-Time Space Data

Kongsberg Satellite Services AS; Tromsø; Hybrid; NOK 1,100,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Job summary

KSAT seeks a Head of Payload for the Hyper program in Tromsø, Norway, to act as the internal technical authority for the Hyper payload and to own end-to-end integration across suppliers, spacecraft bus interfaces, and ground segments.

You will drive requirements flow-down, reviews, and acceptance, chair critical gate reviews, and manage risk and schedules to deliver a successful in‑orbit demonstration and flight delivery.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace, Communications, or related field.
• 8+ years of experience with spacecraft communications systems, payload integration, or RF systems engineering, including lead/technical-authority capacity.
• Proven experience managing external suppliers through requirements, qualification, review, and acceptance.
• Strong RF payload background (Ka/X/S-band), modems, antennas, amplifiers, and SDR platforms.
• Solid understanding of spacecraft bus interfaces (power, thermal, data, mechanical) and payload–bus integration.
• Track record chairing or supporting major design reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR).
• Excellent systems-engineering, interface-control, documentation, and multi-party coordination skills.
• Based in Norway: residence in Norway and eligibility to work in Norway are required.

Responsibilities

• Serve as KSAT’s internal owner and technical authority for the Hyper payload, from concept through integration, in-orbit demonstration, and flight delivery.
• Manage the external payload & communications supplier: own requirements flow-down, milestone and acceptance criteria, design reviews, and delivery against the Statement of Work.
• Coordinate and hold accountable all other delivery parties—internal engineering, spacecraft-bus / platform providers, ground-network partners, and additional suppliers—ensuring their scope, interfaces, and schedules stay aligned.
• Own cross-lane payload architecture and interface definition (RF, data, power, thermal, command/telemetry) between payload, spacecraft bus, and ground segment.
• Plan and chair the payload gate reviews (KO, PDR, CDR, TRR); define entry and exit criteria; and drive open decisions to dated closure.
• Own the payload risk register, integrated schedule inputs, and status reporting to the Program Manager and Head of Engineering.
• Adjudicate cross-lane trade studies (e.g., S- vs. Ka-band, RF vs. optical ISL, spread-spectrum resilience, waveform and HPA selection).
• Oversee payload calibration and the in-orbit test-and-demonstration campaign, including the dedicated ground calibration asset (MIMIC).
• Represent the payload in customer, partner, and launch-readiness discussions, ensuring technical alignment and mission readiness.

Skills

Lead / technical authority

Systems engineering

Cross‑party coordination

RF payload background

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace, or Communications

Tools

MBSE: Cameo / CORE

Spacecraft bus interfaces

RF systems: Ka/X/S-band

Design reviews: SRR/PDR/CDR/TRR

Job description

KSAT seeks a Head of Payload for the Hyper program in Tromsø, Norway, to act as the internal technical authority for the Hyper payload and to own end-to-end integration across suppliers, spacecraft bus interfaces, and ground segments.

You will drive requirements flow-down, reviews, and acceptance, chair critical gate reviews, and manage risk and schedules to deliver a successful in‑orbit demonstration and flight delivery.