Launch Vehicle Interface Systems Engineer

SWISSto12 SA; Northern, Foster City (KY, CA); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

SWISSto12 SA seeks a spacecraft systems engineer to lead system-level analyses, define requirements, and guide cross-discipline trade studies for advanced satellite programs. You will coordinate with customers, program managers, and engineering teams to ensure robust design, verification, and documentation through the lifecycle.

The role emphasizes leadership, clear technical writing, and collaboration across cultures within a fast-growing aerospace environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelors or Masters degree in Aerospace, Electrical, Mechanical, Systems Engineering, Physics, or equivalent and at least 7 years of relevant experience working with incrementally complex satellite systems
• Language: Fluent English is a prerequisite
• Demonstrate technical expertise and application of engineering principles, concepts, theory, and practice
• Real-world experience with system architecture, requirements definition, flow down, tracking and performing system-level analyses in support of trade studies

Responsibilities

• Perform systems engineering tasks through the entire lifetime of a satellite including proposal, design, integration, test, and operations
• Requirement definition, flowdown, verification, and validation, write and publish requirement specifications
• Lead cross-discipline trade studies and issue resolution efforts, occasionally outside of your specific area of expertise
• Performs system analyses, design, and development tasks
• Responsible for writing quality technical documentation and providing clear and concise presentations
• Support systems aspects of telecom satellite proposals
• Collaborate with technical staff, program managers and executive management
• Ensure technical leadership and excellence is maintained by mentoring our less experienced engineers
• Occasionally, you will be asked to participate in overall tasks and services inherent to a dynamic fast-growing company
• Manage the mechanical, electrical, RF, space environments interfaces, mission analysis and trajectory planning, launch base operations coordination
• Serve as the single point of contact with multiple launch vehicle providers regarding launch vehicle interfaces for spacecraft
• Work closely with the customers and program management teams on the programmatic aspects of launch vehicle interface management
• Work closely with the systems and subsystems teams to negotiate and document spacecraft to launch vehicle interfaces
• Author and manage the Launch Vehicle ICD
• Support other systems engineering activities based on program needs

Skills

System architecture

Trade studies

Subsystem knowledge

Spacecraft design principles

Documentation writing

Leadership ability

Cross-cultural communication

Team collaboration

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Aerospace, Electrical, Mechanical, Systems Engineering, Physics

Tools

MATLAB/Simulink

Requirements tracing tools

Job description

SWISSto12 is one of the world’s fastest-growing aerospace companies, evolving from its pioneering use of 3D printing technologies for high-performance Radio Frequency (RF) products and applications to manufacturing entire geostationary telecommunication satellites, called HummingSat, that define a new category in space and of which 4 have already been sold to international leading telecom operators: Intelsat and ViaSat (acqu. Inmarsat). HummingSat is the world’s first commercial telecom GEO SmallSat developed in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA). Its uniquely compact size combined with highly capable telecom payloads allows telecommunications operators to deploy a cost-efficient, compact and agile asset without sacrificing performance or security. SWISSto12 is also a leading provider of Radio-Frequency (RF) products and sub-systems. The company’s patented 3D printing technologies and associated product designs are unique to deliver lightweight, compact, highly performing, and competitive RF products. This position is a unique opportunity to lead the development of a new class of telecommunication satellites.

Job requirements

• Demonstrate technical expertise and application of engineering principles, concepts, theory, and practice, as well as technical leadership skills
• Real-world experience with system architecture, requirements definition, flow down, tracking and performing system-level analyses in support of trade studies
• Advanced knowledge of one or two spacecraft subsystems and intermediate knowledge of several other subsystems with an ability to draw parallels and manage interfaces between them
• Understanding of principles for spacecraft design, manufacture, assembly, integration, test, and operation
• Proven ability to resolve complex technical problems and complex management of technical activities
• Able to work on a self-initiated basis, while being part of a team
• Proven ability to “think outside of the box” and thrive in an often-ambiguous trade-space
• Demonstrated ability to write clear technical documentation of high quality
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and ease at working across different cultures and different levels of an organization
• Bachelors or Masters degree in Aerospace, Electrical, Mechanical, Systems Engineering, Physics, or equivalent and at least 7 years of relevant experience working with incrementally complex satellite systems
• Language: Fluent English is a prerequisite

Job responsibilities

As a spacecraft systems engineer, you will be responsible for the following functions:

• Perform systems engineering tasks through the entire lifetime of a satellite including proposal, design, integration, test, and operations
• Requirement definition, flowdown, verification, and validation, write and publish requirement specifications
• Lead cross-discipline trade studies and issue resolution efforts, occasionally outside of your specific area of expertise
• Performs system analyses, design, and development tasks
• Responsible for writing quality technical documentation and providing clear and concise presentations
• Support systems aspects of telecom satellite proposals
• Collaborate with technical staff, program managers and executive management
• Ensure technical leadership and excellence is maintained by mentoring our less experienced engineers
• Occasionally, you will be asked to participate in overall tasks and services inherent to a dynamic fast-growing company

As a spacecraft systems engineer responsible for launch vehicle interfaces, you will be specifically responsible for the following functions:

• Manage the mechanical, electrical, RF, space environments interfaces, mission analysis and trajectory planning, launch base operations coordination. You do not have to be an expert in all of these areas, but remain organized to coordinate the engagement with the launch vehicle providers and the remainder of the Swissto12 and customer teams
• Serve as the single point of contact with multiple launch vehicle providers regarding launch vehicle interfaces for spacecraft
• Work closely with the customers and program management teams on the programmatic aspects of launch vehicle interface management
• Work closely with the systems and subsystems teams to negotiate and document spacecraft to launch vehicle interfaces
• Author and manage the Launch Vehicle ICD
• Support other systems engineering activities based on program needs

To be chatted during your exchange with our recruitment team.

More about SWISSto12:

SWISSto12 has successfully established contracts with ViaSat (acqu. Inmarsat), Intelsat and ESA for HummingSat as well as contracts for its RF product line in Europe and the USA with prominent partners and customers such as Thales, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and ESA. SWISSto12 is a spin off from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), is privately owned and backed by prominent Swiss and European Investors. SWISSto12 is headquartered in Renens (close to Lausanne, Switzerland), and operates subsidiaries in Foster City California USA, Virginia USA, and Madrid Spain. The company is well funded for its developments and backed by a solid customer revenue stream with near term profitability.