Senior AOCS System Engineer

ICEYE; Warsaw (IN); Hybrid; USD 48,117 - 85,542; Full time

Job summary

ICEYE is seeking a Senior AOCS System Engineer to join the Engineering team in Warsaw. You will work in the AOCS Domain, maintaining attitude and orbit control for our SAR satellites, collaborating with production, operations and software teams to ensure smooth ADCS and propulsion performance from design to in-service support.

The role emphasizes system performance, reliability and lifecycle ownership, with a hybrid work model (2–3 days onsite in Warsaw).

Qualifications

• Thinking from a first-principles mindset; resolve in-orbit anomalies systematically.
• Strong understanding of AOCS fundamentals: rigid body motion, coordinate transformations, and basic orbital dynamics.
• Knowledge of sensors/actuators in AOCS: reaction wheels, magnetorquers, star trackers, gyroscopes, magnetometers, GNSS.
• Understanding performance drivers of AOCS systems.
• Proven track record owning cross-domain systems across lifecycle including maintenance and operations.
• Broad knowledge across controls, mechanical and electronics with a system-wide perspective.
• Proficiency in Python, C++ or Matlab.

Responsibilities

• Drive selection of future AOCS hardware components.
• Characterize and validate AOCS performance using telemetry data and in-orbit experiments; analyze data with your analysis software.
• Develop software tools to predict performance of future AOCS systems.
• Maintain verification procedures and work with production/testing teams on improvements and new test jigs.
• Debug on-orbit anomalies requiring deep system understanding and root-cause analysis.
• Support software teams in implementing changes to prevent repetition of known issues.

Skills

First-principles thinking

AOCS fundamentals

Sensors and actuators

Cross-domain ownership

Multidisciplinary knowledge

Python

C++

MATLAB

Job description

Role highlights:

• Senior AOCS System Engineer




• Location: Warsaw, Poland




• Department: Engineering




• Reports to: Jakub Lisowski, Engineering Manager




• Employment type: Permanent




• Workplace model: Hybrid ( 2- 3 days onsite at our Warsaw office)




• Employment is subject to applicable security screening (incl. SUPO, where required)

Why this role matters:

The Mission of the AOCS Systems Engineer

You ensure that our satellites always point towards the right direction enabling high-quality images.

This role is within AOCS Domain where we are responsible for maintaining attitude and orbit. Your job will be to work closely with production teams, operation teams and software teams to ensure smooth and performant operation of our ADCS and propulsion systems in orbit and on ground. Expect to be involved in the complete lifecycle of the system - from design phases of future ICEYE satellite generations to maintenance of existing systems we, and our customers operate.

You will have a chance to have a direct impact on our mission success as performance and reliability of the AOCS system directly affects the amount and quality of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data we deliver to our customers.

Who We Are

ICEYE is the world leader in sovereign intelligence from space. We deliver persistent monitoring capabilities to detect and respond to changes in any location on Earth.

ICEYE owns the world's largest and most advanced SAR (synthetic aperture radar) satellite constellation. To our customers we provide intelligence with unmatched quality, latency and revisit times, in any weather, day or night. To governments who choose to operate their own constellation we provide this proven capability as a sovereign system.

ICEYE-built constellations serve customers in defence and intelligence, environmental monitoring, insurance and emergency management. We enable fast decisions that contribute to a safer future.

Founded and headquartered in Finland, ICEYE operates globally with over 1000 employees across Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific.

Your day-to-day responsibilities

• 
  

  Expected Outcomes:

  
  
  
  
  1. 
     

     Increased Imaging Performance and Mission Success. You will help driving the performance of our AOCS systems by:
     
     - Driving selection of future AOCS hardware components.
     
     - Characterizing and validating existing AOCS performance by designing and executing in-orbit experiments and analyzing telemetry data with the help of analysis software you develop.
     
     - Developing software tools to predict performance of our future AOCS systems.

     
     
  
  
  2. 
     

     Maximized AOCS Availability. You will ensure that our systems perform as expected within their design envelope by:
     
     - Maintaining verification procedures and working closely with production and testing teams in implementing process improvements and new test jigs.
     
     - Debugging on-orbit anomalies requiring deep system system understanding and systematic approach towards pinning the root-cause. Understanding an anomaly is a first step towards preventing it in the future.
     
     - Supporting software teams in implementing changes to software to prevent repetition of known issues.
     
     - Work on software tools helping debug AOCS anomalies as they happen.

     
     
  
  
  
  
  
  
  1. 
     

     Robust and Predictable AOCS Operations. You will help the team establish and evolve internal processes for anomaly handling and resolution.

     
     
  
  
  
  

What we’re looking for

Must haves:

• Thinking from a first-principles mindset - your work will often involve resolving in-orbit anomalies, which you will need to tackle in a systematic manner to understand their root-cause and propose solutions to mitigate those in the future.




• Strong understanding of AOCS fundamentals: rigid body motion, differential equations, coordinate transformations, 3d geometry, feedback loops, state estimation. Basic understanding of orbital dynamics.




• Strong understanding of underlying principles of operation and failure modes of sensors and actuators used in AOCS: reaction wheels, magnetorquers, star trackers, gyroscopes, magnetometers, GNSS.




• Strong understanding of performance drivers of AOCS systems.




• Proven track record of owning cross-domain systems involving feedback control loops over their complete lifecycle including maintenance and operations.




• Demonstrated broad knowledge across multiple engineering disciplines including controls, mechanical and electronics. AOCS is an electromechanical system in the and requires broad perspective to understand it fully




• Proficiency in Python, C++ or Matlab.

Application Process

1. (remote) Talent Acquisition Screening




2. (remote) Hiring Manager interview




3. (remote) Take-home technical task and panel interview




4. (on-site) System thinking workshop




5. (on-site) Behavioural interview to assess cultural fit

Working at ICEYE

At ICEYE, you’ll join a diverse and highly engaged team united by the ambition to make the impossible possible. As a global scale-up, we combine speed and ambition with the opportunity to take real ownership from day one. Your growth, wellbeing, and success are a priority, with continuous professional development, training opportunities, and a culture where collaboration is how we win.

How We Work (Our Values)

Make the impossible possible: We set ambitious goals and stay calm under pressure. We bring grit, optimism, and ownership when things get hard, and we keep moving until we find a way.

• Be curious: Go deep, ask questions, listen carefully, and think critically. Understand the “why” behind decisions.




• See the big picture: Stay close to what’s happening across the company so you can make better decisions. Consider how your work affects others.




• Drive effective teamwork: Create psychological safety, invite different perspectives, and build inclusive teams. There are no bad questions.




• Act as one team: We win together. We match tasks to the right owner and stay agile as priorities shift.




• Have fun: What we do matters—and it should be enjoyable. Celebrate progress, take pride in results, and share the wins.

Benefits

Our benefits are designed to support your health and wellbeing, at work and beyond. We keep improving them based on employee feedback, and offerings vary by location. Talent Acquisition will confirm what applies for this role and location during the process.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

We want ICEYE to be a place where people can be themselves and do great work. Different backgrounds and perspectives make us stronger, which is why we work to create an environment where people feel included, respected, and able to speak up. Whatever your background, we want you to bring your authentic self to the table.

We’re committed to fair, inclusive hiring and equal opportunity. Everyone is welcome to apply. If you need any adjustments or support during the recruitment process, tell us—we’ll do our best to help.