Senior Payload Systems Engineer

Vantor (Maxar Intelligence); Westminster (CO); Hybrid; USD 109,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) with company match

Mental health resources

Student loan repayment assistance

Adoption reimbursement

Pet insurance

Job summary

Vantor is seeking a Senior Payload Systems Engineer to join our SpaceWrx team in Westminster, CO. The role combines end-to-end payload and spacecraft interface work with exciting, cutting-edge satellite constellation development.

Expect cross-functional collaboration across engineering teams to optimize performance and reliability. The position supports in-office Tuesdays through Thursdays and remote Mondays and Fridays, offering exposure to advanced imaging technologies and mission-critical

Qualifications

• U.S. Citizen with active secret clearance.
• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Physics, or a related technical field.
• 5–7 years of experience working with space-based optical remote sensing payloads or similar hardware systems.
• Demonstrated experience with spacecraft-to-payload interface development and cross-functional coordination.
• Experience with MATLAB and Python, and ability to learn new tools.
• Understanding of requirements management documentation and processes.
• Experience working across payload, spacecraft, and ground teams.

Responsibilities

• Manage the technical interface between the imaging payload and spacecraft bus, ensuring compatibility and joint performance optimization.
• Lead and participate in system-level trades to evaluate design alternatives and risk/cost trade-offs.
• Participate in supplier management and design reviews, ensuring payload meet performance and environmental constraints.
• Support development of a payload concept-of-operations including power, data, and timing modeling.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and COTS/FoS hardware for system-level integration.
• Assess and troubleshoot payload and bus designs.

Skills

MATLAB

Python

System trades

Interface development

Cross-functional

Requirements mgmt

Systems engineering

Space payloads

Education

Bachelor’s in Aerospace Engineering

Physics

Tools

STK

SPICE

HFSS

Power analysis software

Job description

Vantor is forging the new frontier of spatial intelligence, helping decision makers and operators navigate what’s happening now and shape what’s coming next. Vantor is a place for problem solvers, changemakers, and go-getters—where people are working together to help our customers see the world differently, and in doing so, be seen differently. Come be part of a mission, not just a job, where you can: Shape your own future, build the next big thing, and change the world.

To be eligible for this position, you must be a U.S. Person, defined as a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, Asylee, or Refugee.Export Control/ITAR: Certain roles may be subject to U.S. export control laws, requiring U.S. person status as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).

Please review the job details below.

Vantor is hiring a Senior Payload Systems Engineer to join our SpaceWrx team in Westminster, CO. This position offers in-office workdays on Tuesdays through Thursdays and from home on Mondays and Fridays.

The team is responsible for end-to-end development of our next-generation satellite constellation, including defining the architecture and requirements for mission, vehicle, and payload elements; working with top-tier industry suppliers during manufacturing, integration, and test; and supporting launch and initial on-orbit operations. This is a broad Payload Systems Engineering job that offers direct exposure to complex, integrated systems including spacecraft platforms, optical payloads, laser communications, and advanced onboard processing. It also necessarily links the capabilities provided by such technologies to Vantor’s imagery and software products and critical customer needs.

Vantor is known as the premiere provider of commercial imagery in the world. Our team is composed of multidisciplined engineers and leaders operating with a deliberate balance of lean execution and robust engineering, enabling us to move quickly while maintaining the rigor required for mission success. Just as important, we’ve built a culture of strong collaboration, shared ownership, and camaraderie—with a clear sense of purpose behind systems we deliver.

Responsibilities

• Manage the technical interface between the imaging payload and spacecraft bus, ensuring compatibility and joint performance optimization across electrical, mechanical, thermal, and data interfaces.
• Lead and participate in system-level trades to evaluate design alternatives, performance vs. cost/risk trade-offs, and technology insertion opportunities.
• Participate in supplier management via site visits, review of deliverable artifacts, and design reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR), working across disciplines to ensure the payload systems meet performance, reliability, and environmental constraints.
• Support development of a comprehensive payload concept-of-operations including modeling and evaluation of power, data, and timing interactions across all states and modes.
• Participate in the evaluation of emerging technologies, COTS/FoS (Commercial/Flyable off the Shelf) hardware, and new mission concepts with an eye toward system-level integration feasibility.
• Assess and troubleshoot emerging payload and bus designs.

Minimum Qualifications

• Must be a U.S. Citizen with an active secret Security Clearance or have the ability to obtain secret clearance.
• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Physics, or a related technical field.
• 5-7 years of experience working with space-based optical remote sensing payloads or similar hardware systems.
• Demonstrated experience with spacecraft-to-payload interface development and working with multiple space segment teams in a cross-functional role.
• Experience with general software tools such as MATLAB and Python, and ability to learn and utilize new tools as dictated by evolving job demands.
• Understanding of requirements management documentation (e.g., specifications and ICDs) and processes.
• Previous experience working across organizational boundaries, e.g., between payload, spacecraft, and ground teams

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s or PhD in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, or Physics.
• Proven experience in systems engineering for space platforms, including awareness of specialty disciplines such as radiation survivability and electromagnetic compatibility.
• Experience with modeling tools such as STK, SPICE, HFSS, or signal integrity/power analysis software.
• Familiarity with imaging payloads (visible, multispectral, or hyperspectral), data processing requirements, and performance metrics (SNR, MTF, etc.).
• Familiarity with current and emerging technologies, including in the areas of FPGAs, processors, memory, and storage devices.
• Experience with fault management, redundancy architectures, and design for reliability in long-duration space missions.
• Familiarity with space industry quality and standards frameworks (NASA GSFC, JPL, ECSS, MIL-STD-1547, IPC standards)

#LI-MG1

Pay Transparency: To support pay transparency, Vantor includes salary ranges in all U.S. job postings. Starting pay for this role will fall within the listed range and will be based on factors such as experience, qualifications, skills, location, and market conditions. Candidates who meet the minimum requirements for the role should not expect to receive compensation at the top of the range. The listed range reflects the expected pay for this position, and final offers will be determined based on each candidate’s experience, expertise, and alignment with the role. The base pay for this position within Colorado is: $109,000.00 - $145,000.00 - $159,500.00 annually.

For all other states, we use geographic cost of labor as an input to develop market-driven ranges for our roles, and as such, each location where we hire may have a different range.

Benefits: Vantor offers a competitive total rewards package that goes beyond the standard, including a robust 401(k) with company match, mental health resources, and unique perks like student loan repayment assistance, adoption reimbursement and pet insurance to support all aspects of your life. You can find more information on our benefits at: https://www.Vantor.com/careers Additionally, this position is incentive eligible with a target based on contribution, company performance, and/or individual results achieved; the specific incentive plan and target amount will be determined based on the role and breadth of contributions.

The application window is three days from the date the job is posted and will remain posted until a qualified candidate has been identified for hire. If the job is reposted regardless of reason, it will remain posted three days from the date the job is reposted and will remain reposted until a qualified candidate has been identified for hire.

The date of posting can be found on Vantor's Career page at the top of each job posting.

EEO Policy

Vantor is an equal opportunity employer committed to an inclusive workplace. We believe in fostering an environment where all team members feel respected, valued, and encouraged to share their ideas. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.