Satellite Systems Designer - Analysis & Support

Job description

**At [Kepler Communications](https://kepler.space/), we're not just imagining the future of on-demand space connectivity - *we're leading it!*** Our mission is to provide real-time on-orbit connectivity for critical missions, enabling a new era of data-driven intelligence and innovation. With **33 satellites launched to date,** Kepler operates the first commercial optical data relay constellation, enabling real-time, continuous space communications while supporting advanced on-orbit compute and hosted payload capabilities. Industry-leading technology is only part of the story. **What sets Kepler apart is our team:** bold thinkers, skilled builders, and passionate problem-solvers who thrive on pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in space. We believe great ideas come from diverse perspectives, and we’re committed to creating an environment where you can grow, lead, and make a global impact. If you’re ready to reach higher, move faster, and do work that shapes the future space economy - this is your launchpad. **Come build the future with Kepler!** **What We Offer:** **\* Competitive compensation** with a robust equity plan to share in our success. **\* Comprehensive coverage for health, dental, and vision insurance**—including dependents. **\* Unlimited vacation, supportive parental leave policy,** and company-wide holiday shutdown. **\* Semi-annual company-wide parties** and frequent in-office team events. **\* Relocation packages** available for approved roles. **\* $1,500 annual professional development fund** to support your growth. **\* Fully stocked Toronto office kitchen** with snacks, drinks, games and top-notch kitchen appliances. **\* Town Halls, Celebration Calls, and Company-wide events** to stay connected and engaged. **\* We’re a certified [Great Place to Work](https://www.greatplacetowork.ca/en/certification-menu/certified-organizations-updated#certified-organizations2/view-sub-list-details70/5f3438830d6f2900170827a4/)**®, seven years in a row! As a **Systems Engineer**, you will support satellite and payload development programs by contributing to mission analysis, system-level engineering, payload integration, verification planning, and technical documentation. You will work closely with senior systems engineers, payload engineers, mission analysts, subsystem leads, and program teams to help translate mission and payload objectives into clear engineering outputs. This role is suited for an engineer who has developed a strong foundation in systems engineering and is ready to take independent ownership of defined analyses, technical documentation, interface coordination, and verification support activities. You will contribute across multiple phases of the engineering lifecycle, including requirements development, trade studies, design support, integration, verification, commissioning preparation, and operations planning. The primary focus of this role is to support senior technical leads by performing mission and payload-related analysis, maintaining key systems engineering artefacts, coordinating technical inputs across teams, and helping ensure that payload and mission needs are properly captured, traced, verified, and integrated into the broader satellite system. ### Key Responsibilities: - - Support system-level engineering for spacecraft, payloads, mission operations, and ground segment interfaces under the guidance of senior systems engineers - Contribute to requirements development, flow-down, traceability, interface control, verification planning, and evidence tracking for assigned systems or work packages - Support payload integration by helping define interfaces, operational constraints, data flows, calibration needs, verification approach, and system-level impacts - Perform assigned mission and system analyses, including coverage, access, link, payload performance, operational constraints, and trade study support - Develop and maintain technical budgets and analysis products, including power, mass, link, reliability, availability, payload accommodation, and mission performance summaries - Coordinate with subsystem teams across payload, RF, avionics, software, mechanical, thermal, ADCS/GNC, ground systems, and mission operations to support integration and resolve interface questions - Maintain key engineering documentation, including requirements, ICDs, VCDs, technical budgets, analysis reports, CONOPS inputs, review packages, and decision records - Support verification, integration, test, commissioning, and operational readiness activities by preparing technical inputs, tracking evidence, and supporting closure of assigned requirements - Support troubleshooting, anomaly investigation, and root cause analysis using test results, telemetry, data products, and interface performance information - Participate in technical discussions with internal teams, suppliers, customers, and external stakeholders, with support from senior engineers as required - Contribute to proposals, feasibility studies, early mission concepts, and new business initiatives by preparing analysis inputs, assumptions, and supporting documentation - Apply systems engineering best practices with increasing autonomy and use analysis tools, scripting, automation, and AI-enabled tools to improve engineering efficiency. ### Required Skills & Qualifications: - - Bachelor’s degree in Systems Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Engineering Science, or a related technical field - 4+ years of experience in systems engineering, spacecraft development, mission analysis, payload engineering, satellite operations, or a related technical role - Strong understanding of spacecraft systems, payload integration, mission design fundamentals, system interfaces, and the engineering lifecycle - Experience supporting requirements development, interface definition, verification planning, technical documentation, or system-level engineering activities - Experience performing technical analysis using tools such as Python, MATLAB, STK, or equivalent engineering analysis tools - Familiarity with mission analysis topics such as orbital mechanics, access analysis, coverage analysis, link analysis, pointing constraints, payload operations, or mission planning - Ability to support development and maintenance of technical budgets, including mass, power, link, reliability, availability, or payload performance budgets - Experience working with cross-functional engineering teams to coordinate technical inputs, resolve interface questions, and support integration of subsystem-level designs - Ability to develop clear engineering documentation, including requirements, ICDs, verification matrices, analysis reports, design notes, CONOPS inputs, and review materials - Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify risks, evaluate trade-offs, and communicate findings clearly - Ability to work independently on defined technical tasks while regularly coordinating with senior engineers, subsystem leads, and program stakeholders - Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present technical findings to internal engineering teams - Familiarity with systems engineering standards, spacecraft development practices, or industry guidance such as NASA, ESA/ECSS, INCOSE, or equivalent internal standards - Demonstrated willingness and ability to leverage AI-assisted engineering and development tools to improve productivity, design quality, and innovation while adapting to evolving technologies and best practices ### Bonus Points: - Master's degree in Systems Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field - Experience with one or more of the following is considered an asset: - Payload integration, payload accommodation, payload commissioning, calibration planning, or payload operations support - Remote sensing instruments, RF payloads, optical payloads, communications payloads, or payload data processing chains - Mission operations planning, LEOP support, in-orbit checkout, commissioning, operational validation, or anomaly investigation - Ground segment interfaces, payload data pipelines, mission planning tools, operations procedures, or data product generation - RF link budgets, antenna coverage, payload-to-ground data flow, feeder links, inter-satellite links, or communications system analysis - Spacecraft environmental testing, EMC/EMI testing, RF testing, optical testing, calibration testing, or payload functional testing - Reliability analysis, FMECA, FDIR, RAMS, safety analysis, or risk tracking - Verification and validation tools, requirements databases, configuration management tools, or MBSE/digital engineering environments - Scripting, automation, AI-enabled tools, version control, data analysis, or software development practices using Python, MATLAB, Git, or similar tools - Participation in technical reviews such as SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, FRR, MRB, mission readiness reviews, or operational readiness reviews