Senior Satellite Systems Designer - Platform Architect

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 **Senior Systems Engineer**, you will be a technical leader contributing across multiple satellite and space-system programs. You will help deliver critical subsystems, system-level work packages, verification campaigns, and technical deliverables that roll up into larger missions. You will draw on experience across multiple lifecycle phases, including requirements definition, architecture development, design, integration, verification, commissioning, and operations. The role requires the ability to quickly integrate into new projects, establish technical clarity, and lead engineering execution in areas where requirements, interfaces, risks, and trade-offs must be actively managed. You will act as a bridge between disciplines, ensuring that requirements are understood, interfaces are controlled, risks are visible, and technical decisions are made with appropriate consideration for mission performance, cost, schedule, reliability, and operational needs. Success in this role comes from the ability to apply systems engineering judgment, right-size processes to the maturity of the work, and keep teams aligned on delivery. This role is suited for an experienced systems engineer who can operate with autonomy, mentor junior and intermediate engineers, communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders, and deliver high-impact technical outcomes across a multi-program environment. ### Key Responsibilities: - - Define and mature system architectures for spacecraft, subsystems, payloads, ground interfaces, or technical work packages across space and ground segments. - Translate customer, mission, and program objectives into clear technical requirements, interface definitions, verification strategies, and executable engineering deliverables. - Lead requirements development, flow-down, traceability, interface control, verification planning, and evidence closure across assigned systems or work packages. - Perform and lead system-level analyses, trade studies, mission analysis, performance assessments, risk assessments, and design evaluations to inform technical decisions. - Work with subsystem leads and program teams to define, manage, and communicate key system budgets, including mass properties, power generation and consumption, RF link performance, propellant usage, reliability, availability, and FDIR approach. - Drive cross-functional integration and interface management across hardware, software, avionics, RF, payload, mission operations, and ground systems. - Apply reliability and risk practices such as RAMS, FMECA, FDIR analysis, anomaly resolution, and non-conformance support where relevant to the program or work package. - Support integration, test, environmental test, payload test, verification campaigns, mission readiness reviews, LEOP, commissioning, and on-orbit operations planning as required - Develop and maintain clear technical documentation, including requirements, ICDs, verification plans, technical budgets, design files, analysis reports, CONOPS, review packages, and decision records - Support bids, proposals, feasibility studies, technology assessments, and new business initiatives by preparing technical inputs, architecture concepts, risk assessments, and execution assumptions - Serve as a strong technical interface with customers, suppliers, partners, and external stakeholders, communicating risks, trade-offs, assumptions, and recommendations clearly - Contribute to system roadmaps, process improvements, standards adoption, and departmental continuous improvement initiatives - Leverage AI-enabled tools, agents, automation, and digital engineering practices to improve engineering workflows, technical documentation, analysis efficiency, requirements management, and knowledge capture - Provide technical oversight, coaching, and mentorship to junior and intermediate engineers, including review of technical outputs and guidance on systems engineering practices - Ensure work products follow applicable internal standards, industry best practices, configuration management expectations, and program governance requirements ### Required Skills & Qualifications: - Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field - 7+ years of experience in systems engineering, spacecraft development, or similar technical leadership roles - Proven track record delivering subsystems, technical work packages, or verification campaigns within larger missions - Strong understanding of the spacecraft design and space-system engineering lifecycle, with experience across multiple phases such as concept development, design, integration, verification, commissioning, or operations - Experience with mission analysis, system modeling, technical budget derivation and management, and simulation (e.g., Matlab, Python, STK) - Experience in model-based systems engineering and spacecraft system design - Experience with requirements management, driving V&V, subsystem integration, and test planning - Strong leadership skills with a track record of managing cross-functional engineering teams - Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to evaluate technical trade-offs and make practical recommendations under cost, schedule, and risk constraints - Extensive experience with system-level troubleshooting and risk assessment - Effective communicator with the ability to present complex technical solutions to stakeholders - Flexibility to adapt quickly to new projects, roles, and responsibilities in a multi-program environment - Experience using AI-enabled tools, workflow automation, or agent-based systems to improve engineering productivity, technical documentation, analysis workflows, or knowledge management - 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: - Reliability analysis / RAMS - FDIR design and test / FMECA - Ground systems and operations - Previous contributions to spacecraft integration, environmental testing, and/or commissioning - Familiarity with space industry standards (NASA SE Handbook, ECSS-E/Q) - Experience leading technical studies, bids, or subsystem teams - Exposure to remote sensing instruments and their data pipelines - Software development familiarity (Python, Matlab, embedded systems, version control)