Senior Telecom Satellite Systems Engineer

The position can operate either from the San Francisco Bay Area or Lausanne, Switzerland office and will require occasional travel between the two locations to work with the integrated team at both locations as well as travel to suppliers in North America & Europe. In addition, this role will be closely involved with the satellite AIT campaign and will require onsite presence in Southern California during the AIT campaign.

Please note that for export control reasons, individuals who would primarily be working in the US office would need to be “US persons,” either US citizens or permanent residents.

In this role, you will be responsible for the following functions:

  • Lead telecom satellite spacecraft systems engineering activity, working within the SWISSto12 satellite program team and with external partners and suppliers.
  • Ensure the system is fit for its intended purpose and analyze technical trade-offs
  • Manage spacecraft systems requirement flow-down and verification.
  • Manage spacecraft platform subsystem interfaces (power, telemetry and telecommand, command and data handling, attitude control, thermal, propulsion, etc).
  • Performs system analyses, trades, design, and development tasks.
  • Develop relationships with platform and spacecraft subsystem suppliers and partners. Work with them to Design, Manufacture, Assemble, Integrate and Test such subsystems. Define and prepare SoWs and specifications, work alongside program management team to monitor execution of activities, contribute to problem solving, ensure successful delivery of these activities.
  • Support systems aspects of telecom satellite proposals.
  • Collaborate with technical staff, program managers and executive management to develop and implement current and long-term technical, schedule, quality, business and financial objectives relevant to the satellite program efforts.
  • Be exposed to responsibility for decisions that have an extended impact.
  • Ensure technical leadership and excellence is maintained by mentoring younger engineers, and directing and participating in the planning, attraction, selection, retention, and development of the required talent.
  • Occasionally, you will be asked to participate in overall tasks and services inherent to a dynamic fast-growing company.

Required experience and competencies:

  • Customer focused, must be able to work on a self-initiated basis and in a team environment.
  • Masters or PhD degree in Electrical or Mechanical or Systems Engineering or Physics or equivalent and at least 10 years of relevant experience working with incrementally complex telecom satellite systems.
  • Demonstrates extensive technical expertise and application of engineering principles, concepts, theory, and practice as well as comprehensive project management and leadership skills including organizing, planning, scheduling, and coordination to meet established milestones.
  • Must possess the ability to resolve complex technical problems and complex management of technical activities.
  • Experience with managing customer and supplier interfaces
  • Real-world experience with system architecture, requirements definition, flow down, tracking and performing system-level analyses in support of trade studies.
  • Extensive experience with satellite system and missions. Understanding of principles for spacecraft design, manufacture, assembly, integration, test and operation.
  • 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
  • Customer focused, must be able to work with leadership on a self-initiated basis and in a team environment.
  • Autonomous and proactive working style with excellent working organisation and ethics
  • Communicating effectively, excellent relational skills and ability to work in a team with different professional and cultural backgrounds
  • Experience with various relevant schedule tools
  • Language: Fluent English is a prerequisite, skills in French are a plus
  • Knowledge of the ISO 9001 and EN/AS 9100 norms as well as with preventive and curative quality tools (8D, Ishikawa, FMEA, risk analysis,) is an optional plus

Working conditions and contract:

SWISSto12 offers a full-time contract with an attractive compensation package. The position is to be filled as soon as possible.

Interested applicants are requested to apply with a CV (resume), a motivation letter, at least three references through the LinkedIn platform.

About SWISSto12:

SWISSto12 is the leading developer of advanced Radio-Frequency (RF) products and systems for Telecommunications, Remote sensing and Radar applications in the Aerospace industry. The company’s patented 3D printing technologies and associated product designs are unique to deliver lightweight, compact, highly performing, and competitive RF systems. SWISSto12 has developed commercial with success in Europe, the US and Israel with prominent partners and customers such as Thales, CAES, Airbus Defence & Space, Elbit, IAI and the European Space Agency. SWISSto12 is the fastest growing Swiss aerospace company, spun off from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), privately owned and backed by prominent Swiss and European Investors.

Developing from its RF product and system portfolio, SWISSto12 is now progressing on advanced end-to-end payloads and spacecraft missions. The first HummingSat mission has recently been kicked off with a commercial satellite telecom operator and a partnership contract with the European Space Agency, it is planned for launch in 2025. SWISSto12 is hence staffing a satellite program management and execution team to deliver against this HummingSat mission.

SWISSto12 is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, and operates a US-subsidiary in the San Francisco Bay Area as well as in Israel. The company is well funded for its near and mid-term developments and backed by a solid customer revenue stream.