Senior Satellite Systems Designer - Payload Lead (Contingent)

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:

- Lead payload management activities across missions involving multiple payload providers, ensuring alignment between payload scope, supplier commitments, satellite system requirements, mission objectives, verification needs, and program schedules

- Serve as the primary technical interface with payload suppliers, customers, internal engineering teams, AIT/ V&V , and program stakeholders to coordinate technical discussions, site visits, reviews, action tracking, and integration planning

- Establish and communicate payload integration expectations with suppliers and customers, ensuring alignment with Kepler standards, mission requirements, interface control processes, documentation expectations, and system-level verification strategies

- Review and assess payload requirements, ICDs, CONOPS , verification plans, compliance matrices, test procedures, and operations products to ensure supplier and customer needs can be satisfied while maintaining spacecraft design integrity, mission assurance, and program feasibility

- Define and manage payload interfaces across mechanical, electrical, thermal, data, RF , software, command and telemetry, ground, and operational domains

- Drive mission analysis for the integrated payload suite, including day-in-the-life scenarios, payload duty cycles, operational timelines, coverage analysis, data generation profiles, and mission performance assessments

- Translate payload operating concepts and mission analysis outputs into system-level impacts, including power, thermal, data, pointing, storage, downlink, and operational scheduling constraints

- Work with payload suppliers to understand ground and in-orbit test plans, identify gaps, and align supplier verification activities with Kepler’s system-level V&V strategy

- Develop or support Kepler-side payload inspection, ground test, integration, spacecraft-level test, and in-orbit checkout procedures, ensuring required hardware, software/firmware inputs, documentation, GSE , training, and verification evidence are ready for integration

- Work with AIT, V&V , flight software, avionics, operations, product assurance, and program teams to safely integrate and verify payloads through functional testing, electrical and software interface validation, environmental test support, anomaly resolution, system validation, and launch readiness activities

- Drive payload-related risk identification, mitigation planning, issue resolution, non-conformance disposition, and stakeholder communication across internal and external teams

- Manage payload-related schedules, milestones, technical dependencies, deliverables, interface records, configuration control, verification evidence, and compliance artifacts in accordance with established engineering processes

- Support LEOP , commissioning, and early operations planning as required, particularly for payload activation, checkout, calibration, validation, and anomaly response

- Provide technical mentorship and guidance to junior and intermediate engineers supporting payload systems engineering, mission analysis, verification, or integration activities

Required Skills & Qualifications:

- Bachelor’s degree in Systems Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or a related technical field

- 7+ years of experience in systems engineering, spacecraft development, payload engineering, mission systems engineering, or a similar technical leadership role

- First-hand experience with payload-level engineering, accommodation, integration, verification, or operations planning for space systems or complex mission instrumentation

- Experience with one or more payload domains such as optical payloads, RF payloads, SIGINT payloads, radar systems, remote sensing instruments, communications payloads, or related sensor systems

- Strong understanding of payload-to-spacecraft interfaces and their impact on spacecraft design, including mechanical, electrical, thermal, data, RF , software, command and telemetry, ground, and operational interfaces

- Experience working with external suppliers, customers, or partners in a technical interface role, including coordination of technical deliverables, supplier inputs, test plans, interface documentation, and compliance evidence

- Experience developing or reviewing requirements, ICDs, CONOPS , verification plans, test procedures, compliance matrices, and technical documentation

- Strong mission analysis capability, including operational scenario development, coverage analysis, duty-cycle analysis, and translation of payload operations into power, thermal, data, pointing, downlink, and mission performance impacts

- 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

- Experience supporting payload integration and test activities, including incoming inspection, functional testing, interface validation, anomaly resolution, verification evidence review, and system validation

- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to resolve ambiguity and drive technical closure across internal and external teams

- Effective communicator with the ability to present complex payload, mission, and system-level topics to technical teams, customers, suppliers, and program stakeholders

- Ability to balance technical rigor with practical program constraints, including cost, schedule, risk, supplier readiness, and mission assurance

Bonus Points:

- Master's degree in Systems Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field

- Experience supporting payload commissioning, LEOP , in-orbit checkout, calibration campaigns, or operational validation

- Experience with mission analysis, simulation, or modeling tools such as Python, MATLAB , STK , Savoir, or equivalent tools

- Experience with payload data pipelines, ground segment interfaces, mission operations planning, or data product generation

- Familiarity with environmental testing, EMC / EMI testing, RF testing, optical testing, calibration testing, or payload functional test campaigns

- Experience with FMECA , FDIR , RAMS, safety analysis, anomaly resolution, or non-conformance management

- Familiarity with space industry standards and systems engineering practices such as the NASA Systems Engineering Handbook, ECSS standards, INCOSE guidance, or equivalent internal engineering standards

- Experience supporting technical subcontract oversight, supplier technical reviews, or customer-facing technical coordination

- Experience supporting technical reviews such as SRR , PDR , CDR, TRR , FRR , MRB , or mission readiness reviews

Salary Range: $125,622 - 175,622 CAD
Actual total compensation will be determined at the Company’s discretion and is based on a variety of job-related factors, which may include, but are not limited to, relevant knowledge, skills, experience, performance, and education and/or training. The Company encourages all qualified applicants to apply, even if the posted salary range does not align with their expectations, as it does not reflect our total compensation package.
Job Type: Contingent Upon Program Award

Position Status: Contingent Upon Program Award
 
Employment Equity & Accommodation Statement 
Kepler Communications is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. We welcome applications from all qualified individuals, including women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible minorities, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities. 
 
If you require accommodation during any stage of the recruitment process, please contact our People & Culture team at [email protected], and we will work with you to meet your needs.