Space Systems Engineer

Are you ready to take your career to new heights? At D-Orbit, we're pioneering the future of space logistics and transportation. Established in 2011, our company has been at the forefront of helping businesses unlock the full potential of the final frontier—profitably and sustainably.

As a member of our team, you'll have the opportunity to work alongside a diverse group of highly skilled individuals, all driven by a shared passion for innovation and excellence. So, if you are passionate about space and ready to take your ambition to new heights, join us in our global mission to push the boundaries of what's possible

We are looking for a
Space Systems Engineer
to join our Product team within the Space Cloud business unit. The Space Cloud business unit develops, deploys and operates advanced in-orbit services aimed at delivering low latency intelligence for our customers. This is achieved via ground and space infrastructure, edge computing, sensors, connectivity and other solutions.

You will be responsible for the end-to-end engineering of space systems and missions, from requirements definition and architecture design through integration, verification, validation, and in-orbit support. You will work with multi-disciplinary teams with a focus on the sub-systems of avionics, flight software, ground software and telecommunications. You will also support technical interactions with suppliers and customers, contribute to major project reviews, and provide engineering support to operations.

Key Responsibilities & Tasks:

Space Systems Engineer duties include:

· Own system-level design and technical coherence for selected missions and products (satellites, payloads).

· Derive, consolidate, and manage system and subsystem requirements from customer needs, standards, and mission objectives.

· Define and maintain system architectures, functional chains, and interfaces (ICDs) between platform, payload, and ground segment.

· Contribute to mission analysis and performance budgets (mass, power, data, thermal, link).

· Lead or support system-level trade-off studies (architecture options, technology choices, make-or-buy decisions).

· Prepare and maintain key systems engineering deliverables(CONOPS, requirement specifications, interface control documents, verification plans).

· Plan and support system integration, verification and validation activities at subsystem and system level (functional, performance, environmental, and end-to-end tests).

· Contribute to anomaly investigation and in-orbit troubleshooting.

· Coordinate technical data exchange with suppliers and partners, including review of their documentation and test results.

· Ensure compliance with relevant space standards (e.g. ECSS, CCSDS) and internal processes.

· Provide technical input for bids and proposals (system concepts, work breakdown, estimates, risks).

Requirements:

· Experience in systems engineering in the space, aerospace, or other highly regulated industry (e.g. defence, automotive, medical).

· Hands-on experience with requirements engineering and configuration management tools (e.g. DOORS, Jama, Codebeamer, or equivalent).

· Proven experience in at least one of the following domains, plus good understanding of the other:

o On-board data handling and avionics

o Scientific/commercial payloads/instruments for EO

o Telecommunications

o Software Development

· Experience with performance budget preparation and analysis (e.g. mass, power, data, link, or thermal budgets).

· Familiarity with space industry standards and practices (e.g. ECSS, CCSDS, NASA standards).

· Experience in system integration and testing, including reviewing test procedures, witnessing tests, and analysing results.

· Comfortable working with simulation and modelling tools (e.g. MATLAB/Simulink, Python, or similar).

· Basic knowledge of common digital interfaces and buses used in space systems (e.g. CAN, SPI, I2C, SpaceWire, MIL-STD-1553, Ethernet).

· Solid understanding of reliability, availability, maintainability, and safety concepts (RAMS) is a plus.

· Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a structured, systems-thinking mindset.

· A self-starter with strong organisational skills; able to work effectively both independently and within multidisciplinary teams.

· Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including preparation of clear technical documentation and presentations.

· Full professional proficiency in English is mandatory; additional languages are an asset.

Hiring Process:

Here's how our hiring process works—simple and straightforward:

• Application review
  : We go through all applications, but we'll only reach out to candidates who closely match what we're looking for.

If you don't hear from us, it means we're not moving forward with your application at this time, but we may consider you profile for more aligned opening in the future

• First chat:
  Selected candidates will have an initial meeting with the people team so we can get to know each other and talk through mutual expectations, motivation for change and goals.

• Technical interviews:
  Next, you'll have one or two technical interviews, focused on your skills and how you approach challenges relevant to the role.

• Offer:
  If all goes well, we'll send you an offer Sometimes this stage can take a bit of time, as we like to carefully consider each candidate and make sure the fit with the team is just right.

We do our best to get back to everyone we interview, but sometimes things take longer than we'd like and updates might be a bit slow. If you've got any questions, just reach out to us

We're excited to get to know you and see if you might be the next person to help us shaping the future of space

Extra-UE applicants:

This is NOT a full remote job, so, you need VISA to work in
Italy or UK

At this time, we can only consider applicants who already have the legal right to work in the country where the role is advertised.

Some activities must be carried out in our facilities, many others are location-independent, and they can be performed effectively even remotely. This is why we don't measure the performance of people by how many hours they spend at the office: we only measure the outcome.

At D-Orbit, diversity and inclusivity are not just values, they are integral to our mission and the way we operate. We are committed to fostering an environment where all individuals are respected, valued, and celebrated for their unique backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. We believe that a diverse and inclusive workplace is not only the right thing to do, but it also leads to better decision making, innovation, and overall success. We actively strive to build a culture where everyone can bring their authentic selves to work, and where all voices are heard and valued. We are dedicated to creating a workplace where everyone feels safe, supported, and empowered to share their ideas, and where everyone is given equal opportunities to grow and excel. We believe that our differences make us stronger, and we will continue to work diligently to create an inclusive culture at D-Orbit that reflects this belief.