Digital Payload System Engineer for Fastwater Staffing

TASK SUMMARY:

Architecture Concept & Requirements

• Gather functional, performance, environmental and security requirements from mission stakeholders & CONOPs.

• Map requirements to payload equipment performance with I/F with on-board processor

• Coordinate with cybersecurity team for payload‑specific assessments

• Perform requirement management and maintain bidirectional traceability throughout the program life cycle.

Payload Architecture & Design

• Implement the high‑level digital payload architecture (optical ISLs, Phased array antennas, Feeder links & front‑end), master reference oscillator & clock synchronizations.

• Produce Interface Control Documents (ICDs) with other subsystems and ground segment.

• Implement high‑speed data‑bus I/F (SpaceWire, SpaceFibre, Ethernet, CAN).

Simulation & Analysis

• Perform performance simulations (Gain, Spurious, Linearity, SNR, dynamic range, spectral efficiency, G/T, EIRP…etc.) and Monte‑Carlo analyses for tolerance budgeting.

• Define and maintain Payload DC power budget with traffic & utilization models

• Perform FMECA, Fault tree and FDIR, reliability modeling and availability to meet mission objectives

Hardware & Firmware

• Provide system‑level specifications to hardware designers, review schematics, layouts, thermal interfaces, and mechanical constraints.

• Support SW development for MODCODs and on‑board processing pipelines; ensure BIST, timing, latency and deterministic behavior.

Cross‑Functional Coordination, Stakeholder & Program Interaction

• Communicate technical status, risk assessments and trade‑study results to senior management and/or customers or partners.

• Support payload design authority in System design reviews, Power/Structure/Thermal interfaces and Mission Operations assessments.

• Liaise with Electrical, Power, Structures, Thermal, Software, Ground‑Segment and Mission‑Operations teams to resolve integration issues early.

• Support B&P (Phase 0 & pre-phase A).

Integration & Verification (IVV)

• Develop Payload Verification Master Plan covering unit‑test, subsystem‑test, payload‑level test, environmental and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) test campaigns.

• Lead test‑automation framework set‑up, test‑case definition, results analysis and test‑report certification.

Technical Leadership & Mentorship

• Mentor, guide junior engineers and interns.

• Act as technical liaison with customers, partners and external vendors

• Act as Continuous Improvement stakeholder

• Contribute to our client's knowledge‑base, process enhancements, and standards development.

Configuration, Documentation & Standards Management

• Ensure all artefacts, analysis, software, deliverables and documentation are version controlled in PLM environment.

• Lead and Support design reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, MRR/TRR…etc.).

• Support Technology Road‑Mapping & Innovation.

On Orbit & Operations Support

• Provide technical support to Mission Operations for routine payload health monitoring, contingency handling and performance trending.

• Lead root‑cause investigations for on‑orbit anomalies; update design baselines and lessons‑learned.

• Analyze on‑orbit telemetry, update filter parameters, and generate performance reports.

• Support SOOH development and associated operator training.

Required Qualifications:

• B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace or Physics with 8 + years of digital regenerative payload system design experience on LEO/MEO missions.

• Comprehensive knowledge of digital communications, SDR, DSP, DVB RCS/SX protocols, Modulation schemes, Class of Service, Networking, MPLS, 2G, 5G NTN.

• Strong technical-writing ability (requirements, ICDs, test procedures, risk reports) and presentation skills; comfortable interfacing with customers, suppliers and senior leadership.

• Strong understanding of aerospace system engineering fundamentals.

• Hands-on individual who can support systems integration processes and capability to test systems and resolve problems.

• Experience with Confluence and JIRA.

• Demonstrated capability to efficiently work with little supervision.

• Ability to distill complex problems to fundamentals to solve with analysis, similarity, or creativity.

• Demonstrate excellent written and oral communication skills in English; knowledge of French will be considered an asset (Contact with clients outside Quebec and work on deliverables in English).