Spacecraft Database Systems Engineer

SWISSto12 is one of the world’s fastest-growing aerospace companies, evolving from its pioneering use of 3D printing technologies for high-performance Radio Frequency (RF) products and applications to recently announcing the manufacture of entire geostationary telecom satellites, called HummingSat, that define a new category in space.

HummingSat is the world’s first commercial telecom GEO SmallSat developed in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA). Its uniquely compact size combined with highly capable telecom payloads allows telecommunications operators to deploy a cost-efficient, compact and agile asset without sacrificing performance or security. HummingSat has recently been selected by Inmarsat to build three I-8 satellites and in 2022 by Intelsat to build the IS-45 satellite.

SWISSto12 is also a leading provider of Radio-Frequency (RF) products and sub-systems. The company’s patented 3D printing technologies and associated product designs are unique to deliver lightweight, compact, highly performing, and competitive RF products.

We are looking for a Spacecraft Database Systems Engineer to join team for our HummingSat GEO satellite product line. If you are looking for position where you can play an active role in contributing to innovative and growing company, this role is for you.

Responsibilities

As a spacecraft database systems engineer, you will be responsible for the following functions:

• Responsible for the population and contents of the spacecraft database. This includes but is not limited to tasks such as:
  • Definition and population of commands and telemetries and aliased or derived commands and telemetries.
  • Definition and population of telemetry calibration curves requiring coordination with suppliers and other team members as well as gathering of supplier test data and system level test data.
  • Definition and population of telemetry limits based on test and flight phases as well as given operational configurations.
  • Maintain consistency of the data between programs re-using what can be re-used and generating new information when needed.
  • Generate telemetry packets (housekeeping and events) maximizing the amount of telemetry and refresh rate while not exceeding the downlink bandwidth.
• Work closely with the database development team providing critical inputs of the database schema and architecture to best serve the end goal.
• Manage releases of database contents ensuring released information correlates to flight software versions in use.
• Maintain database contents, collecting feedback from AIT/AIV tests and correcting any database entries that might be identified as incorrect during tests.
• Support other groups that rely on database contents as needed (i.e. AIT group during AIT tests, ground team for generation of training or operational procedures, etc.).

Additionally, this position is a systems engineering position and the following functions are also part of the job description and support in these areas might be requested on occasions:

• Perform systems engineering tasks through the entire lifetime of a satellite including proposal, design, integration, test, and operations
• Requirement definition, flowdown, verification, and validation, write and publish requirement specifications
• Lead cross-discipline trade studies and issue resolution efforts, occasionally outside of your specific area of expertise
• Performs system analyses, design, and development tasks
• Responsible for writing quality technical documentation and providing clear and concise presentations
• Occasionally, you will be asked to participate in overall tasks and services inherent to a dynamic fast-growing company

Requirements

• Demonstrate technical expertise and application of engineering principles, concepts, theory, and practice, as well as technical leadership skills
• Real-world experience with system architecture, requirements definition, flow down, tracking and performing system-level analyses in support of trade studies
• Advanced knowledge of one or two spacecraft subsystems and intermediate knowledge of several other subsystems with an ability to draw parallels and manage interfaces between them
• Understanding of principles for spacecraft design, manufacture, assembly, integration, test, and operation
• Proven ability to resolve complex technical problems and complex management of technical activities
• Able to work on a self-initiated basis, while being part of a team
• Proven 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
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and ease at working across different cultures and different levels of an organization
• Bachelors or Masters degree in Aerospace, Electrical, Computer Sciences, Systems Engineering, Physics, or equivalent
• Language: Fluent English is a prerequisite

Benefits

Location: For our office in Foster City, California or Renens, Switzerland.

To be chatted during your exchange with our recruitment team.

More about SWISSto12:

SWISSto12 has successfully established contracts with ViaSat (acqu. Inmarsat), Intelsat and ESA for HummingSat as well as contracts for its RF product line in Europe and the USA with prominent partners and customers such as Thales, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and ESA. SWISSto12 is a spin off from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), is privately owned and backed by prominent Swiss and European Investors. SWISSto12 is headquartered in Renens (close to Lausanne, Switzerland), and operates subsidiaries in Foster City California USA, Virginia USA, and Madrid Spain. The company is well funded for its developments and backed by a solid customer revenue stream with near term profitability.