Staff Systems Engineer – Space Products

We are seeking a highly experienced Staff Systems Engineer to lead the architecture, integration, and lifecycle management of spacecraft hardware for long-duration missions in low Earth orbit (LEO). This role requires strong systems-level engineering expertise, especially in transforming ambiguous requirements into clear, traceable system definitions and delivering flight-qualified hardware.

Key Responsibilities

• Own system definition, architecture, integration, and requirements across the full hardware lifecycle-from concept to flight.

• Lead multidisciplinary trade studies across propulsion, avionics, structures, thermal, software, and manufacturing.

• Define and manage system-level requirements, interfaces, and configuration baselines.

• Develop and run verification and validation plans, including reliability analysis, environmental qualification (TVAC, vibration, shock, EMI/EMC), and acceptance testing.

• Drive system reliability, risk assessment, fault management, and mission assurance for long-duration LEO missions.

• Collaborate across engineering disciplines and guide root cause investigations and flight readiness reviews.

• Mentor engineering teams and support technical reviews, mission planning, and customer-facing engineering efforts.

What You Bring

• Bachelor’s or Master’s in Aerospace, Mechanical, Systems Engineering, or related field

• 8+ years of spacecraft systems engineering experience with flight hardware delivery

• Strong background in system architecture, requirements development, and system integration

• Hands-on experience with qualification testing and system-level V&V

• Familiarity with NASA, ESA, ECSS, or MIL-STD space qualification standards

• Strong technical communication, decision-making, and cross-functional leadership skills

Desired Plus (Not Required)

• Experience with electric propulsion (Hall-effect or ion thrusters)

• Experience designing for LEO constellations or scalable space hardware production

• Knowledge of system modeling tools (MBSE, MATLAB, Simulink, STK)

• Background in reliability engineering or spacecraft mission operations

Eligibility Requirement

U.S. citizenship or U.S. permanent residency (Green Card) is required for this position.

Darwin Recruitment is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.

Sebastian Prins