Spacecraft Engineering Manager

We're Hiring: Spacecraft Engineering Manager

Location: United Arab Emirates (Remote)Employment Type: Full-TimeExperience Level: Mid-Level to SeniorWork Arrangement: Fully RemoteAbout UsWe are a globally focused organization committed to advancing spacecraft engineering, satellite technologies, space missions, and intelligent space systems across diverse markets.Our multidisciplinary teams collaborate across Systems Engineering, Structures, Thermal, Power, Avionics, Guidance and Control, Propulsion, Flight Software, Communications, Payloads, Manufacturing, Testing, Mission Operations, and external aerospace partners to deliver reliable and mission-ready spacecraft.The RoleWe are seeking an experienced Spacecraft Engineering Manager to lead spacecraft engineering strategy, system architecture, multidisciplinary design, integration, testing, qualification, technical problem-solving, and engineering lifecycle management.The ideal candidate will provide technical leadership across spacecraft bus and payload systems, ensuring that designs meet mission requirements for performance, reliability, safety, manufacturability, operational life, and environmental conditions.Key ResponsibilitiesDevelop and implement spacecraft engineering strategies aligned with mission objectives and organizational technology roadmaps.Lead multidisciplinary spacecraft engineering teams across mechanical, electrical, thermal, avionics, software, propulsion, communications, and systems engineering.Define spacecraft architectures, technical requirements, performance objectives, interfaces, and engineering standards.Lead spacecraft concept development, trade studies, preliminary design, detailed design, integration, testing, and operational support.Manage system-level requirements and ensure effective allocation to spacecraft subsystems.Coordinate spacecraft interfaces across bus, payload, launch vehicle, ground systems, mission operations, and external equipment.Lead spacecraft design reviews including system requirements, preliminary design, critical design, test readiness, and operational readiness reviews.Oversee spacecraft structural design including primary and secondary structures, panels, brackets, mechanisms, deployment systems, and load paths.Manage spacecraft thermal engineering covering thermal architecture, heat transfer, thermal control, thermal analysis, thermal balance, and environmental qualification.Oversee electrical power systems including solar arrays, batteries, power distribution, energy management, and power-budget analysis.Coordinate avionics architecture including flight computers, data handling, sensors, interfaces, communications, and onboard electronics.Manage attitude determination and control systems including sensors, actuators, estimation, control algorithms, and pointing-performance requirements.Coordinate propulsion systems where applicable, including tanks, thrusters, feed systems, valves, pressurization, propulsion controls, and mission requirements.Oversee spacecraft communications systems, RF interfaces, antennas, transceivers, telemetry, command, and data links.Coordinate flight-software development, hardware-software interfaces, configuration management, testing, and release processes.Manage payload integration and ensure payload requirements are compatible with spacecraft resources and mission objectives.Conduct system-level trade studies involving mass, power, thermal performance, volume, reliability, cost, schedule, and mission lifetime.Establish spacecraft mass, power, thermal, data, and resource budgets and monitor margin throughout development.Coordinate spacecraft modeling, simulation, analysis, digital engineering, and system-level performance assessments.Establish verification and validation strategies covering analysis, inspection, demonstration, and testing.Coordinate subsystem and integrated spacecraft testing, including functional, performance, environmental, and acceptance testing.Manage environmental qualification activities including vibration, shock, thermal vacuum, thermal cycling, EMC, acoustic, and other applicable tests.Review test data and lead resolution of anomalies, discrepancies, failures, and unexpected system behavior.Lead root-cause analysis and corrective-action activities for engineering and test issues.Establish spacecraft reliability, redundancy, fault-management, and single-point-failure control strategies.Coordinate FMEA, fault-tree analysis, hazard analysis, reliability prediction, and other engineering-assurance activities.Manage engineering changes, waivers, deviations, technical dispositions, and configuration baselines.Ensure engineering changes are assessed for impacts on interfaces, performance, safety, verification, cost, and schedule.Coordinate spacecraft manufacturing, assembly, integration, inspection, and production-readiness activities.Support design-for-manufacture, design-for-assembly, serviceability, testability, and supply-chain considerations.Work with Quality and Manufacturing teams to manage nonconformances, material traceability, workmanship, and engineering documentation.Manage spacecraft engineering suppliers, subsystem manufacturers, component vendors, engineering consultants, and technology partners.Define technical specifications, supplier requirements, qualification standards, acceptance criteria, and delivery milestones.Monitor supplier technical performance, quality, schedule, risks, and engineering support.Support launch vehicle interface definition, spacecraft transportation, launch-site integration, and launch campaign activities.Coordinate spacecraft readiness activities for launch, deployment, commissioning, and transition to operations.Support on-orbit anomaly investigations, spacecraft health assessments, performance analysis, and engineering support during mission operations.Establish spacecraft lifecycle-management strategies covering upgrades, obsolescence, spares, component availability, and technology refresh.Evaluate emerging technologies including advanced materials, high-efficiency power systems, onboard AI, autonomous operations, advanced propulsion, optical communications, and miniaturized avionics.Apply digital twins, model-based systems engineering, simulation, automated analysis, and data analytics to improve engineering efficiency.Promote engineering standards, design reuse, lessons learned, reliability improvements, and continuous technical improvement.Develop technical documentation covering architecture, requirements, interfaces, analysis, testing, configuration, operation, and maintenance.Coordinate training and knowledge transfer across spacecraft engineering and technical support teams.Provide management with regular reports covering engineering performance, technical risks, design maturity, testing, supplier performance, schedule, cost, and improvement opportunities.Key Performance IndicatorsSpacecraft engineering milestone achievementRequirements completionRequirements verification closureDesign review completionTechnical baseline stabilityMass budget and marginPower budget and marginThermal performance and marginData-handling capacityStructural performanceAttitude-control performancePointing accuracyCommunications performancePayload integration performancePropulsion system performance where applicableFlight-software release qualityHardware-software integration successEnvironmental test completionTest success rateTest anomaly rateEngineering issue resolution timeMean time to resolve critical technical issuesCorrective-action closure rateReliability prediction performanceSingle-point-failure mitigationEngineering change-cycle timeConfiguration complianceManufacturing readinessAssembly and integration cycle timeSupplier technical performanceSupplier quality performanceNonconformance closureLaunch readinessOn-orbit engineering support responseSpacecraft availabilityMission performance against requirementsEngineering project schedule adherenceEngineering budget adherenceTechnical risk closureDocumentation completionContinuous-improvement implementationIdeal CandidateThe successful candidate should have strong experience in spacecraft engineering, satellite systems, aerospace engineering, space systems, or complex multidisciplinary engineering, preferably within commercial space, telecommunications, Earth observation, scientific missions, defense, or advanced aerospace technology environments.The candidate should demonstrate:Strong understanding of spacecraft architecture and multidisciplinary system engineering.Experience leading spacecraft development from concept through design, integration, testing, and operational support.Strong knowledge of spacecraft structures, thermal systems, electrical power, avionics, communications, and flight software.Understanding of attitude determination and control, propulsion, payloads, and spacecraft interfaces.Experience managing spacecraft requirements, interfaces, technical baselines, and engineering changes.Strong experience with spacecraft analysis, simulation, modeling, trade studies, and resource budgets.Experience with spacecraft environmental testing, qualification, acceptance testing, and anomaly investigation.Knowledge of FMEA, fault-tree analysis, reliability engineering, hazard analysis, and mission assurance.Experience managing spacecraft suppliers, subsystem manufacturers, engineering contractors, and technology partners.Strong understanding of configuration management, quality assurance, nonconformance, and technical documentation.Experience supporting launch integration, commissioning, and on-orbit operations.Knowledge of aerospace safety, regulatory, quality, and environmental requirements.Strong analytical and root-cause-analysis capabilities.Experience with MBSE, digital engineering, digital twins, simulation, or engineering data analytics.