Senior Space Systems Engineer, International Government

About us

One team. Global challenges. Infinite opportunities. At Viasat, we’re on a mission to deliver connections with the capacity to change the world. For more than 35 years, Viasat has helped shape how consumers, businesses, governments and militaries around the globe communicate. We’re looking for people who think big, act fearlessly, and create an inclusive environment that drives positive impact to join our team.

What you’ll do

Viasat’s International Government business unit delivers against the requirements for voice, data and video services with demand for global availability and utmost reliability. Whether a military commander on operations, a government official responding to a local emergency or a head of state conducting international affairs, Viasat provides them with essential access to voice and broadband data, where and when they need it.

Primary role purpose

The Senior Systems Engineer needs to be a self‑motivated individual, capable of leading the design, development and integration of complex space‑based systems across the PNT and Telecommunications domains. Working as part of the Strategic Programmes Engineering team within International Government, this person will play a key role in growing and improving Viasat’s systems engineering capabilities, supporting project delivery and identifying key concepts and capabilities for further investigation and engineering development. The successful candidate will be a senior‑level professional with wide‑ranging engineering skills and will take on the responsibility of delivering key engineering projects in both pre‑contract and post‑contract stages.

The day‑to‑day

The Senior Systems Engineer will take responsibility for the end‑to‑end delivery of significant high‑value projects. They will work closely with multidisciplinary teams and play a key role in ensuring technical coherence, system performance, and successful delivery of programme objectives.

Core responsibilities include:

• Leadership and/or support of technical programme activities across early phase mission/concept studies, research and product development programmes and mission/system development programmes.
• Perform mission analysis, trade studies, and system architecture design and development.
• Manage requirements capture and verification activities across user/stakeholder, system and subsystem domains.
• Perform system functional analyses and manage system budgets (mass, power, data, thermal) and performance modelling.
• Assist in the development of a companywide strategy on PNT and Telecommunications related activities.
• Provide expert support to institutional bodies, for example, the UK Space Agency, ESA and similar government and intergovernmental bodies.
• Prepare technical reports, technical bid documents and recommendations for upper management including providing business/cost evaluations.
• Identify programmatic risks, assumptions, issues and dependencies to enable project and business management functions to assess and define long‑term programme developments.
• Contribute analysis and modelling of reliability, availability, maintainability aspects.
• Validate proposed architecture designs and approaches using a Model Based System Engineering (MBSE) approach implemented via standard System Engineering tools.

What you’ll need

• Qualified in a numerate subject, Physics or Engineering or Maths in addition to several years industrial experience, or comparable expertise.
• Strong experience with projects or large System Engineering programmes within industry in roles equivalent to Systems Engineer/System Architect.
• Knowledge and understanding of space system operations, spacecraft design, spacecraft development (AIT) methodologies, and orbit determination techniques.
• Excellent mathematical skills, an understanding of system modelling and using software‑based tools such as STK, Matlab and other MBSE‑based analytical tools.
• Holding a higher degree in a related engineering subject and/or a System Engineering Qualification, such as INCOSE (or a member of an appropriate Institutional Body).
• An understanding of project management and financial modelling principles.
• Excellent communications skills including presentations, writing and reporting skills and with people at all levels of the organisation.
• A passionate desire to take on ambitious systems analysis and modelling tasks and deliver innovative solutions in a timely manner.
• Knowledge of standards applicable to PNT, GNSS, that could include satellite‑based augmentation systems, time transfer techniques and/or associated technical areas is desirable.

What will help you on the job

• Knowledge and understanding of space system operations, spacecraft design, spacecraft development (AIT) methodologies, and orbit determination techniques.
• Knowledge of time transfer techniques other than GNSS derived timing sources.
• Excellent mathematical skills, an understanding of system modelling and using software‑based tools such as Enterprise Architect, MATLAB, STK and other analytical tools.
• Holding a higher degree in a related engineering subject and/or a System Engineering Qualification, such as INCOSE (or a member of an appropriate Institutional Body).
• An understanding of project management and financial modelling principles.
• Excellent communications skills including presentations, writing and reporting skills and with people at all levels of the organisation.
• A passionate desire to take on ambitious systems analysis and modelling tasks and deliver innovative solutions in a timely manner.

EEO Statement

Viasat is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, seeking to create a welcoming and diverse environment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, genetics, age, or veteran status or any other applicable legally protected status or characteristic.