Payload Systems Engineer II to join the team in Longmont, Colorado! We design, engineer, and manufacture our own antennas to support the payload integration needs of our customers.
The RoleThe Payload Systems Engineer is responsible for designing advanced payloads for satellite systems across all orbits.
Key Responsibilities- Design advanced communication payloads for satellite systems across all orbits (LEO, MEO, GEO)
- Contribute to the design, analysis, integration, and validation of satellite systems for next-generation missions
- Work across payload design, system performance analysis, assembly, integration and testing, and mission operations
- Support design trades involving payload capacity, system mass, power optimization, spectral resources, and overall mission-level performance
- Work closely with software, mechanical, thermal, and electrical engineering to optimize the satellite resources
- Analyze mission requirements and translate them into technical specifications, system-level requirements, and engineering constraints
- Optimize the performance of satellite systems by maximizing payload efficiency, minimizing satellite mass and volume, and improving power use and duty cycles
- Build and execute simulations and models to evaluate payload performance under various operating and environmental conditions
- Support Assembly, Integration, and Test (AIT) activities including test plans, procedures, troubleshooting, performance validation, and verification strategies to validate systems and payload performance
- Support major reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, MRR, TRR)
- Engage directly with hardware suppliers and evaluate hardware for payload architecture
- Support hardware procurement
- Participate in meetings and design reviews
- Responsible for overall communication subsystem
- Develop and maintain analysis tools across the program execution
- Develop payload block diagrams
- Requirements flow down
- Compute Link Budget Analysis
- Translate mission and system requirements into subsystem and unit-level technical requirements, interfaces, and verification criteria
- Other duties as assigned
Qualifications & Experience- Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering or related degree
- MSEE in related field desired, but not required
- Minimum of 2 years of experience in a similar role
- RF Communications Engineering/Payload Systems background
- Payload Experience - ideally communication payloads
- Payload Analysis and Budgets: EIRP, G/T, Conversion factors, Signal level budgets, group delay, frequency response and more
- Knowledgeable with payload thermal and power aspects
- Active and passive communication payload hardware knowledge: HPA, LNA, Receivers, MRO, MLO, Converters, Filters, antenna subsystem(reflector based and DRAs)
- Familiar with digital payloads, (digital channelizer with or without beamforming)
- Strong understanding of satellite subsystems, particularly RF payloads, and spacecraft platforms
- Hands-on experience in system modelling, simulation, and performance assessment
- Experience with requirements development, ConOps definition, and system-level design processes
- Solid analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret complex system interactions
- Experience in working in satellite manufacturing environment preferred
- Experienced in digital payloads, (digital channelizer with or without beamforming), and/or regenerative payloads preferred
- Experience with Phased/Active Arrays and Optical communication preferred
- Familiarity with digital payloads, phased arrays, and advanced communication system architectures preferred
- Experience with environmental testing, satellite integration, or in-orbit payload testing preferred
- Proficiency in Python, MATLAB, STK or other scripting languages for simulation, analysis, and tool development preferred
- Must provide proof of US Citizenship or Permanent Residency to comply with ITAR requirements
- Ability to pass a drug screen per Vitesse's drug testing policy
- Ability to pass a criminal background check per Vitesse's policy
