Antenna Systems Engineer (m/f/d)

Focus: You will be the systems engineer for TerraSpark's phased array antenna: the person who turns a power beaming mission target into array level requirements, an architecture that closes the link budget, and a verification plan that proves it. You sit between the antenna designers, the RF chain, the power and thermal teams and the host spacecraft, and you make sure the array works as a system, not just as a good antenna on a good day.

What you'll do:

• Own system level requirements and architecture for the phased array antenna, from mission level power beaming targets down to element, subarray and tile requirements.
• Build and maintain link budgets and power density models for the space to ground path, including pointing error, beam steering, scan loss, array efficiency and calibration drift.
• Run trade studies across array size, element count, frequency, power per element, thermal limits and mass, and document why the winning option won.
• Define interfaces and ICDs between the array, RF front-ends, power electronics, control software, thermal, structures and the host spacecraft.
• Plan verification and validation for the array: test levels, measurement setups, calibration strategy and acceptance criteria, and follow results back into the requirements.
• Carry out risk assessments and failure analysis for the array, including graceful degradation when elements or chains fail.
• Support integration and test of lab prototypes and flight-like hardware, and present results in reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR) and stakeholder presentations.
• Feed array level lessons into the system design of future SBSP spacecraft.

What you bring:

• MSc or BSc in RF/Microwave Engineering, Electrical or Aerospace Engineering, Physics or similar, with 3 to 5+ years in antenna, RF or payload systems engineering.
• Hands-on experience with phased array or active antenna systems (satcom, radar, 5G/mmWave or WPT) at system level, including requirements, link budgets and verification.
• Strong grasp of array fundamentals: beam steering, scan performance, calibration, tapering, mutual coupling and their impact on system performance.
• Experience with interface control, trade studies and V&V planning in a hardware programme; space or satcom payload experience is a strong plus.
• Comfort with RF measurements and the ability to read lab data critically and feed it back into models.
• Strong system level understanding connecting RF, power, thermal and structural domains.
• Experience in small teams, eagerness to take direct ownership, and passion for pioneering space based solar power.