Lead (Chief) Satellite Systems Engineer

Kepler Communications is hiring in Toronto, CA for a Lead Satellite Systems Engineer to join the team onsite. The company has already launched 33 satellites and runs the first commercial optical data relay constellation, enabling real-time space communications and on-orbit compute capabilities. They emphasize diverse perspectives and a culture that’s earned Great Place to Work certification for seven years, with opportunities to grow, lead, and make a global impact.

The Lead Satellite Systems Engineer will be the primary technical authority on satellite and space-system development programs, guiding everything from initial concept through delivery to mission readiness. It’s a role for someone who can translate high-level program goals into concrete plans and coordinate across architecture, interfaces, verification, risk decisions, and readiness evidence with a broad cross-functional team.

If you want to push the boundaries of space-enabled data and you’re drawn to a role where your work shapes the future space economy, this could be your launchpad. The position is onsite in Toronto, with relocation packages available for approved roles.

Day-to-day focus in the satellite program

You’ll act as the technical authority on a satellite program or major scope, safeguarding the integrity of design, integration, verification, and mission readiness as the project evolves. You’ll convert mission objectives and constraints into clear technical direction, covering architecture, requirements, interfaces, trade studies, verification planning, readiness evidence, and risk closure. Across subsystems, you’ll lead system-level design and integration, ensuring decisions tie to overall performance, operations, reliability, customer commitments, and lifecycle needs. You’ll work closely with program management, product assurance, suppliers, customers, and leadership to align execution, manage expectations, and close crucial decisions. Leading technical reviews, trade studies, anomaly investigations, and readiness milestones will be part of your flow, with clear recommendations and disciplined follow-through. You’ll structure and manage technical risks in situations with ambiguity, keeping escalation paths clear and decision points well defined. As the speaking advocate for the technical team, you’ll contribute to program reviews, customer briefings, supplier discussions, and leadership updates, using concise writing and presentations to justify decisions. Mentoring engineers and lifting the team’s capabilities in systems engineering, integration, verification, and reviews will help lift predictability and drive mission success.

What you’ll bring to the flight program

• A degree in a technical field such as Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a closely related discipline, at bachelor’s or master’s level
• More than ten years of experience in space systems engineering, spacecraft development, satellite systems integration, or a similar technical leadership role
• A proven track record of delivering at least one satellite-level program lifecycle, from architecture and design through integration and customer delivery or mission operations
• Solid knowledge of satellite systems engineering, including requirements management, system architecture, interface definition, verification planning, integration, technical budgets, risk management, and mission readiness
• Experience guiding major technical reviews or readiness milestones such as SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, MRR/MRB, FRR, or equivalent program reviews
• Willingness and ability to leverage AI-assisted engineering and development tools to improve productivity, design quality, and innovation while staying current with evolving technologies
• Familiarity with systems engineering standards and disciplined governance practices, including configuration management, discrepancy review, engineering change control, and verification evidence management
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional engineering teams through uncertainty, shifting priorities, and high-stress program milestones
• Strong stakeholder management skills, able to align engineering, program management, product assurance, customers, suppliers, and leadership around technical decisions and outcomes
• Excellent technical writing, presentation, and verbal skills to translate complex issues into clear impacts, options, recommendations, and decision rationale
• Strong decision-making, problem-solving, and risk-management abilities
• Attention to detail and the ability to maintain technical rigor in a fast-paced program environment
• Flexible, proactive, adaptable, and results-oriented with a practical can-do approach

Nice-to-have differentiators

• Experience with constellation-level systems, multi-satellite programs, portfolio-level technical execution, or scalable satellite architectures
• Development or technical leadership experience in one or more spacecraft subsystems, such as software, communications/RF, avionics, payloads, or other mission-critical areas
• Experience using subsystem knowledge to guide IPTs, provide credible recommendations, and connect subsystem decisions to whole-system outcomes
• Background with FMECA, FDIR design or development, reliability engineering, fault management, or mission assurance practices
• Good working knowledge of orbit analysis, constellation configurations, RF link analysis, system budgets, operations, ground segment, space environment, and satellite mechanical and electrical architectures
• Broad knowledge of satellite applications across Earth observation, communications, navigation, science, or related domains
• Experience with payload development, integration, customer delivery, technical management, operations, or mission applications, including optical, SAR, SigINT, or other mission payloads
• Experience applying AI-enabled tools or automation to improve systems engineering workflows while maintaining engineering rigor and human oversight

Salary Range: $175,000 - $210,000 CAD

Actual total compensation will be determined at the Company’s discretion and is based on a variety of job-related factors, which may include, but are not limited to, relevant knowledge, skills, experience, performance, and education and/or training. The Company encourages all qualified applicants to apply, even if the posted salary range does not align with their expectations, as it does not reflect our total compensation package.

Kepler Communications is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. They welcome applications from all qualified individuals, including women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible minorities, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities. If accommodation is needed during any stage of the recruitment process, contact the People & Culture team at [email protected], and they will work with you to meet your needs.

Advice for applicants

Lead with your most relevant satellite program experience on your resume. Focus on a full lifecycle from architecture to customer delivery or operations, and highlight at least one satellite program you owned from start to finish.

Show how you’ve proven capabilities in requirements, architecture, interfaces, verification planning, and readiness evidence, plus how you managed technical risks and closed decisions with clear documentation.

Be ready to discuss your role in major technical reviews such as SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, MRR/MRB, or FRR, including the concrete outcomes and the evidence you produced to support decisions.

Ask how AI-assisted tools are currently used to improve systems engineering workflows and what role you’d play in evolving those practices within the team.