Engineer, Ground Operations Gateway IRIS2

IRIS2 is the new European Union secure satellite constellation. This project is the European Union's answer to the pressing challenges of tomorrow to provide secure connectivity services and enhanced communication capacities to the EU and its Member States as well as to governmental users, private companies and European citizens while ensuring high-speed internet broadband to cope with connec-tivity dead zones.

SES – together with other consortium partners and core members - was selected by European Commission to build and to operate the IRIS2 multi-orbit satellite constellation. 
The IRIS2 team enters the next project phase and there is a strong need for support for all the activi-ties around service provisioning and products that the system can offer in the future. 

ROLE DESCRIPTION 

You will be part of an agile project organization where a flexible way of working and an adaptive mindset is required.   

You will be responsible for designing and documenting the ground segment architecture and opera-tional processes essential to IRIS2’s multi-orbit (LEO/MEO) satellite service. With a holistic, end-to-end perspective, this role covers gateways, networking, and assurance operations. Rather than fo-cusing on a single subsystem, you will coordinate across multiple domains—gateway infrastructure, terrestrial networks, and service assurance frameworks—to ensure robust, integrated ground opera-tions for IRIS2.

Strong synchronization with SES-internal departments, collaboration with consortium partners, and frequent exchanges with the institutional customer are of essence in the role. Agility in the production of internal and deliverable documentation is fundamental to achieve.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Ground Segment Design & Documentation

• Contribute with the own domain of expertise to the development of operational plans for gateways, earth stations, 5G Core Network, and supporting networking infrastructure, ensuring alignment with IRIS2’s overarching requirements.
• Document architectural components, design decisions, CONOPS elements, and technical standards that form the basis of ground operations.

Communication and TT&C Gateways

• Inspect and understand the Satellite Gateway functional and physical architectures, components and their interfaces, and their management system and automation.
• Collaborate with SES-internal stakeholders and Consortium partners to specify quality, redundancy, and scalability requirements for end-to-end connectivity in LEO/MEO environments.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Engage with system engineering, service operations and ILS, and product teams to gather input, align design decisions, and consolidate documentation.
• Coordinate, through the right interfaces, with satellite engineering leads to validate ground infrastructure requirements against orbital and payload constraints.

Technical Standards & Compliance

• Support the production of specifications to ensure that gateways, networks, and associated ground systems adhere to relevant next-generation industry standards, security requirements, and regulatory frameworks.
• Propose best practices and guidelines that uphold reliable operations through high levels of automation, while supporting evolving IRIS2 service needs.

Continuous Improvement & Innovation

• Monitor emerging technologies and industry trends in satellite gateways, terrestrial networking, and monitoring systems, recommending advancements to IRIS2’s ground segment approach.
• Conduct feasibility studies or proof-of-concept initiatives that inform the next steps in ground operations optimization.

Documentation

• Contribute to the production of comprehensive internal and deliverable documentation, along with the guidelines provided by the customer, as interpreted and assigned by the workstream lead.

COMPETENCIES

• Ability to work independently and with limited supervision in complex environments, e.g. project or matrix organizations
  • Flexibility and adaptability in response to changing projects role, requirements and environments
  • Ability to think strategically and align project goals with organizational objectives
  • Excellent problem-solving and decision-making abilities
  • Effective communication skills, both written and verbal
• Ability to work under pressure and manage multiple priorities
• Ability to anticipate and to understand challenges and to find solutions
• High level of technical skills across many different areas (modems, antennas, RF components, Test and measuring instruments, power etc.)
• Good organizational skills and attention to details, ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment
• High sensitivity to customers’ needs and capacity to find solutions to complex technical problems and overcome obstacles to deliver a high quality of service 

QUALIFICATIONS, BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, RF Engineering or Telecommunications, or similar
• Minimum 3 years of relevant engineering experience in the satellite communications domain as Development, Systems Engineer or Operations Engineer, Test & Integration Engineer, and/or NOC/Teleport Senior Operator
• Hands-on experience in RF measurement techniques, test and verification of ground stations and auxiliary systems
• Highly experienced in developing and maintaining high availability satellite or telecommunications systems using manned and unmanned facilities
• Experience in the application of VSAT baseband equipment, gateway antenna systems and associated equipment
• Understanding of MEO and LEO telecommunications satellite technologies and systems
• Good command of MS Office package (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Visio), AutoCAD, Excel VBA
• Fluency in English (any other language being an asset)
  

OTHER KEY REQUIREMENTS

• The candidate must be eligible for a “SECRET” security clearance, in accordance with the “loi modifiée du 15 juin 2004 relative à la classification des pièces et aux habilitations de sécurité”, as well as EU/ESA/NATO equivalents
• Willing to work at least 60% onsite from office
• Travel as required for project realization purposes
• Willing to support a rotation based 24/7 on-call role