Engineer, ILS Planning 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 

This role is a fixed-term 12 month contract. 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 supportability strategies for IRIS2’s ground and space segments, addressing aspects such as spare parts management, supply chain coordination, training, and operational readiness. By ensuring that each element of IRIS2 can be effectively maintained and sustained, this role is key to maximizing mission availability and efficiency.

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

Logistics Support Strategy

• Define the integrated logistics approach for IRIS2, encompassing provisioning, spare parts strat-egies, technical documentation, and maintenance concepts.
• Develop systematic processes to manage the full lifecycle of IRIS2 systems—from initial deploy-ment through to decommissioning.

Maintenance & Sustainment Planning

• Collaborate with Maintenance Planning Engineers and other stakeholders to ensure service life, maintenance intervals, and spare parts availability align with the overall ILS approach.
• Document requirements for corrective and preventive maintenance, aligning with regulatory guidelines and operational needs.

Supply Chain & Inventory Management

• Establish methods to forecast, acquire, store, and distribute critical components (e.g., spare parts, modules) required for maintaining IRIS2 systems.
• Coordinate with procurement teams and suppliers to ensure timely delivery and replenishment of essential materials.

Technical Documentation & Training

• Produce comprehensive ILS documentation (e.g., support plans, technical manuals, maintenance instructions) in collaboration with engineering and operations teams.
• Identify training needs and develop programs (or recommend vendors) to equip operational staff with the requisite knowledge and skills for effective system support.

Risk & Configuration Management

• Assess potential risks associated with logistics operations (e.g., lead times, shipping constraints, obsolescence) and propose mitigation strategies.
• Implement configuration control processes for ILS-related assets, ensuring that changes in sys-tem design or component specifications are accurately tracked and communicated.

Performance Monitoring & Continuous Improvement

• Define metrics and KPIs to gauge the effectiveness of ILS strategies (e.g., mean time to repair, part availability, system downtime).
• Review performance data and feedback from operational stakeholders, recommending improve-ments to maintain or enhance logistical efficiency over time.

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Interface with engineering, finance, procurement, and operations teams to align ILS plans with broader IRIS2 objectives, constraints, and budget considerations.
• Participate in design reviews, change control boards, and planning sessions to ensure logistical implications are factored into key decisions.

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 associat-ed 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