Senior Architect, Systems Verification & Validation, meoSphere

The job responsibilities outlined in this document are not exhaustive and may evolve over time and be reviewed according to business needs.

PROGRAMME DESCRIPTION

meoSphere is SES’s next-generation Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellite constellation, designed to deliver secure connectivity services to government agencies, enterprises, and commercial customers. It will also provide high-speed broadband internet to eliminate global connectivity dead zones.

To accelerate development timelines, reduce costs, and ensure quality, SES is internalizing a critical segment of the satellite supply chain: the final integration of partner satellite platforms with SES’s software-defined payloads, all within a cutting-edge manufacturing and test facility.

ROLE DESCRIPTION SUMMARY

The System Integration & Test (SI&T) Verification & Validation Lead is a hands-on technical leadership role responsible for developing and delivering verification and validation capabilities across a complex system-of-systems environment spanning spacecraft, ground systems, user terminals, communications networks, software platforms, operational processes, and supporting infrastructure.

Working within the SI&T function, you will develop verification and validation strategies, plans, technical analyses, and evidence packages to verify requirements, validate end-to-end mission and service performance, and demonstrate operational readiness. Leading through technical expertise and influence, you will coordinate engineering, operations, suppliers, and program stakeholders to ensure activities are executed with appropriate rigor, coverage, and traceability.

You will define verification methods, success criteria, evidence requirements, and closure approaches, leading reviews, validation assessments, and evidence-sufficiency evaluations across multiple subsystems and mission scenarios. The role provides delegated SI&T closure determinations and recommendations for requirement closure and mission readiness, while final approval and closure authority remain with the designated technical authorities.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES / KEY RESULT AREAS

Shared Responsibilities

• Lead system integration, testing, verification, and validation work across hardware, software, networks, operations, laboratories, suppliers, and distributed teams.
• Turn incomplete or conflicting inputs into clear, practical technical plans with visible assumptions, dependencies, risks, and evidence needs.
• Apply discipline across requirements, interfaces, configuration control, readiness, anomalies, regression, traceability, and evidence.
• Produce clear, decision-ready technical recommendations and communicate effectively with engineering, program, supplier, and executive stakeholders.
• Define and lead System Integration & Test work while respecting retained authorities in product, facility, safety, flight, requirements, procurement, and acceptance decisions.

Focus Area Responsibilities:

• Lead the development and execution of the program's verification and validation strategy, translating approved requirements and mission objectives into verification activities, validation scenarios, evidence requirements, and closure criteria.
• Develop verification approaches, validation plans, technical analyses, and closure strategies across multiple subsystems, requirements sets, and verification methods.
• Define verification methods, validation criteria, coverage requirements, data needs, pass/fail measures, and evidence standards required to support closure recommendations.
• Lead verification reviews, validation assessments, and evidence-sufficiency evaluations to ensure requirements and mission outcomes are assessed with appropriate technical rigor.
• Validate end-to-end mission and service performance under representative operating conditions, ensuring intended operational outcomes are achieved.
• Assess verification and validation evidence, identify gaps, and recommend whether additional analysis, testing, operational data, or supporting evidence is required.
• Lead delegated SI&T closure determinations and provide closure recommendations while ensuring final approval authority remains with the designated technical authorities.
• Maintain end-to-end traceability from requirements and mission objectives through verification and validation activities to final evidence packages, decisions, and closure recommendations.

Key Year 1 Deliverables

By the end of the first year, you will have established the verification and validation capability, governance, and evidence framework required to support evidence-based closure recommendations and mission readiness assessments across the program. The program will have defined verification and validation approaches, controlled evidence management, and a consistent process for assessing evidence sufficiency and supporting closure decisions. Key deliverables will include:

• Verification and validation strategies, standards, and governance processes.
• A traceability framework linking requirements, verification methods, validation activities, evidence, and closure status.
• Documented verification and validation approaches covering testing, analysis, operational demonstrations, flight results, supplier evidence, and related methods.
• Defined success criteria, coverage expectations, evidence standards, and assessment processes.
• Evidence-sufficiency review and delegated SI&T determination processes supporting closure recommendations and mission readiness assessments.

Qualifications Background and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Aerospace, Telecommunications, Computer Science, Systems Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Minimum 10 years of experience in systems integration, verification and validation, requirements management, testing, or related engineering functions involving complex hardware and software systems.
• Proven technical leadership, including driving verification and compliance activities across multidisciplinary teams and suppliers.
• Strong understanding of requirements management, traceability, interface control, configuration management, technical risk management, and evidence-based decision-making.
• Experience establishing verification frameworks, compliance tracking, and requirements traceability processes.
• Excellent technical writing, facilitation, stakeholder engagement, and executive communication skills.
• Experience in space systems, satellite communications, ground systems, mission operations, telecommunications, or other mission-critical engineering programs.
• Familiarity with systems engineering practices, requirements and test management tools, hardware-in-the-loop environments, simulators, digital engineering approaches, and model-based systems engineering (MBSE).
• Experience with end-to-end system verification, supplier verification management, flight verification planning, or product acceptance activities is highly desirable.

Mindset & Values

• Ownership: Takes accountability for outcomes, drives issues to resolution, and balances speed, risk, and quality to deliver results.
• Systems Thinking: Understands how hardware, software, networks, operations, suppliers, and processes interact; always considers the full impact of decisions.
• Evidence Driven: Uses objective data, testing, and measurable results to guide decisions, assess risk, and build confidence in system readiness.
• Technical Leadership Through Influence: Builds alignment across teams and stakeholders through expertise, credibility, and sound judgment rather than formal authority.
• Collaborative & Low Ego: Values diverse perspectives, welcomes constructive challenge, and works across disciplines to achieve the best outcome for the system and the business.

OTHER KEY REQUIREMENTS / COMMENTS

• The candidate must be eligible for a “SECRET” security clearance, in accordance with the national regulations as well as EU/ESA/NATO equivalents
• Willing to work 60% onsite from office
• Travel as required for project realization purposes

The USA salary range for this full-time position is $121,000 - $190,000

Salary ranges are determined by role, level, and geographic location. Individual compensation within the range is determined based on work location and a variety of factors, including job-related skills, experience, qualifications, and relevant education or training. Additional compensation and benefits may apply depending on the location and terms of employment.