Senior Manger, RF and Antenna Engineering, 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 the next generation of SES’s Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellites, delivering secure connectivity services for governments, enterprises, and commercial customers worldwide, while enabling high-speed broadband to eliminate connectivity gaps.

To accelerate development, improve quality, and increase vertical integration, SES is bringing key payload development and integration capabilities in-house within a state-of-the-art manufacturing and test environment. 

ROLE DESCRIPTION SUMMARY

We are seeking a Senior Manager in RF and Antenna Engineering to lead the team in charge of the development and delivery of the phase array antenna subsystems for the satellite payloads. In this role, you will manage a team of RF (active/passive) and antenna engineers and coordinate a multidisciplinary team including thermomechanical, electrical, ASIC/FPGA, embedded software and test engineers.

In your first six months, you and your team will architect, develop, test, and integrate Ka band direct radiating array subarray prototypes incorporating antenna aperture, RF front-end, RF SoC based digital beamforming network, antenna control subsystem and power and TM/TC blocks. Within less than two years, your antenna systems will have flown in space, demonstrating cutting-edge phase array technology.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES / KEY RESULT AREAS

• Build and lead a high-performing engineering team focused on antenna, RF passive and active, test and calibration for SES communication payloads.
• Drive the full development lifecycle of antennas — from architecture definition, including active antenna elements, RF distribution, and beamforming electronics.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship, fostering growth and innovation within the engineering team.
• Work closely with payload system engineering, mechanical, thermal, software and AIT teams to ensure subsystem compatibility and mission success.
• Lead technical reviews, risk assessments, and design decisions across internal and external stakeholders.

You and your team shall

• Lead Ka-band DRA subsystem, including active antenna elements, RF distribution, and digital beamforming electronics.
• Define and manage subsystem requirements, interfaces, and performance budgets (e.g., Gain, noise figure and linearity budgets, EIRP, G/T).
• Oversee the integration and qualification of space-grade electronic components, including, RF front-end electronics (SSPAs, LNAs), Radiating aperture (patches, horns), High-speed digital ASICs for digital beamforming (developed by specialized teams or suppliers), power, control and telemetry interfaces
• Ensure compliance with space environmental constraints (thermal, radiation, EMC, mechanical).
• Prepare design documentation, analysis, compliance matrices, define antenna test and calibration strategies.
• Support payload integration and test campaigns , including troubleshooting and anomaly resolution during AIT and in-orbit commissioning

QUALIFICATIONS & COMPENTENCIES

• Master’s degree or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related discipline.
• 10+ years of electronic equipment design experience, preferably in the space sector and/or involving high frequency electronics.SSPAs, LNAs, filters, and couplers. Understanding of RF chain design and performance validation.
• Electronic Space Hardware: Strong background in the development, integration, and qualification of electronic hardware for space applications, including compliance with thermal, mechanical, radiation, and EMC constraints.
• Hands-on experience with antenna systems, including phased arrays and electronically steerable beams. Including deep understanding of beamforming technologies.
• Hands-on experience with mixed-signal ICs (ADCs, DACs, modems, channelizers, beamforming), high-speed SerDes interfaces (JESD204C, PCIe, Ethernet), and low-speed interfaces (CAN, SPI, I2C, RS-422/485).
• Proven track record in developing systems combining power electronics, mixed-signal, and high-frequency RF designs.
• Experience with reliability analyses (worst-case, failure propagation, derating, end-of-life reliability).
• Understanding of EEE parts selection for space.
• Ability to review and validate technical documentation, qualification plans, and test results.
• Skilled in tracking technical progress, identifying risks, and implementing mitigation strategies.
• Strong leadership and ownership mindset with the ability to drive technical decisions and coordinate across multidisciplinary teams.
• Fluency in English; additional languages are an asset.

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 at least 60% onsite from office
• Travel as required for project realization purposes 

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