Project Engineer, Space Systems

About the role

Hydrosat, a space and data analytics company developing satellite imaging systems and data products for water resource and agricultural applications, is looking for an experienced Project Engineer to lead the technical execution of optical payload production and manufacturing in its European office. Reporting to the Director of Space Segment Engineering, the engineer coordinates the work needed to assemble, integrate, test and deliver flight hardware reliably and efficiently, working closely with the international engineering team. The role is on-site, with regular involvement on the production floor and in the laboratory.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the technical execution of European payload production and coordinate manufacturing, assembly, integration, test and delivery across disciplines.
• Help transition released designs into production, ensuring requirements, drawings, bills of materials, procedures and acceptance criteria are complete.
• Plan production workflow, staffing, material needs and capacity with Technical Program Management, and keep schedules aligned with actual progress.
• Run manufacturing and test readiness reviews, resolve production and test issues, and coordinate nonconformance disposition, root-cause analysis and corrective actions.
• Coordinate local design work for tooling, fixtures and test equipment, and give manufacturing feedback to engineering leadership.
• Maintain configuration control of production hardware and documentation, including released designs, approved changes, as-built records and component traceability.
• Plan material needs, track long-lead items, and build working relationships with European suppliers and manufacturing partners.
• Plan and lead assembly, integration and acceptance testing, and coordinate delivery of documentation and payload integration support with spacecraft providers and customers.
• Keep European production aligned with the international engineering team through clear technical exchanges and reporting on build status, risks and decisions.

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, physics or a related technical discipline, or equivalent relevant technical experience.
• 10+ years of experience in engineering, manufacturing or technical project leadership for spacecraft, optical instruments or other complex, high-reliability hardware.
• Demonstrated technical leadership of multidisciplinary teams as a Project Engineer, Manufacturing Engineer, Systems Engineer, Technical Lead or in a comparable role.
• Experience moving hardware from engineering development into production and coordinating manufacturing, assembly, integration, test and delivery.
• Ability to work independently, organise competing production priorities and resolve technical issues with manufacturing teams, engineers and suppliers.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including English proficiency and the ability to present technical issues clearly; on-site presence at the European office and international travel as needed.

Required skills

• Working knowledge of engineering drawings, bills of materials, configuration control, hardware traceability, quality processes and acceptance testing.
• Hands-on experience supporting hardware builds and testing, including troubleshooting, nonconformance resolution and corrective actions.
• Preferred: experience with space-based optical payloads, first article and qualification results, ECSS standards, production process improvement, and familiarity with SolidWorks, SolidWorks PDM and MES/ERP systems.