Senior Command & Data Handling (C&DH) Engineer

Astroscale is seeking to employ an experienced and motivated Senior Digital Electronics Engineer to join our Command & Data-Handling team (C&DH) at our facility based in Harwell, UK. 

This is an exciting position, with responsibilities covering the full lifecycle of our spacecraft; from early design of the electronic systems and interfaces to hands-on work through to creating test plans and being part of the AIV activities. As the team is still quite small, if offers the incumbent the potential to be instrumental in the C&DH engineering direction.

This is a unique opportunity to join a dynamic and rapidly growing company seeking to make a positive contribution to the growing problem of orbital debris that endangers mankind’s continued use of space as an asset. The technology of our mission is complex and demanding, with a high amount of data going through the system. As the mission requires our spacecraft to move towards another spacecraft, it has many unique and critical features within the C&DH system. 

Responsibilities

• Help the development and design activities for the Command & Data Handling Sub-systems on Astroscale spacecraft:

                   - Review and maintain sub-system requirements

                   - Define and develop sub-system test and verification plans.

                   - Help define and manage subsystem data and processing budgets

                   - Test and prove Failure Mode, Effects, and Criticality Analysis (FMECA) and Fault Detection, Isolation Recovery (FDIR) processes

• Help Coordinate with other teams at sub-system and at sus system level to define Concept of Operations, Interface Control Documents (ICDs), development and verification plans.
• Plan, prepare and conduct electrical sub-systems and system level verification tests, including environmental testing
• Design and review circuit and PCB designs to ensure they are appropriate for the functional role.

Interact and support team with partners and suppliers for the provision of C&DH equipment. Support procurement engineers with specification, trade-off, and selection of C&DH equipment. Participate in the review of the deliverables in support of the project milestones.

Support the definition, implementation and validation of telemetry and telecommand interfaces between the C&DH subsystem, payloads, platform units and ground segment.

Contribute to spacecraft avionics architecture trade-offs, including processor selection, data bus architecture, redundancy concepts and fault-tolerant design approaches.

Work closely with flight software engineers to define, review and test C&DH software interfaces, data handling functions and on-board autonomy requirements.

Support anomaly investigation, root-cause analysis and recovery planning for C&DH equipment during integration, environmental test campaigns and mission operations.

Essential Skills & experience

• Diploma; bachelor or master’s degree in electrical engineering or relevant engineering/science discipline.
• 5+ years of commercial experience in electronic and/or system design of Command & Data Handling Systems for satellites.
• Demonstrable experience on working with or designing systems that use industry de-facto standards such as CCSDS, I2C, RS422, Spacewire, CAN, etc.
• Experience of how C&DH systems operate on spacecraft missions and their various electrical interfaces.
• Experience in developing and conducting test plans for spacecraft avionics.
• Good understanding of system engineering & managing requirements through the full project lifecycle.

Desired Skills & Experience

• Experience in physically testing hardware and handling flight equipment in a clean room environment.
• Experience in GNSS testing and time synchronisation on satellites.

Experience of analysis radiation tolerances and knowledge of radiation hardness assurance for Low Earth Orbit applications.

A basic knowledge in the following areas: debris removal, end-of-life, in-orbit servicing and digital space electronic design

Benefits

• Competitive base salary
• Opportunity to work with a highly talented, diverse & dynamic international team with cutting edge technology
• Flexible working around core hours in a friendly and supportive environment
• Optional 9/75 working pattern
• Hybrid working available (dependent on individual role requirements)
• 25 days holiday (increasing yearly up to a maximum of 28 days) + 8 days Bank Holiday
• Life insurance and long-term sick pay
• Private healthcare (taxable benefit)
• Relocation allowance considered
  
• State of the art office and cleanroom facility
• Regular social events 

Location

Astroscale UK (Harwell).

About Astroscale

Astroscale is the global leader in on-orbit servicing, dedicated to the secure and sustainable development of space. The company delivers a variety of innovative and scalable on-orbit servicing solutions, including life extension, refurbishment, upgrades, in-situ space situational awareness, end-of-life, and active debris removal. Since its first successful launch in March 2021, Astroscale has proven rendezvous and proximity operations technologies in orbit during the ELSA-d and ADRAS-J missions. Astroscale spacecraft have been selected for pioneering missions with JAXA, the U.S. Space Force, the European Space Agency, the UK Space Agency, and Eutelsat. As more satellite operators adopt on-orbit servicing to routinely inspect, relocate, remove, and extend the life of spacecraft, the potential of a circular space economy — and a future of no waste in space — is being unlocked. Headquartered in Japan, Astroscale has a global presence with subsidiaries in the United Kingdom, the United States, France, and Israel. Find out more about Astroscale at www.astroscale.com

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At Astroscale UK we pride ourselves on our inclusive culture. Our essential criteria are based solely on the requirements necessary to perform the role. If any criteria could present a barrier, we are open to discussing reasonable adjustments and are committed to ensuring an inclusive recruitment process. Astroscale UK is also open to supporting job share arrangements, to further our flexible working offering.

Note to recruitment agencies: Astroscale UK operates a preferred Supplier List, and we do not accept unsolicited agency approaches. Please do not forward candidate CVs or details in response to this advert, or to any Astroscale employee.