Role overview:

MDA is seeking a junior Satellite Design System Engineer for design, integration, verification, and operational support for current and next-generation remote sensing and communications satellites. The design system engineer is the technical hub that ensures every spacecraft subsystem (structures, thermal, power, propulsion, C&DH, TT&C/PDT, GNC, payload-interface, etc.) works together to meet mission objectives, cost targets and schedule constraints. The role spans the full lifecycle, from concept, designs and requirements capture through design, integration, verification, launch-site support and on-orbit operations.

Tasks summary:

Architecture Concept & Requirements

• Assist in gathering and formalising mission-level requirements (under supervision).
• Contribute to updating satellite architecture documents (System Specification Document – SDD, Interface Control Documents – ICD) and maintain the traceability matrix.

Concept Trade & Feasibility

• Contribute multidisciplinary trade-studies (mass vs. power vs. volume, redundancy philosophy, reliability, end-of-life, bus modularity, launch-vehicle adaptation, de-orbiting, re-entry, etc.).

Detailed Design & Modelling

• Build SysML block models under the direction of the Lead System Engineer.
• Perform baseline calculations (power budget, centre-of-gravity, battery charge) following MDA standard procedures.

Cross-Functional Coordination, Stakeholder & Program Interaction

• Actively participate in progress reviews (System Requirements Review – SRR, Preliminary Design Review – PDR, etc.) and capture decision minutes.
• Track ICDs together with the payload-interface coordinator, under senior oversight.

Integration & Verification (IVV)

• Draft or update verification matrices (Verification Test – VT) based on existing models.
• Support test technicians during campaign set-up and execution (vibration, TVAC, RF), including instrumentation and data acquisition

Configuration, Documentation & Standards Management

• Ensure all artefacts, analyses, software, deliverables and documents are correctly version-controlled.
• Prepare review minutes and distribute them to all interested parties.

Launch-Site, Orbit Support & Operations Support

• Contribute to the preparation of pre-launch procedures.
• Analyse early post-launch telemetry under the supervision of the SatOps Lead.

Required Qualifications:

• Sc. in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace or Physics with 0-2 years of satellite system design experience on LEO/MEO/GEO missions.
• Comprehensive knowledge of Spacecraft subsystems and their interactions.
• Proficiency in multi-disciplinary engineering environment (structural, thermal, power, dynamics…etc.) and ability to interpret results for design decisions.
• Strong understanding of aerospace system engineering fundamentals.
• Hands-on individual who can support systems integration processes and capability to test systems and resolve problems.
• Experience with Confluence and JIRA.
• Demonstrated capability to efficiently work with little supervision.
• Ability to distill complex problems to fundamentals to solve with analysis, similarity, or creativity.
• Demonstrate excellent written and oral communication skills in English; knowledge of French will be considered an asset (Contact with clients outside Quebec and work on deliverables in English).

Comments/Special Considerations:

Successful candidates must obtain and hold security clearance at the reliability status level, and pass security assessment for the Controlled Goods Program (CGP).