Telecom Payload Systems Engineer

Telecom Payload Systems Engineer - RF

Location: Portsmouth (WFH Monday and Friday, on site Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday)

Duration: 12 months

Rate: £40.00 per hour Deemed Limited, £45.50 per hour Umbrella or £34.17 per hour PAYE

The Telecom Payload System Engineering team is a centre of competence gathering expertise in RF Systems; Electrical Systems; Mechanical & Thermal Systems and EMC. The team provides engineering support to the Portsmouth-based Telecom Payload Team. In addition to involvement in the delivery of Telecom payloads flying on Eurostar or OneSat platforms; the team is also involved in the delivery of payload flying on third party platforms. The team supports firm work but also studies, R&D and proposals.

A vacancy is open for a position of RF / Digital Simulation & Payload Systems Modelling. The objective of the role is to contribute to the development of the models described above, to support their use in the team and to support their integration with other models developed in other areas of the Airbus Space Systems business (for instance ground systems). In addition to support to live projects and to proposals; an active participation to the definition of the roadmap for new developments for future tools and missions is also expected.

Main responsibilities

• Derive and maintain project specific end to end system analysis/models targeting customer requirements
• Working with colleagues using simulations in MATLAB, ADS or Python
• Take theory from textbook to simulations performing trade-offs of payload performance and make recommendations for payload equipment specifications
• Maintain and generate telecommunication link budgets and time domain simulations to assess impacts of equipment performances and payload optimisation on the communication link
• Document and present key payload and equipment performances that affect customer requirements
• Take an active role making suggestions to improve analysis and simulations
• Take part to the development of new and existing software modelling tools
• As used by the various teams within Payload System Engineering
• Provide technical support to projects, proposals and R&D activities
• Make sure all development is carried-out in adherence with standard / defined processes, and that documentation associated with the tools and models developed is kept up to date
• Payload System Engineering Payload Systems models
• RF and Digital Simulation
• Contribute to the development roadmap
• Working with colleagues in the development team and on projects, identify potential new requirements
• Take an active role in capturing these new requirements in the team’s simulation tools roadmap: integrate to the department’s roadmap, taking also into account Airbus DTO / Airbus DS DDMS initiatives - Understand or interpret projects’ requirements
• In line with the emergence of new payload architectures requiring the modelling of new subsystems for which the existing standard modelling tools are not suitable (multi-port amplifiers; processors; active antenna; etc.).
• Represent the Payload System Department and liaise with other engineering groups for digitalisation and modelling

Technical Knowledge

Essential

• Extended proven ability with modelling software used in the context of end-to-end RF communication chains - such as Matlab/Simulink; ADS/SystemVue, and/or any other relevant tool
• Proficiency with Programming languages (Python, Visual Basic, C)
• Microwave / high frequency RF engineering
• Ability to lead a team within a complex multiple stakeholders’ environment
• Demonstrable verbal and written communication skills
• Effective analytical skills and interpersonal skills
• Effective presentation skills for articulating complex subjects to unfamiliar audiences
• Capable of working autonomously against tight deadlines
• Good understanding of RF communication signal design techniques (e.g. modulation, encoding, filtering)
• Solid theoretical background on digital communications and proven ability to apply the theory to solve practical problem

Desirable

• Knowledge of Satellite Communications systems and understanding of equipment fitted to the Satellite payload such as receivers, converters, amplifiers, waveguides and antennas
• Modulation and coding schemes