Systems Engineer - Small Satellite Missions

Systems Engineer - Small Satellite Missions

Alén Space

Nigrán or Pontevedra, Spain

Join our team and build the furure of space technology

We´re expanding our team at Alén Space, and are looking for a Systems Engineer - Small Satellite Missions; with passion in what you do, talented and experienced; to join our Space Missions area, specifically within the Systems Engineering team. The selected candidate will take on a central technical role in the definition and execution of space missions, contributing to the system-level design and ensuring technical coherence throughout the project lifecycle.

What you will be doing?

• Supporting the definition and consolidation of mission requirements (MRD) and system requirements (SRD) in alignment with customer needs and mission objectives.
• Designing and iterating mission architectures, ensuring subsystem compatibility, scalability, and alignment with performance, cost, and risk constraints.
• Developing and maintaining the Concept of Operations (CONOPS) and defining operational modes (OpModes) to guide system behavior across mission phases.
• Performing subsystem trade-off analyses to support selection and procurement of mission-specific equipment, both commercial and custom-developed.
• Supporting launcher selection, including assessment of mechanical and electrical interface compatibility, volume constraints, and environmental requirements.
• Supporting the definition and implementation of the system-level verification approach, including the creation and management of a Requirements Verification Matrix (RoD).
• Coordinating closely with other internal teams - Mission Analysis, Communications & Data Handling, and Mechanical - to ensure system integration and coherence.
• Acting as the technical focal point for assigned missions, interfacing with internal stakeholders, customers, and external partners throughout the project lifecycle.
• Supporting commercial activities through technical inputs to proposals, in collaboration with the Product Owner, contributing to solution design and feasibility assessments.

What do we need in our team

• A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering or a related discipline.
• Between 2 and 4 years of relevant experience in system-level engineering for space missions, preferably in small satellite projects or within the New Space environment.
• Proven experience in:
  • Mission and system requirements engineering (MRD, SRD).
  • Mission architecture design and subsystem definition.
  • CONOPS and OpModes development.
  • Verification planning and management (RoD).
• Excellent communication, documentation, and coordination skills.
• Fluency in English.
• Ability to operate with high autonomy while maintaining alignment with overall mission goals.

Valuable knowledge:

• Hands-on experience in nanosatellite development projects.
• Familiarity with ECSS or NASA standards and processes.
• Experience working with launch providers, including interface documentation and campaign preparation.
• Involvement in proposal writing, particularly within competitive tenders or institutional frameworks (ESA, Horizon Europe, etc.).
• Knowledge of Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) or tools such as MagicDraw, Capella, SysML, or equivalent.