About Antwerp Space
Antwerp Space is a leading Belgian space engineering company and an industrial player well-recognized by the European Space Agency and the European Commission. Antwerp Space has an established presence in the European space market and in several cases is taking the lead in technically complex space projects, supported by a consortium of partners from all over Europe.
The company employs highly skilled engineers and technicians from all over the world, the majority of whom hold an engineering degree, with strong expertise in the areas of digital signal processing, hardware and software design, as well as in project management and technical leadership.
OHB SE Group
Antwerp Space is part of the OHB SE group, one of Europe’s success stories in the field of contemporary space. Today it can call itself the third largest space group in Europe.
The OHB SE group has been growing at a steady pace over the last three decades and its footprint in Europe has continuously expanded. Nowadays, there are subsidiaries in Austria, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Luxembourg, Greece, the Czech Republic and Belgium. Despite its size, OHB SE is still a family business, run by the Fuchs family.
Who are we looking for?
As the System Architect for Communications Subsystems, you will lead the end-to-end design, development, and integration of advanced radio frequency (RF) communication payloads for next-generation LEO, MEO, GEO satellite constellations and deep space exploration missions. You will be the technical authority defining how spacecrafts talk to Earth and to each other, ensuring high data rates, robust links, and survival in the harsh radiation environment of space.
You’ll be reporting to the System Engineering team lead, project teams, and collaborating with colleagues from the operational department.
As a Space System Engineer specializing in the Communication Subsystems (COMS) area, your expected key responsibilities will be:
- System architecture and design: Define COMS system architecture for spaceborne payloads in LEO, MEO, and GEO environments, ensuring optimal assessment and trade-offs of subsystem concepts across feasibility and pre-development studies up to the critical design review and flight.
- Requirements engineering and management: Lead the elicitation and flow-down of high-level mission and user requirements into detailed technical subsystem specifications.
- Technical budgets and trade studies: Develop and maintain complex engineering budgets (link budgets, time-transfer breakdown, etc.) for space-to-ground/ground-to-space and inter-satellite links (ISL). Conduct technical trade-offs for hardware selection, focusing on SWaP-C (Size, Weight, Power, and Cost) optimization.
- Pre-development phase support & proposal preparation: Provide support for spaceborne COMS projects from the pre-development phase up to spacecraft integration, working closely with project leaders and business development. Moreover, you will assist in the preparation of proposals and evaluate subcontractor proposals to ensure the feasibility and success of projects.
- Documentation: Generate and maintain documentation, including analyses, specifications, engineering and technical budgets, test procedures, reports, and design descriptions.
- Standardization: Ensure subsystem designs comply with international space communication standards (e.g., CCSDS, ECSS, or ITU regulations)
- Coordination and collaboration: Coordinate technical aspects with customers, vendors, subcontractors, project teams, space system engineering, and other divisions. Moreover, you will provide technical direction to engineering teams (Hardware, Software, Firmware, AIT) throughout the entire product lifecycle, from concept design to integration and testing.
- Design reviews and technical presentations: Lead internal and external technical reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR) with stakeholders, management, and customers.
Mandatory Requirements
- Eligible for an EU security clearance (EU citizen, or eligible for citizenship and living in the EU for at least 10 years.
- Candidates currently living outside Belgium will only be considered if they are willing to relocate to Belgium before the start of their contract. Relocation is a prerequisite for employment.
- Fluency in spoken and written English. Knowledge of Dutch and French is an asset.
Required technical competences and practical needs
- Master’s degree or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Telecommunications, Physics, Space Engineering, or a closely related field.
- Working knowledge of European Cooperation for Space Standardization (ECSS) standards, alongside an understanding of commercial/NewSpace practices.
- Minimum of 3 years of experience in space systems engineering, with a focus specifically on communications subsystems and communications projects
- Working knowledge of European Cooperation for Space Standardization (ECSS) standards, alongside an understanding of commercial / New Space practices.
- Demonstratable experience in designing and delivering RF or microwave communication systems for space applications.
- Familiarity and understanding of modulation techniques, error-correcting codes (e.g., LDPC, raptor, turbo, polar codes, etc.).
- Familiarity with RF hardware components (antennas, filters, LNAs, SSPAs, TWTAs)
- Proficiency in simulation and modelling tools such as MATLAB or Python.
- Background in Software-Defined Radios (SDR) and digital payload processing is beneficial.
- Professional experience in phase B/C/D in Communication projects is an asset.
- Experience with satellite payload integration and understanding of the orbital space environment.
- Willingness to travel.
Expected soft skills
- Demonstrated ability to lead technical teams, resolve complex engineering conflicts, and make critical architectural decisions.
- Excellent communication skills with a high degree of flexibility.
- Team player who can work effectively both independently and in large projects.
What we can offer you
- A multicultural environment. You’ll be working in an international environment with colleagues from all over the world.
- A strong corporate culture. Our company is based on strong values: respect, trust, personal development and well-being.
- Professional development. You’ll get the chance to learn, to share your expertise, to develop your skills and contribute to high-level, international projects in a high-tech environment.
- Salary package. A very attractive salary package including numerous fringe benefits. The main job location is Antwerpen (Hoboken) - Belgium, though, short-term missions abroad are part of this challenging job environment.
Come and explore Antwerp Space
At Antwerp Space we treasure our human capital. From the moment you get on board until retirement, we will be at your side to make sure you feel at home and you get the chance to travel all the way through Antwerp Space, developing yourself and growing together.
As a company with a passion for innovation, we want to create a dynamic, open and enriching environment for people, where people are passionate about their work and exchange ideas & expertise.
Moreover, we understand the need for a healthy working environment and we focus on the employee’s well-being, offering amongst others fruit@work, yoga, ergonomic advice, and many other initiatives. We also focus on a good work-life balance, offering flexible working hours and additional holidays. Each year a number of events are organized to emphasize that it is important to have fun, relax and create a good team spirit.
Eager to join us? Get in touch!
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