Optical Systems Architect

Open Cosmos Ltd; Vale of White Horse; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 100,000

Job description

Working for Open Cosmos

Aim high, go beyond! At Open Cosmos we are solving the world’s biggest challenges from space, providing businesses, governments and researchers access to more readily available information than ever before - ready for the challenge? Then read on…

Working in the Technology Team

The successful candidate will be joining Open Cosmos R&D team becoming responsible for the management, development and implementation of cutting edge payloads on future missions to fulfil the company needs. The candidate would provide optical payload expertise across current company missions to continuously improve our services with a very customer centric attitude.

What will you be doing?

You will be managing all aspects of a development from requirements capture through to concept definition, design, implementation, all levels of testing and orbital operations support. This role has a specialist aspect where you’ll be adding your expertise in optical payloads and managing work packages in space missions relating to this covering both programmatic and technical aspects.

This will include evaluating image quality and performance of optical payloads, as well as supporting the AIT/AIV phases, undertaking the aligning and calibration.

You will be working with multiple stakeholders, supporting bid and sales teams, running customer meetings and presentations at all phases of the project and collaborating with partners and suppliers to push the boundaries of remote sensing from space.

This role might require management of other engineers as well as the function grows. This is a great opportunity to lead new developments that will set a new paradigm in providing actionable information from space!

What you need to be successful

1. You’ll be responsible for the optical space systems. Hands on strong knowledge of Earth observation, remote sensing and optical designs is essential with the ability to apply this knowledge to system designs.
2. To be able to go from zero to commissioning in orbit of a complex optical payload in a short time scale.
3. To effectively manage image quality budgets, you should have a thorough understanding of MTF, SNR, resolution, manufacturing techniques of optical systems and their limitations, thermo-mechanical aspects, detectors, etc.
4. You’ll be planning and supporting AIT and AIV activities, so we’ll expect you to be familiar with optical systems manufacturing, characterisation and testing.
5. You’ll be performing mission analysis and system design, so be ready to manage requirements and utilise the best tools for the job, implement FMECA and design FDIR, manage system budgets and define CONOPs.
6. To coordinate other technical teams involved in the design process you should have strong applied knowledge of the satellite subsystems and other type of remote sensing payloads, in addition to optical payloads: power system, on-board data handling, AOCS, comms, propulsion, mechanical, thermal, RF and signal processing.

This is a hybrid role - sometimes you will need to be in the lab every day for 1 or 2 weeks at a time to support a test campaign, at other times, you may work remotely if you choose - the requirements fluctuate and you should be prepared and ready to support your colleagues in the lab and office as the business needs.