Lead Systems Engineer - VLEO Satellite Platform

Nigrán, Spain

Full-time

Permanent employee

Your mission

Location: Remote-first, with regular on-site visits to Nigrán, Spain
Employment type: Full-time, permanent employee

You will be the technical owner of Kreios Space’s VLEO satellite platform- the person responsible for turning mission needs into a coherent, buildable, testable and reliable spacecraft system.
This is a senior technical leadership position with real engineering authority. You will define the platform direction, connect the different engineering domains and help the team make the decisions required to move from architecture to integrated hardware.
It is not a coordination-only role. We are looking for someone who can operate at system level while remaining close enough to the engineering detail to troubleshoot problems, challenge assumptions and support the team when reality meets hardware.

Own the technical direction of the platform

Define and drive the satellite platform architecture, system requirements, interfaces, technical budgets and engineering margins, ensuring a coherent end-to-end design.

Make the key engineering decisions

Lead technical trade-offs across mass, power, thermal, communications, data handling, reliability and performance to converge on a platform the team can build, test and operate.

Take the platform from architecture to hardware

Define the system-level verification and validation approach and actively support integration, AIT and test campaigns, including test planning, procedures, acceptance criteria, anomaly resolution and reporting.

Be the go-to technical problem solver

Investigate system-level anomalies, identify root causes, unblock engineering teams and drive technical issues to closure using sound and pragmatic engineering judgement.

Connect specialists into one system

Align subsystem and domain experts across structures, avionics, ADCS, thermal, propulsion, software, FDIR and operations, ensuring that interfaces, assumptions and technical decisions remain consistent and properly documented.

Establish strong systems engineering practices

Build the structure required to manage requirements, interfaces, configuration, technical risks, design baselines, change control and engineering reviews as the programme evolves.

Drive technical execution alongside programme leadership

You will work closely with the Project Manager responsible for delivering Kreios Space’s VLEO satellite platform, aligning technical priorities with programme planning, milestones and delivery needs.
You will also act as a key technical counterpart to the COO, providing visibility on platform progress, risks and critical decisions, and helping translate company and programme priorities into engineering execution.
This will place you at the centre of the platform’s development, combining day-to-day technical ownership of the system with direct involvement in the strategic decisions that shape the programme.

Working model

This is a remote-first position open to candidates based in countries where Kreios Space can support compliant employment.
Because this role is closely connected to the spacecraft hardware, laboratory activities and engineering team, regular and planned visits to our facilities in Porto do Molle, Nigrán (Galicia) Spain, will be required.

On-site periods will be particularly important during key design reviews, integration activities, AIT phases, troubleshooting sessions and major test campaigns.

We are therefore looking for someone who values the flexibility of remote work but also understands that building a satellite requires being physically close to the team and the hardware at critical moments.

Your profile

Your profile

Engineering degree in Aerospace, Industrial, Telecommunications, Electronics or a related discipline.
At least 7 years of experience in space systems engineering.
Meaningful participation in spacecraft or space-system projects that reached advanced integration, qualification or flight stages.
Proven hands-on experience in system or subsystem integration, verification and AIT.
Experience taking technical ownership of complex multidisciplinary systems.

You have a strong background in:

Requirements engineering, allocation and traceability.
Spacecraft system architecture.
Interface definition and management, including ICDs.
Technical budgets and engineering margins.
Verification and validation logic.
Test planning, procedures, reporting and anomaly tracking.
Technical risk and reliability methods.
Configuration management and change control.
Space engineering standards such as ECSS or equivalent frameworks.

You are comfortable working across several spacecraft domains, including:

Structures and mechanisms.
Avionics and electrical architecture.
ADCS.
Thermal engineering.
Propulsion.
Communications and RF.
On-board software and FDIR.
Ground segment and satellite operations.

Beyond technical experience, you bring:

Strong technical leadership and engineering credibility.
The autonomy to make and defend difficult technical decisions.
The ability to move between high-level architecture and detailed problem-solving.
Clear and structured communication.
Good prioritisation in fast-moving development environments.
A pragmatic mindset focused on building, testing and learning.
The ability to lead through influence and align highly specialised engineers.

Nice to have

Experience with MBSE, SysML or system architecture tools.
Exposure to EGSE and MGSE.
Experience supporting TVAC, vibration, shock or EMC/EMI campaigns.
Knowledge of avionics and electrical interfaces, harnessing, C&DH or on-board software verification.
Strong configuration and documentation discipline, including baselines, review packages and change control.
Experience in NewSpace, small satellite or fast-cycle spacecraft development environments.
Previous responsibility as a spacecraft systems lead, platform lead or chief engineer.

Why us?

At Kreios Space, we’re not just building technology- we’re redefining propulsion in orbit.
This is a place for people who want to push boundaries, challenge conventions, and work on problems that have never been solved before. We operate at the intersection of cutting-edge physics, aerospace engineering, and real-world impact- where your work doesn’t stay on paper, it flies.

What makes us different:

Real impact, real ownership: You won’t be a small cog in a large machine. Here, you’ll take full ownership of critical systems and see your work move from concept to space. Decisions are fast, responsibility is real, and your contribution is visible.
Deep-tech challenges at the frontier: We’re tackling problems that only a handful of teams in the world are attempting. This means high intellectual rigor, constant learning, and the opportunity to work alongside exceptional engineers and scientists.
Top-tier talent, low ego culture: We’re building a team of ambitious, high-performing people who care deeply about what they do- but who also value collaboration, humility, and clarity of thinking.
A company on a mission, not just a roadmap: Kreios is not optimizing an existing solution- we are creating a new category in space propulsion. Joining now means shaping the technology, the culture, and the future of the company.
Growth that matches your ambition: As we scale, so will your scope. This is the right place if you want your career trajectory to be as bold as the problems you’re solving.

About us

We are leading the development of the first air-breathing electric propulsion (ABEP) system designed specifically for Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO). This revolutionary engine enables satellites to orbit between 150 and 300 km by capturing and using atmospheric particles as propellant.
By eliminating the need to carry fuel onboard, we drastically increase efficiency and overcome the main challenge of atmospheric drag in VLEO. This disruptive technology opens the door to an entirely new generation of space services, from high-resolution Earth observation to near real-time communications.
To achieve it, we rely on a team of professionals who are passionate, visionary, and committed to pushing the boundaries of what is possible. If you share this passion and want to leave your mark on the future of the space industry, we want to meet you.