Senior System Engineer (SpaceOps) (m/f/d)

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

About Us

We are pioneering the future of satellite intelligence and defense. Backed by Rheinmetall’s proven defense expertise and ICEYE’s radar satellite innovation, our joint venture has the ambition of delivering one of the world's largest earth observation satellite constellations to defend Germany.

Our mission? Empower Europe’s security and defense with sovereign, persistent, and accurate space-based intelligence under any condition.

Join us to shape one of Europe’s most significant high-tech projects and make a real impact on defense and security for tomorrow.

The Mission of the (Senior) Systems Engineer

Own and align the end-to-end ISR system architecture across RISS and its partners.

This role exists to ensure that a multi-partner ISR system — involving satellite operators (e.g. ICEYE), hardware and sensor suppliers, ground segment providers, and software teams — functions as a single, coherent, operable system.

As a Senior Systems Engineer, you act as the technical integrator and architectural authority across organizational boundaries. You translate mission needs into system-level architectures and requirements, manage interfaces between independently developed components, and ensure that partner solutions align with RISS system intent.

You are the person who understands where partner assumptions collide, where integration risk hides, and where architectural clarity prevents costly downstream failure.

Outcomes:

• Space, sensors, ground, software, and analytics — including partner-provided components — are integrated into a well-defined system architecture with explicit interfaces and responsibilities.
• External partners (e.g. ICEYE, sensor vendors, integrators) build to agreed system requirements, interfaces, and performance assumptions — not local optimizations.
• Integration issues between partners are identified and mitigated early through architectural decisions, interface control, and technical challenge.
• RISS — not individual partners — owns and arbitrates trade-offs across performance, latency, cost, operability, and scalability.
• The full system is validated against real mission scenarios, not just component-level acceptance criteria.

WHAT QUALIFICATIONS YOU SHOULD HAVE

• Proven experience owning or shaping system architectures spanning multiple organizations, vendors, or consortia — with the ability to enforce coherence without direct line authority.
• Strong understanding of how constraints propagate across space, sensors, ground segment, software, data pipelines, and operations — including when components are externally developed.
• Expertise in defining system-level requirements, interfaces (ICDs), and performance budgets that enable parallel development across partners without integration failure.
• Ability to challenge partners constructively, push back on assumptions, and resolve conflicts through technical reasoning rather than hierarchy or contract language alone.
• Experience designing system-level verification and acceptance approaches that ensure partner-delivered components work together in operational reality.

Your strengths and experience count at Rheinmetall, even if you may not meet all of the listed requirements. We look forward to receiving applications from candidates (m/f/d) who are keen to make a difference and take on responsibility. We value individuality and equal opportunities. Severely disabled applicants (m/f/d) will be given special consideration if they are equally qualified.

WHAT WE OFFER YOU

• Direct contribution to sovereignty, security, and resilience
• Participation in one of Europe’s most ambitious New Space projects
• Actively shape the development of a rapidly growing organization
• Entrepreneurial culture backed by a leading defense company
• Attractive, competitive compensation

Apply now and start your journey with RISS!

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

At RISS, we believe that diversity fosters innovation and strengthens us as an organization. We create a work environment where different perspectives and talents are not only welcome but valued.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Contact Person: Lauren Pabst