Senior AOCS Systems Engineer

Role highlights:

• Senior AOCS Systems Engineer
• Location: Espoo, Finland
• Department: Engineering
• Reports to: Engineering Manager, AOCS
• Employment type: Permanent
• Workplace model: Hybrid
• Employment is subject to applicable security screening (incl. SUPO, where required)

Why this role matters:

As a Senior AOCS Systems Engineer, you ensure that our satellites always point towards the right direction enabling high-quality images.

This role is within the AOCS Domain where we are responsible for maintaining attitude and orbit. Your job will be to work closely with production teams, operations teams, and software teams to ensure smooth and performant operation of our ADCS and propulsion systems in orbit and on the ground. You will be involved in the complete lifecycle of the system, from design phases of future ICEYE satellite generations to maintenance of existing systems we and our customers operate.

You will have a direct impact on our mission success, as the performance and reliability of the AOCS system directly affects the amount and quality of Synthetic Aperture Radar data we deliver to our customers.

Who We Are

ICEYE delivers space-based intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities to governments and allied nations. This includes sovereign and turnkey ISR missions leveraging ICEYE’s world-leading synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite technology, as well as access to data from the world’s largest SAR satellite constellation. These capabilities enable partners to detect and respond to critical changes anywhere on Earth with unprecedented speed and accuracy, day or night and in any weather, supported by ultra high-resolution imagery and high-frequency revisits.

As a trusted partner for defense, intelligence, security, and maritime domain awareness, ICEYE’s near real-time data creates a tactical advantage for mission-critical operations. Designed for dual use, the platform also serves civil protection and commercial users for natural-catastrophe intelligence, insurance, maritime monitoring including oil-spill detection, and finance, contributing to global security and community resilience.

ICEYE is headquartered in Finland and operates globally across Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific. We have more than 900 employees, united by a shared vision: improving life on Earth by becoming the global source of truth in Earth Observation.

Your day-to-day responsibilities

• Drive selection of future AOCS hardware components
• Characterize and validate existing AOCS performance by designing and executing in-orbit experiments and analyzing telemetry data with the help of analysis software you develop
• Develop software tools to predict performance of our future AOCS systems
• Debug on-orbit anomalies requiring deep system understanding and a systematic approach to identify root causes and prevent recurrence
• Support software teams in implementing changes to prevent repetition of known issues
• Develop and maintain software tools that help debug AOCS anomalies as they happen
• Maintain verification procedures and work closely with production and testing teams to implement process improvements and new test setups
• Help establish and evolve internal processes for anomaly handling and resolution to ensure robust and predictable AOCS operations

What we’re looking for

Must haves:

• First-principles mindset with experience resolving in-orbit anomalies in a systematic manner and identifying root causes
• Strong understanding of AOCS fundamentals including rigid body motion, differential equations, coordinate transformations, 3D geometry, feedback loops, state estimation, and basic orbital dynamics
• Strong understanding of underlying principles and failure modes of AOCS sensors and actuators such as reaction wheels, magnetorquers, star trackers, gyroscopes, magnetometers, and GNSS
• Strong understanding of performance drivers of AOCS systems
• Proven track record of owning cross-domain systems involving feedback control loops across their complete lifecycle including maintenance and operations
• Broad engineering knowledge across controls, mechanical, and electronics domains
• Proficiency in Python, C++, or Matlab

Nice to haves:

• Experience designing and executing in-orbit experiments
• Experience supporting propulsion system operations
• Experience improving verification processes and test infrastructure in a production environment

Application Process

• Online Talent Acquisition screening
• Online Hiring Manager interview
• Online take-home technical task and panel interview
• On-site system thinking workshop
• On-site behavioural interview to assess cultural fit

Working at ICEYE

At ICEYE, you’ll join a diverse and highly engaged team united by the ambition to make the impossible possible. As a global scale-up, we combine speed and ambition with the opportunity to take real ownership from day one. Your growth, wellbeing, and success are a priority, with continuous professional development, training opportunities, and a culture where collaboration is how we win.

How We Work (Our Values)

Make the impossible possible: We set ambitious goals and stay calm under pressure. We bring grit, optimism, and ownership when things get hard, and we keep moving until we find a way.

• Be curious: Go deep, ask questions, listen carefully, and think critically. Understand the why behind decisions.
• See the big picture: Stay close to what’s happening across the company so you can make better decisions. Consider how your work affects others.
• Drive effective teamwork: Create psychological safety, invite different perspectives, and build inclusive teams. There are no bad questions.
• Act as one team: We win together. We match tasks to the right owner and stay agile as priorities shift.
• Have fun: What we do matters and it should be enjoyable. Celebrate progress, take pride in results, and share the wins.

Benefits

Our benefits are designed to support your health and wellbeing, at work and beyond. We keep improving them based on employee feedback, and offerings vary by location. Talent Acquisition will confirm what applies for this role and location during the process.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

We want ICEYE to be a place where people can be themselves and do great work. Different backgrounds and perspectives make us stronger, which is why we work to create an environment where people feel included, respected, and able to speak up. Whatever your background, we want you to bring your authentic self to the table.

We’re committed to fair, inclusive hiring and equal opportunity. Everyone is welcome to apply. If you need any adjustments or support during the recruitment process, tell us and we will do our best to help.

Apply now to start your ICEYE journey and help us continue to make the impossible possible together. Read more about ICEYE and working with us at iceye.com.