Full-Stack Satellite Engineer
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Role: Full-Stack Satellite Engineer (Contract-Based)
Location: Washington, DC (On-site) / Arlington, VA (On-site)
Scope of Services:
- Satellite System Integration & Support
- Provide technical mentorship and guidance to GWU CubeSat team members.
- Create an efficient data logging system
- Create tasks that will encompass all system behaviors and states (TBR) Support full-stack integration of avionics, ADCS (Pumpkin GNSS board with existing code base), EPS, battery, solar panels, and UHF transceiver.
- Perform functional testing of OBC interfaces and satellite bus peripherals (UART, I2C, RS-485)
- Oversee and participate in the final integration of remaining hardware components as soon as procurement is complete.
- Design and integrate solar panels, batteries, EPS boards, and internal power harnesses.
Embedded Software and Firmware Development:
- Develop command-and-control code for the propulsion system s Power Processing Unit (PPU), enabling remote activation, pulsing, and diagnostics via ground station telemetry links. Ensure robust communication protocol design for secure and fail-safe command execution.
- Assist with command uplink and telemetry downlink packet structure.
- Work with students to test the interface with the Enduro Sat UHF transceiver.
- Ansys STK simulation for VLEO satellite in various environments
- Lab & Test Support
- Assist with satellite-level system testing, checkout procedures, and vacuum chamber test prep.
- Document all integration, test, and troubleshooting steps in a shared GitHub repo.
- Deliverables and Timeline
- By May 2026: All new components integrated and individually tested
- By April 2026: STK simulations for VLEO satellite
- By June August 2026: Satellite fully integrated, tested, and handed off to integrator
- By Q4 2026: Continued post-launch technical support, including telemetry analysis and troubleshooting if needed
- Required Experience And ToolsBS/MS in Aerospace, Electrical, Systems or Computer Engineering3 6 years of experience with smallsat/CubeSat missions (preferably with full-cycle exposure: design test launch ops)
- Experience with satellite bus avionics, embedded coding (C/C++/Python), RF comms, and ADCS tuning
- Familiarity with tools like STK, GMAT, LabVIEW, Altium, or OBC SDKs (e.g., Pumpkin, GomSpace, Tyvak)
- Hands-on experience with hardware debugging, serial protocols, and real-time systems
- Exposure to FCC/ITU licensing, launch ICDs, or CubeSat interface standards
- Familiar with ITAR, MIL-STD-1540/1541, NASA GEVS, ECSS, and interface protocols for satellite buses and plasma thrusters
- Experience building comm protocols on Endurosat systems
- Experience with GNU Radio (ground station requirement) - Experience with UART and I2c drivers
- Familiarity with high-temperature materials and control algorithms
- Familiarity with MIL-STD-1512/1540/1541, ECSS-E-ST-50, NASA GEVS, IPC-2221 and telemetry protocols (AX.25, CCSDS)
Bonus
Experience with VLEO, drag modeling, or orbital maintenance systems
Involvement in DARPA, AFRL, NASA, or commercial flight demo programs
Background in both R&D environments and fast-paced space startups