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Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Space System Architect Spacecraft Mission Analysis (SMA) - **Company:** Antwerp Space - **Location:** (Antwerpen), Belgium - **Experience:** Expert - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** Systems Engineering, Fault Tolerance, Software Architecture, Requirements Management, Systems Architecture, Jama (Software), Reliability of Systems - **Published:** July 29, 2026 - **Apply:** https://www.adzuna.be/details/5686610605 ## About the Role * Eligible for an EU security clearance (EU citizen, or eligible for citizenship and living in the EU for at least 10 years. * Candidates currently living outside Belgium will only be considered if they are willing to relocate to Belgium before the start of their contract. Relocation is a prerequisite for employment. * Fluency in spoken and written English. Knowledge of Dutch and French is an asset. Required technical competences and practical needs * Master's degree or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Space Engineering, or a closely related field. * Minimum of 5 years of experience in Phase 0/A space mission formulation, space systems architecture, or space payload systems engineering. * Working knowledge of European Cooperation for Space Standardization (ECSS) standards, alongside an understanding of commercial / New Space practices. * Deep understanding of spacecraft system capabilities, payload technologies, and how they drive mission feasibility. * Background in systems engineering principles, requirements elicitation, and verification. * Professional experience in phase B/C/D in Navigation, Radar, or Communication projects is an asset. * Experience writing or evaluating proposals for government or commercial space agencies (e.g., NASA, ESA, DoD). * Background in evaluating spacecraft supply chain options, commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) bus capabilities, and "make vs. buy" decisions. * Familiarity with system reliability and fault-tolerance philosophies for various mission risk postures. * Proficiency in requirements management tools (e.g., DOORS, Jama) and familiarity with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE). * Willingness to travel. Expected soft skills * Demonstrated ability to lead technical teams, resolve complex engineering conflicts, and make critical architectural decisions. * Experience in dealing with customers and vendors is advantageous. * Excellent communication skills with a high degree of flexibility. * Team player who can work effectively both independently and in large projects. ## Description As the System Architect for Mission Analysis, you will be the design authority for spacecraft/constellation architecture. You will spearhead the definition of orbital configuration together with mission operations concepts from launch to end-of-life disposal. You will ensure coherence between high-level customer and science requirements and make sure they are reflected in technical baseline of the mission architecture. You'll be reporting to the System Engineering team lead, project teams, and collaborating with colleagues from the operational department. As a Space System Engineer specializing in the Spacecraft Mission Analysis (SMA) area, your expected key responsibilities will be: * Mission scope and objective: Translate customer, stakeholder, and market requirements into clear, verifiable top-level mission objectives and system-level requirements for spaceborne missions. * Architecture definition: Define the overarching mission architecture. Determine the optimal types, sizes, and quantities of spacecraft (e.g., a single highly capable flagship vs. a distributed constellation of smaller satellites) required to fulfil the mission scope. * Payload determination and integration: Lead technical trade studies to select, define, and size the primary and secondary payloads (e.g., optical imagers, SAR, scientific instruments, or specialized communication nodes) that directly align with the mission's purpose. * Concept of operations (ConOps): Develop the end-to-end ConOps, establishing how the space segment, payloads, ground segment, and end-users will interact throughout the mission lifecycle. * Mission utility and trade studies: Conduct holistic trade-offs evaluating mission utility, cost, schedule, data latency, and technical risk across various spacecraft bus and payload configurations. * Requirements flow-down: Establish the foundational system specifications and allocate requirements to subsystem teams (payload, bus, ground, launch) for Phase A/B development. * Documentation: Generate and maintain documentation, including analyses, specifications, engineering and technical budgets, test procedures, reports, and design descriptions. * Coordination and collaboration: Coordinate technical aspects with customers, vendors, subcontractors, project teams, space system engineering, and other divisions. ## Related Videos - [Model Based Systems Engineering in an Agile Product Development Process](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/68-model-based-systems-engineering-in-an-agile-product-development-process) - [System Resilience: Surviving the Software Storm](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/874-system-resilience-surviving-the-software-storm) - [Migrating half a million users to a new payment service provider](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/730-migrating-half-a-million-users-to-a-new-payment-service-provider) - [Times of (climate) crisis - How and why sustainable software is a must!](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/988-times-of-climate-crisis-how-and-why-sustainable-software-is-a-must) - [We (don't) need a software architect!?!](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/663-we-don-t-need-a-software-architect) - [Fault Tolerance and Consistency at Scale: Harnessing the Power of Distributed SQL Databases](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1520-fault-tolerance-and-consistency-at-scale-harnessing-the-power-of-distributed-sql-databases) ## Related Articles - [How to land a developer job in Amsterdam](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/36-how-to-land-a-developer-job-in-amsterdam) - [How to Find Tech Jobs in Amsterdam](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/279-how-to-find-tech-jobs-in-amsterdam) - [The Netherlands – Europe’s powerhouse for software development?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/31-the-netherlands-europe-s-powerhouse-for-software-development) - [Best Companies in the Netherlands: Top 25 Companies in 2023 ](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/193-best-companies-in-the-netherlands-top-25-companies-in-2023) - [The 12 Best Jobs for Software Engineers](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/401-the-12-best-jobs-for-software-engineers) - [Software Developer Salary in The Netherlands [2023]](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/217-software-developer-salary-in-the-netherlands-2023)