System Engineer for Exploration

The Directorate of Predevelopment, Proposals and Space System Studies is a strategic cornerstone of the company’s project pipeline. It drives the early shaping of future space missions by translating customer requirements into technically sound and competitive concepts. Within this directorate, the Department of Science, Exploration and Space Safety Missions focuses on the conceptualisation and maturation of missions related to astrophysics, planetary science, robotic solar system exploration, space safety, planetary defence, space weather, in-orbit servicing, in-space logistics and debris mitigation. By bridging scientific ambition with engineering feasibility, the department plays a key role in securing the OHB’s leadership in future international space programs. Within this department, the Exploration In-Space Transportation and Servicing team focuses on missions related to Exploration in Earth Orbit, Moon and Mars surface and environment and to in-space transportation and servicing in Earth orbit and beyond.

Your Tasks

As a Senior System Engineer Predevelopment, you will take a leading role in shaping the early phases of cutting-edge satellite missions. In this position, you will drive system engineering activities during Phase A/B1, provide technical leadership across specialist teams and subcontractors, and steer the definition of the mission and system architecture. You will be responsible to establish the technical, programmatic, and schedule foundations that ensure mission success throughout the entire development lifecycle.

Tasks:

• Act as lead system engineer or senior counterpart to the Lead System Engineer for the Phase A/B1 study.
• Coordinate and oversee technical contributions from specialist engineering departments and subcontractors, ensuring coherence and quality.
• Perform and guide trade-offs and high-level analyses to shape the mission and system architecture.
• Lead substantial elements of the platform and subsystem system design, including deriving, validating, and maintaining requirements from satellite down to subsystem level.
• Contribute to and review the satellite development approach to secure the targeted Technology Readiness Level (TRL) by the end of Phase B1.
• Support and guide the definition of the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) for phases B2, C/D, and E1 through in-orbit commissioning.
• Support the development and consolidation of the programme plan for phases B2, C/D, and E1 up to in-orbit calibration and validation.
• Support and review the establishment of a project implementation schedule for the platform aligned with overall programme planning.
• Analyse and assess cost drivers, contributing to cost modelling and optimization strategies.
• Identify, evaluate, and help manage technical and programmatic risks related to cost, schedule, and technical feasibility.
• Contribute to planning and implementing risk mitigation measures for the platform.

Minimum:

• Master-level degree in aerospace engineering with a focus on space systems
• Minimum 5 years of industry experience in space system engineering or satellite development.
• Strong competencies in space mission design, satellite systems engineering, and spacecraft subsystem design.
• Experience in requirements engineering for spacecraft subsystems and preparation of specifications.
• Familiarity with science, exploration, or space safety mission concepts.
• High level of flexibility and ability to work effectively in international, interdisciplinary teams.
• Strong ownership mindset, structured and proactive working approach, and strong sense of responsibility.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and documentation skills.
• Fluency in spoken and written (business) English.

Ideal:

• Significant experience working on Phase 0/A/B1 projects and proposals in industry or on institutional side.
• Hands-on experience with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) toolchains and methodologies
• Fluency in German language is an advantage

Work Life Balance: Flexible working hours, sabbatical, 30 days vacation & special leave days Mobile Work: Hybrid work & mobile work abroad Structured on-boarding process (incl. Assignment of a buddy in the first months) Development: Extensive range of training courses, individual professional development, German language courses & annual employee dialogue space projects Additional benefits: 13. monthly salary, accident insurance & company pension plan Catering: High standard company restaurant & generous meals subsidy Active health promotion: Health management, E-GYM Wellpass & In-company sports groups Family: Kindergarten subsidy / Kindergarten places, Childcare in the vacation period & paid child sickness days Mobility: Subsidized Deutschland ticket, Job bike & parking lots Company parties & events: Christmas party, Satellite launch events, NextGen Speakers Night Innovation: Company suggestion system & free research and development

A complete overview of our benefits and more details can be found here on our website.

Become part of our international team and take your professional and personal development to a new level. Don’t fulfil all the requirements? No problem - we are happy to receive applications with partial matches! We are looking forward to your application in German or English via our online tool.

OHB System AG Human Resources

Questions regarding this posting? Christian Wolten is available under career@ohb.de.