Full-Stack Satellite Engineer

Role: Full-Stack Satellite Engineer (Contract-Based)

Location: Washington, DC (On-site) / Arlington, VA (On-site)

Scope of Services

1. 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.

2. 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

3. 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.

4. 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 Tools:

• BS/MS in Aerospace, Electrical, Systems or Computer Engineering
• 3 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