About this role
Optical Payload Systems Engineer
About Satellogic Satellogic is a vertically integrated Earth Observation company that designs, manufactures, and operates satellite systems, delivering decision-grade insights at scale to government and commercial customers. We build space systems end-to-end, from satellite design and manufacturing to launch and on-orbit operations, giving us the ability to deploy quickly, operate reliably, and support persistent monitoring across regions and priority areas. Our approach moves customers beyond one-off imagery toward continuous awareness and alert-driven decision-making, with flexible pathways that can evolve from managed monitoring to full satellite ownership and sovereign control. Our technology supports a wide range of use cases across climate monitoring, agriculture, energy, infrastructure, defense and intelligence, helping organizations detect change, manage risk, and plan with confidence. With a team distributed across five countries, Satellogic brings together expertise in satellite engineering, software development, data science, manufacturing, operations, and go-to-market. We’re a group of purpose-driven builders who value ownership, curiosity, and execution—and who work with humility, honesty, and empathy.
About the position The Systems Engineering team within Satellite Engineering is in charge of the design of new spacecraft models, the negotiation of technical system requirements with stakeholders, the requirement verification plan and specification, and the management and definition of systems budgets and interfaces. As an Optical Payload Systems Engineer you will manage optical payload requirements (mass, power, spectral resolution, space resolution, signal-to-noise ratio, etc), define the payload verification plan and specification, perform trade studies of different optoelectronics systems in order to design new payloads, and own technical budgets (signal-to-noise ratio, modulation transfer function, radiometry, etc).
Principal Responsibilities Technically lead the optical payload subsystem activities. Be the primary technical point of contact responsible for the optical payload subsystem on a project, interfacing with the Payload Subsystem Program Manager and other systems engineers (Optical, Mechanical, Thermal, electronics, etc) Interpret mission specific and spacecraft system level requirements and establish the baseline technical requirements for the payload subsystem. Provide technical support for operations. Prepare/update/present subsystem design analysis documentation for design reviews throughout the project life cycle milestones and reviews. Establish integration and test plans and requirements for the subsystem development Provide technical input to future payload developments and contribute to continuous improvement of products, systems and processes Oversee the payload module manufacture and