Software Engineer, Simulation and Modeling

Software Engineer, Simulation and Modeling

Location: Valencia

Reports to: Laboratory Lead & Test Architect

Employment type: Permanent

Workplace model: Hybrid

Employment is subject to applicable security screening (incl. SUPO, where required)

Why this role matters: As a Software Engineer, Simulation and Modeling, you’ll build the software world the satellites live in (orbits, emitters, signals, truth and scoring) so the whole team can ask “what if” and get a number back. ICEYE is building a space-based RF constellation covering 100 MHz to 30 GHz alongside its SAR fleet, and the Experimentation Lab in Valencia is where we develop, simulate and validate that capability. Customers and our own engineers ask questions we currently answer by hand-waving: what revisit a cluster gives over an area, how many emitters we detect in a crowded scene, how geolocation accuracy moves with cluster spacing or timing error, and what a next-generation architecture choice buys. The answers need a simulation framework that models the constellation and the emitters end to end, generates the signals each satellite would see, and scores what comes out against a known truth. It doesn’t exist yet. You’ll build it, and it will become a tool used by engineers, analysts and customer-facing staff. You’ll work daily with the lab, signal processing and ground segment teams, and you’ll have direct influence on how ICEYE builds and proves this capability.

Who We Are ICEYE is the world leader in sovereign intelligence from space. We deliver persistent monitoring capabilities to detect and respond to changes in any location on Earth. ICEYE owns the world's largest and most advanced SAR (synthetic aperture radar) satellite constellation. To our customers we provide intelligence with unmatched quality, latency and revisit times, in any weather, day or night. To governments who choose to operate their own constellation we provide this proven capability as a sovereign system. ICEYE-built constellations serve customers in defence and intelligence, environmental monitoring, insurance and emergency management. We enable fast decisions that contribute to a safer future. Founded and headquartered in Finland, ICEYE operates globally with over 1000 employees across Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific.

Your day-to-day responsibilities

• Model the constellation: orbit propagation, cluster geometry, attitude and pointing, antenna beams, access and contact windows, with spacing and timing as swept variables.
• Model the emitters and the theatre: emitters as state machines with real antenna patterns, scan behaviour, modes and duty cycles, placed at order-of-battle density. Start from the lab’s real captures and extend synthetically.
• Generate the signals: propagation and link modelling (path loss, delay, Doppler, ionosphere in the low band) and synthetic I/Q per satellite, at a fidelity the RF hardware and the processing chain can consume.
• Own the truth together with the processing team: a truth ledger of every simulated emission, position and time, kept out of reach of the system under test, plus the association and scoring that turn a run into detection rate, false-alarm rate, geolocation accuracy and latency.
• Drive the hardware together with the RF team: provide the geometry and timing the channel simulator and playback hardware need, so a recorded radar can be heard by three simulated satellites with the right delays and Doppler.
• Make it a platform: versioned scenarios, seeded and reproducible runs, provenance on every result, tests, CI, documentation and an interface that non-authors can use.
• Answer real questions: capacity, revisit and performance studies for the payload, product and sales teams, and architecture trades for future generations.

What we’re looking for Must haves:

• Strong software engineering in Python (and ideally a compiled language): clean architecture, version control, testing, code review, packaging
• Experience building a simulation or model of a physical system that others used, and validating it against measurement or real data
• Numerical and scientific computing: NumPy/SciPy or equivalent, vectorisation, performance awareness
• Working knowledge of at least one of orbital mechanics and access computation, RF link budgets and propagation, or signal processing
• Habits that make results reproducible: seeds, configuration management, data provenance
• Clear written and spoken English

Nice to haves:

• Constellation, mission or system-level modeling and simulation (STK, Orekit, GMAT, Basilisk or in-house)
• Radar, EW or emitter modeling; scenario or order-of-battle generation
• TDOA/FDOA/AoA geolocation or estimation theory
• Synthetic I/Q generation, GPU acceleration, or real-time and hardware-in-the-loop interfaces
• Cloud-native deployment, containers, workflow orchestration, and data stores for large runs
• A simulation framework of yours that outlived your involvement in it
• Eligibility for national security clearance (an advantage)

What success looks like:

• 6 months: a first end-to-end scenario (cluster geometry, a handful of emitters, synthetic I/Q per satellite, truth logged, a first score) is used to answer at least one real capacity or performance question.
• 12 months: a reproducible, documented framework runs without you on the team; geometry drives the RF channel simulator; real captures enter scenarios alongside synthetic emitters.
• 24 months: the simulation is part of the end-to-end loop with the flatsat and ground pipeline, runs in regression, and backs performance numbers we put in front of customers.

Working at ICEYE At ICEYE, you’ll join a diverse and highly engaged team united by the ambition to make the impossible possible. As a global scale-up, we combine speed and ambition with the opportunity to take real ownership from day one. Your growth, wellbeing, and success are a priority, with continuous professional development, training opportunities, and a culture where collaboration is how we win.

What we value Make the impossible possible: We set ambitious goals and stay calm under pressure. We bring grit, optimism, and ownership when things get hard, and we keep moving until we find a way. Be curious: Go deep, ask questions, listen carefully, and think critically. Understand the why behind decisions. See the big picture: Stay close to what’s happening across the company so you can make better decisions. Consider how your work affects others. Drive effective teamwork: Create psychological safety, invite different perspectives, and build inclusive teams. There are no bad questions. Act as one team: We win together. We match tasks to the right owner and stay agile as priorities shift. Have fun: What we do matters—and it should be enjoyable. Celebrate progress, take pride in results, and share the wins.

Benefits

• Our benefits are designed to support your health and wellbeing, at work and beyond. We keep improving them based on employee feedback, and offerings vary by location. Talent Acquisition will confirm what applies for this role and location during the process.

• Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

• We want ICEYE to be a place where people can be themselves and do great work. Different backgrounds and perspectives make us stronger, which is why we work to create an environment where people feel included, respected, and able to speak up. Whatever your background, we want you to bring your authentic self to the table.

• We’re committed to fair, inclusive hiring and equal opportunity. Everyone is welcome to apply. If you need any adjustments or support during the recruitment process, tell us—we’ll do our best to help.

• Apply now to start your ICEYE journey, and help us continue to make the impossible possible together. Read more about ICEYE and working with us at iceye.com