Technical Lead – Satellite QKD System (LEO)

About the role

A permanent Technical Lead position for a space project on Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). You will act as the technical authority on behalf of TPZ, ensuring end-to-end system coherence across space, ground and user segments, and lead requirements engineering, system design and validation under the ECSS framework. The role is based in Madrid with additional locations in Barcelona, with hybrid working.

Key responsibilities

• Systems engineering: lead system engineering, define the LEO QKD system architecture and product tree, and ensure consistency across space, ground (GCS, OGS, KMS) and user segments
• Requirements engineering: identify and consolidate mission and subsystem requirements, coordinate cybersecurity requirements and support Mission Simulator requirements
• Design and development: lead the Ground Control Segment design, integrate the Quantum Uplink Node and contribute to the Mission Simulator design
• Integration, verification and validation: define and supervise IVV plans, oversee verification documentation and test plans, and ensure consistency between requirements, design, simulations and test results
• Operational concept: define the end-to-end operational concept, key management processes and mission planning and orchestration
• Technical coordination: act as the cross-functional technical authority in an international consortium and manage system interfaces and technical trade-offs

Required profile

• Minimum 10 years of experience in systems engineering for space missions or complex systems
• Proven experience leading requirements and IVV activities in multi-stakeholder environments
• Background in mission control systems design and operations planning
• Experience in optical communications, satcom or secure systems
• Previous participation in international consortia

Required skills

• ECSS standards and methodologies (New Space context preferred)
• Free Space Optical Communications (FSOC) and QKD systems
• Mission Control Systems (MCS) and requirements traceability tools
• System-level cybersecurity and security-by-design