Senior Director, Satellite Engineering

Who we are:

Globalstar pioneered personal safety by introducing its SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger in 2007. Today, leveraging its low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation, Globalstar reliably connects and protects assets, transmits key operational data, and saves lives – from any location – for consumers, industrial companies and government agencies in over 120 countries. With a portfolio that includes SPOT GPS messengers, next-generation IoT products and modems, and cloud-based telematics solutions, Globalstar’s cost effective satellite-powered innovations give users visibility and intelligence for improving safety and operational efficiencies.

Job Summary:

The Senior Director of Satellite Engineering is responsible for providing technical leadership across the design, integration, testing, and on-orbit performance of the company’s satellite constellation.  This role oversees the engineering teams that interface with satellite manufacturers, manage satellite engineering activities, and ensure constellation performance meets mission and customer requirements.  The Director of Satellite Engineering works cross-functionally with Operations, Systems Engineering, and Program Management teams and serves as the primary engineering authority on satellite system-level decisions.  This is a hands-on Director role that is expected to participate in design reviews, analyses, and anomaly response campaigns with a deep understanding of technical issues.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

This role requires supervision of direct contributors as well as Managers who, in turn, have supervisory responsibilities.  As a result, this role involves salary administration, hiring, performance management, and professional development of direct and indirect reports.

Duties/Responsibilities:

Leadership

• Provide technical leadership and direction for Satellite Engineering, including requirements definition, design review, integration, test, and launch support
• Serve as the Satellite Engineering lead for interfacing with satellite manufacturer(s)
• Devise technical goals and strategies for the Satellite Engineering department in pursuit of the company’s key initiatives and constellation evolution
• Strategically plan the methodology and tooling of the Satellite Engineering team to scale with constellation growth and next-generation system development

Oversight

• Ensure satellite systems and communications channels stay up to date with current best security practices
• Oversee the development and maintenance of:
• Satellite performance monitoring and telemetry analysis tools
• Constellation modeling and simulation environments
• Engineering documentation and procedures
• Changes to flight software, onboard limits, ground-based configurations and procedures after satellites are in orbit and providing service to optimize mission performance
• Oversee the Satellite Engineering department’s activities as they engage with the Operations team to:
  • Define policies and procedures
  • Direct anomaly response
  • Plan and submit operational activities and changes
  • Oversee on-orbit satellite performance analysis, anomaly investigation, and resolution in coordination with the Operations team

Practical

• Engage directly with key customers to communicate constellation health and root cause analysis of anomalous events
• Participate in the on-call rotation with the Satellite Engineering team for anomaly response
• Collaborate with Program Management to establish and maintain satellite development schedules, budgets, and risk registers
• Prioritize and allocate engineering resources across multiple concurrent programs and initiatives
• Create and manage department and project budgets
• Maintain relationships with satellite manufacturers and regulatory agencies over the life of each mission

Skills and Competencies:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to interact clearly and concisely with all departments and levels of management, as well as external partners and manufacturers
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to build, mentor, and retain high-performing engineering teams
• Excellent organizational skills with attention to detail
• Ability to meet multiple deadlines and manage competing priorities in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment
• Ability to act with integrity, professionalism, and confidentiality
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, particularly in the context of complex system-level trade studies
• Proficiency with satellite engineering tools (e.g., STK/AGI, MATLAB, Python) and standard office productivity software
• Familiarity with industry-standard project management and requirements management tools
• Ability to communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders

Education, Experience, and Licenses/Certifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field
• Minimum of 15 years of experience in satellite engineering, spacecraft development, or related disciplines within the telecommunications or aerospace industry
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in a leadership role managing engineering teams
• Demonstrated experience interfacing with satellite manufacturers on spacecraft design reviews and acceptance campaigns
• Strong understanding of satellite bus and payload subsystems (e.g., power, thermal, propulsion, AOCS/GNC, RF payloads)
• Familiarity with on-orbit satellite operations, commissioning, and end-of-life disposal
• Understanding of relevant industry standards (e.g., CCSDS, DVB-S2X) and regulatory frameworks (FCC, ITU, & CNES)
• Experience with satellite constellation design, orbital mechanics, and coverage analysis is highly desirable

Physical Requirements:

• Willingness and ability to travel domestically and internationally as needed
• Willingness and ability to work after regularly scheduled hours as needed, particularly during launch campaigns, anomaly response, and critical mission events
• Ability to sit at a desk for prolonged periods working on a computer (4 to 8 hours)
• Ability to operate the equipment used for the job
• Ability to lift 15 pounds at times
• Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this job

Marginal Functions:

A review of this job description may have omitted some of the marginal functions of the position that are incidental to the performance of the job duties and responsibilities.  This job description, in no way, states or implies that these are the only duties and/or responsibilities to be performed by the employee in this position.  The employee in this position will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by his/her supervisor.