Senior Payload Engineer (m/f/d)

Atmos Space Cargo is seeking a Senior Payload Engineer to take technical ownership of payload integration across Phoenix missions, from early customer definition through launch, in-orbit operations, and mission close-out.

In this role, you will act as a key technical interface between payload customers and our spacecraft, systems, operations, and commercial teams. You will lead complex payload integration activities, drive technical decisions, and ensure that payloads are safely, compliantly, and successfully integrated.

Key responsibilities

• Take end-to-end technical ownership of payload integration activities across multiple Phoenix missions.
• Act as the primary technical interface for key payload customers from early mission definition through launch and mission completion.
• Lead the definition, management, and verification of payload interfaces, requirements, and integration constraints.
• Drive technical coordination across systems engineering, avionics, software, operations, ground segment, and flight teams.
• Lead payload-related technical reviews, design reviews, readiness reviews, and customer reviews.
• Assess payload compatibility, identify technical risks, and define mitigation measures in close coordination with internal engineering teams.
• Own and review payload safety documentation, compliance activities, and applicable spaceflight standards.
• Support mission architecture and trade-off decisions related to payload accommodation, operations, and performance.
• Contribute technical expertise to proposals, customer discussions, pricing inputs, mission feasibility assessments, and manifest planning.
• Ensure technical consistency, quality, and best practices across payload projects and continuously improve payload integration processes, tools, and documentation.
• Support anomaly resolution and mission operations for payload-related topics during testing, launch preparation, and in-orbit operations.
• Mentor less experienced engineers and contribute to building strong technical capability within the payload team.

Requirements

• 5+ years of relevant experience in payload engineering, systems engineering, mission engineering, or a comparable technical role in the space sector.
• Strong technical understanding of spacecraft and payload systems, interfaces, and spaceflight constraints.
• Solid knowledge of relevant space standards, verification approaches, and safety requirements.
• Experience working in complex, multidisciplinary space projects.
• Strong systems thinking, sound technical judgement, and a structured problem-solving approach.
• Excellent communication skills and confidence working with technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Fluent in English; French or German is a strong plus.