Senior Electric Propulsion Engineer
ICEYE
Senior Electric Propulsion Engineer
ICEYE
SAR satellite constellation for Earth monitoring
Senior Electric Propulsion Engineer
Location: Espoo, Finland / Warsaw, Poland
Department: AOCS Hardware
Reports to: Engineering Manager AOCS Hardware
Employment type: Permanent
Workplace model: Hybrid (3 days in the office)
Employment is subject to applicable security screening (incl. SUPO, where required)
ICEYE needs a senior, hands-on Hall Effect Thruster engineer in the AOCS Hardware team to own the maturation and qualification of the propulsion subsystem around the thruster (FCU, feed system, tanks, PPU, valves, harness). The role runs from early trade-offs through ground test facilities, qualification, production handoff and on-orbit anomaly work. Success at 12 months looks like a qualified, production-ready peripheral architecture with a working test flow and suppliers handing over repeatable builds.
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.
Design and trade-offs: Lead design and performance trade-offs for the propulsion subsystem, and mature the supporting hardware (FCU, feed/tank systems, PPUs, valves, cabling) with clear architectures, requirements and verification paths.
Modeling and analysis: Run analytical modeling and simulation of propulsion system behavior (thermal, plume, and spacecraft interaction effects) to support design decisions.
Test and qualification: Set up and operate ground test facilities and testbeds, and plan and run functional, environmental and lifetime test campaigns, including acceptance criteria and procedures.
Production readiness and suppliers: Work with vendors, research institutions and integrators on co-development and supply chain coordination, and define production-readiness criteria, test/inspection flows and supplier handoffs.
On-orbit performance and documentation: Monitor in-flight propulsion performance, lead anomaly investigations and corrective actions, and keep test reports, technical rationale and qualification records up to date.
Must haves:
Educational background in Aerospace Engineering, Plasma Physics, Electrical Engineering, or related field.
At least 6 years of experience working with electric propulsion systems, preferably Hall Effect Thrusters, in design, test, or operation.
Proven background in plasma physics, electric propulsion modeling, or space system engineering.
Experience with designing or evaluating PPUs and power interfaces for propulsion systems.
Strong analytical skills and experience using numerical tools for thermal, plasma, or fluid simulations (e.g. COMSOL, ANSYS, SPIS, MATLAB).
Hands-on experience with laboratory plasma diagnostics, test setup and electrical test equipment (oscilloscopes, power supplies, thrust stands, HV instrumentation).
Experience designing or commissioning ground test facilities, with good understanding of vacuum systems, contamination control and safe HV testing practices.
Excellent communication skills and ability to work across disciplines (mechanical, avionics, GNC, systems).
Nice to haves:
Experience with qualification, flight-certification or qualification test campaigns for propulsion subsystems.
Familiarity with high-voltage system design, thermal vacuum testing, lifetime/erosion testing and spacecraft contamination considerations.
Proficiency with Python and Git for data analysis, tooling or automation; C/C++ experience to liaise with flight software teams is a plus.
Experience managing suppliers, procurement and technical deliverables for critical spacecraft subsystems.
Recruiter Interview (30 mins online)
Hiring Manager Interview (30 mins online)
Technical Interview (60 mins online)
Technical Workshop (90 mins onsite)
Director Interview (60 mins onsite)
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.
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.
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.
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.
ICEYE builds and operates the world’s largest synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite constellation to monitor the Earth continuously, day or night and in any weather. Its SAR satellites capture radar imagery that can see through clouds and darkness, giving customers in defence and intelligence, insurance, emergency management, and environmental monitoring a persistent view of wide areas. Images and analytics are delivered from a network of satellites and, increasingly, sovereign constellations that governments can operate themselves. ICEYE plans to scale up production toward about 100 satellites per year by 2028 and has pursued large funding rounds to expand capacity and sovereign delivery, aiming to grow its revenue and backlog while offering reliable, near-real-time Earth observation data.
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