Senior Professional Officer - Space Systems Engineering

About the role

The Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) is seeking an experienced space systems engineer to lead its Student Innovation Centre (SIC) space projects. The role anchors the student CubeSat programme, builds up SIT's space testing facilities and runs the day-to-day operations of SIC across its portfolio of complex engineering projects. It is a fixed-term position within the Professional Officers Division, under the Office of the Provost.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end development of SIT's student-built CubeSat, from mission definition and design through assembly, integration and test, launch and on-orbit operations.
• Guide and mentor student teams on space and other complex engineering projects, including preparation for CanSat and other regional and international competitions.
• Set up, operate and maintain space testing facilities (mass properties measurement, thermal vacuum chamber, clean room) and develop their use by industry and research partners on a fee-for-service basis.
• Run SIC's day-to-day operations, including project intake, scheduling, budgets, procurement and equipment and technical resources.
• Build partnerships with the National Space Agency of Singapore, regional space agencies, universities, launch service providers and space companies, and develop industry projects and IWSP placements for students.
• Design, develop and teach Unrestricted Elective modules, laboratory sessions and practice-based content in space systems engineering, and supervise students in applied projects, Capstone Projects and the Integrated Work Study Programme.
• Support applied research proposals, grant applications and sponsorship bids, and ensure compliance with laboratory, clean room, safety policies and export control and launch compliance requirements.
• Work with faculty and internal stakeholders on teaching, applied research and innovation, and support other complex engineering projects such as autonomous systems.

Required profile

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical/Electronic Engineering or a related discipline; a PhD is not required.
• At least 5-10 years of industry or research-centre experience, including building space systems qualified for flight or launched.
• Track record in technical project leadership (managing schedules, budgets, vendors and technical risks).
• Demonstrated interest in teaching and mentoring, such as guest lecturing, student mentorship or competition judging.
• For senior appointments, managerial or team leadership experience may be required.

Required skills

• Spacecraft systems engineering, mission design, structures and mechanisms, and AIT of satellites and payloads.
• Environmental qualification testing (vibration, shock, thermal vacuum, thermal cycling, mass properties) and finite element analysis (e.g. ANSYS, MSC Patran/Nastran).
• Satellite subsystems (power, communications, onboard computing, attitude determination and control) and payloads (optical, IoT, in-orbit computing).
• Clean room practice, contamination and outgassing control, and familiarity with ECSS, NASA GEVS, CubeSat Design Specification and export control.
• Experience with space agencies, launch providers or deep-tech partners.