5G Payload Engineer - IRIS2

Hispasat, as part of the SpaceRISE consortium, is responsible for the technical implementation and for ensuring the success of the IRIS² project, leveraging its extensive experience in satellite communications. This collaboration is essential to provide secure, reliable and high-performance communication solutions to the European Union and its Member States.

To be part of this project, we are looking for a 5G Payload Engineer. The responsibilities of the position are as follows:

Responsibilities

• Architect and implement a 5G NTN network from satellite, including the flight and ground segment components, in a secured environment.
• Design and develop digital signal-processing algorithms for 5G wireless and satellite-communication systems.
• Define, model and simulate algorithmic prototypes in MATLAB or equivalent environments.
• Collaborate with payload, systems and software teams, including High-Level Synthesis workflows where applicable.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define upcoming solutions for SAT network architecture.
• Preparation of reviews for payload design, manufacturing, acceptance and testing, working closely with the platform and systems teams.
• Develop end-to-end simulations, reference models and payload-processing chains for 5G NR and future NTN capabilities.
• Integrate and validate end to end network connectivity across Open RAN, gNodeB, 5G Core, IMS, transport, and LEO satellite test systems.
• Partner with RF, modem, payload, Core, RAN, software, and systems teams to define the overall system architecture, implementation, test and operations from ambiguous system behavior to clear resolver ownership.
• Validate and optimise performance across representative channel models, test vectors and operational scenarios.
• Validate VoNR and IMS call flows, including registration, SIP signaling, media path, QoS, emergency call behavior where applicable, and failure recovery
• Support trade-off analyses involving latency, throughput, processing capacity, robustness and implementation constraints.
• Contribute to verification and validation activities, technical documentation and formal reviews.
• Interface with internal teams, subcontractors and industrial partners on DSP, PHY-layer implementation and payload processing.
• Support technical meetings, reviews and coordination sessions with partners and institutions; occasional travel may be required.

Minimum requirements

• Master's Degree or PhD in Telecommunications Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Aerospace Engineering or a related field.
• Experience in DSP algorithm design for wireless-communication systems, ideally involving 5G NR, satellite communications or advanced radio systems.
• Expertise in Digital Signal Processing (DSP), Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) technology, active antenna, on-board digital processors, software-defined radio payloads and 5G NB-IoT standard
• Experience with LEO, satellite communications, NTN, or space to ground network integration
• Strong knowledge of digital-communications theory, including modulation, coding, synchronisation, channel estimation, equalisation, beamforming and MIMO.
• Knowledge of 5G PHY and Low-PHY processing.
• Experience with 3GPP specifications and Non-Terrestrial Networks, including satellite communications and architectures trade-offs
• Experience with 3GPP release 19, 5G NR NTN, satellite waveforms, link-budget constraints and propagation effects.
• 3GPP Release 17 NTN behaviors from a network integration perspective, including attach, registration, bearer setup, user plane, mobility, and service continuity
• Ability to work in multidisciplinary teams involving payload, software, systems engineering, ground segment and platform.
• Nationality of an EU Member State and eligibility to undergo an EU Secret clearance process.
• Fluent written and spoken English.

Nice to have

• Experience with High-Level Synthesis and FPGA implementation constraints.
• Knowledge of satellite payload architectures, digital or regenerative payloads and baseband processing.
• Knowledge of radio-transceiver architectures and complete baseband-processing chains.
• Knowledge of secured systems for satellite communications
• Experience in real-time implementation, fixed-point modelling, hardware acceleration or embedded optimisation.

At Hispasat we promote equal opportunities and an inclusive environment. All our selection processes are based on objective criteria, without distinction of gender, age, origin, sexual orientation, disability or other personal or social conditions. We value diversity as a driver of innovation and growth.