Job Description

An opportunity for a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Performance Engineer has arisen within Airbus Defence and Space, Getafe (Madrid). The selected candidate will join the Microwave Instrument Engineering Team, a specialized multidisciplinary department dedicated to Earth Observation payload design and development. In this role, you will be responsible for defining, modeling, and optimizing end-to-end SAR system performance from early concept through to mission operations. You will act as a key technical reference across the SAR processing chain, image quality evaluation, and calibration/validation (Cal/Val) campaigns, working in close collaboration with RF, antenna, payload, and data processing teams on major international space programs.

Responsibilities

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- End-to-End Performance Modeling: Develop, implement, and maintain system-level models and simulators (covering signal, geometry, propagation, and noise) to predict end-to-end SAR performance and establish requirement allocations.

- Image Quality Evaluation & Budgets: Generate and monitor comprehensive instrument-level performance budgets, assessing key radar metrics including spatial resolution, NESZ, radiometric accuracy, and ambiguity ratios (range/azimuth).

- System Architecture & Trade-Offs: Perform advanced trade-off analyses (orbit parameters, frequency bands, PRF selection, and antenna configurations) to support mission definition and instrument design optimization.

- Calibration & Processing Support: Drive SAR processing chain verification, focusing algorithms, and calibration/validation (Cal/Val) strategies using in-orbit and ground campaign data.

- AIT & V&V; Integration:



Define and support Assembly, Integration, and Testing (AIT) as well as payload Verification and Validation (V&V;) activities across laboratory and environmental test phases.

- Project Milestones & Technical Leadership: Deliver key performance documentation and represent the system engineering team in formal reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR/TRB) as well as customer-facing technical exchanges and future mission proposals.

Skills & Experience

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- Education: Master’s degree (MSc) or PhD in Telecommunications Engineering, Electrical Engineering, RF/Microwave Engineering, or Physics.

- Experience: 5 to 10 years of professional experience in remote-sensing microwave instrument development, with a deep focus on SAR systems and radar signal processing.

- Technical Knowledge: Deep command of SAR principles, radar performance metrics (NESZ, SNR, ambiguity suppression), end-to-end signal processing chains, and advanced numerical modeling/simulation using Python, MATLAB, or equivalent.

- Soft Skills: Strong analytical problem-solving abilities, high autonomy in managing workload across multiple projects, and proven collaborative skills within multidisciplinary engineering teams.

- Languages: Advanced / Negotiation level in English (mandatory, written and spoken).



Fluent Spanish is valuable; French or German is desirable.

- Valuable / Nice to Have: Solid understanding of ESA development lifecycles and space engineering standards (ECSS, MIL-STD, CCSDS). Requirements engineering experience using tools such as IBM DOORS. Complementary knowledge of passive microwave instruments or radiometer systems. Experience in international space projects or customer-facing environments. Availability to travel for test campaigns and project milestone reviews.

Benefits

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- Vacation days plus additional days-off along the year.

- Attractive salary.

- Hybrid model of working when possible.

- Collective transport service subject to working calendar/home location.

- Benefits such as life insurance, health insurance, employee stock options, retirement plan, or study grants.

- On-site facilities (among others): free canteen, kindergarten, medical office.

- Possibility to collaborate in different social and corporate social responsibility initiatives.

- Excellent upskilling opportunities and great development prospects in a multicultural environment.

- Option to access special rates in products & benefits.

Company & Employment Type

Company: Airbus Defence and Space SAU

Employment Type: Permanent

Experience Level: Professional

Job Family: Elec.Electron.&Electromag;,Optics&Optron.;

Equal Opportunity

Airbus is committed to achieving workforce diversity and creating an inclusive working environment. We welcome all applications irrespective of social and cultural background, age, ge

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