SATCOM Engineer

Introduction

This Statement of Work (SOW) defines the provision of specialized SATCOM Engineering Support Services to assist NATO entities in the definition, assessment, and evolution of future SATCOM capabilities.

The Contractor shall provide expert engineering services to support the strategic planning, design, and definition of NATO SATCOM systems, ensuring alignment with operational requirements, interoperability standards, and emerging technologies within the Alliance’s communication and space domains.

All work shall be performed as service-based deliverables, with measurable outputs and documented technical artefacts produced under NCIA’s supervision and in close coordination with Allied Command Transformation (ACT), ACO, and other NATO stakeholders.

The Objective Of This Engagement Is To Provide Engineering And Analytical Support To Ongoing NATO Activities Related To The Definition, Harmonization, And Modernization Of SATCOM Capabilities, Including

• Assessment of current and future SATCOM architectures.
• Identification of capability gaps and dependencies.
• Development of engineering baselines and system-level requirements.
• Analysis of interoperability with NATO, national, and commercial SATCOM assets.
• Technical input to strategic planning, feasibility studies, and decision-making documents.

The Contractor shall perform, but not be limited to, the following tasks:

• Engineering Analysis and Studies
  • Conduct technical assessments of SATCOM networks, terminals, and anchoring systems across NATO strategic, operational, and tactical domains;
  • Support system architecture definition, including integration of MILSATCOM and COMSATCOM resources;
  • Perform trade-off and feasibility analyses addressing performance, resilience, spectrum efficiency, and cost-benefit aspects;
  • Contribute to the development of future-oriented SATCOM system concepts, including Low Earth Orbit (LEO) integration, software-defined payloads, and multi-orbit architectures;
  • Create Analysis of Alternative documents for different options considered.
• Requirements and Interface Definition
  • Develop and maintain system-level functional and technical requirements for future SATCOM systems and related ground infrastructure.
  • Support interoperability and standardization activities (e.g., STANAGs, NATO interoperability profiles, SATCOM reference architectures).
  • Provide interface control documentation (ICD) and configuration baselines for engineering reference.
• Capability and Architecture Modelling
  • Contribute to modelling and simulation of SATCOM service delivery architectures and integration with existing Networks.
  • Assess the impact of emerging technologies such as AI-driven resource management, optical links, and protected waveforms.
  • Provide recommendations for technology insertion and obsolescence mitigation.
• Stakeholder Coordination and Reporting
  • Liaise with ACT, ACO, and NCIA technical authorities, providing engineering inputs and consolidated documentation.
  • Prepare technical briefings, reports, and data packages supporting NATO capability planning.
  • Participate in workshops, technical meetings, and industry engagement events as required.

The Contractor’s personnel should fulfil the following requirements:

• Security Clearance:
  The Contractor shall possess valid NATO SECRET Personal Security Clearances for the duration of the Contract performance.
• Language Proficiency:
  English: C1

• Education:
  
  University Degree in Telecommunications, Electronics, or a related field, with at least two years of post-related experience; or Higher Vocational Training with a minimum of five years of post-related experience.
• SATCOM Expertise:
  Minimum of three years of practical experience in SATCOM systems, including UHF, SHF, HF and EHF systems.
• Technical Expertise:
  Familiarity with modern military communication networks, including interfaces, protocols, and experience with SATCOM Operations.
• Deep knowledge of SATCOM architecture principles, including link budget analysis, modulation schemes, error correction coding, satellite network topologies
• Strong understanding of RF engineering, antenna systems, propagation modelling in SATCOM bands, cybersecurity architecture for SATCOM, including encryption
• Familiarity with SATCOM related standards, such as DVB-S2, DVB-S2X, MIL-STD-188, experience in Software Defined Networking (SDN) in SATCOM
• Customer Service and Incident Management:
  Familiarity in service management (incident, problem management, etc.) and a customer-focused approach in a control center environment.
• NATO Environment: prior experience working in a NATO or multinational military setting, with a solid understanding of NATO operational standards and protocols.

This is a Deliverables-based contract.

This is a condensed version of the job description. A full, detailed job description will be provided during the application process.