The Queen's Space Engineering Team (QSET) is a large multi-disciplinary team consisting of students from all programs within Queen’s University. QSET designs a Real Satellite that will be launched into space.

QSET Satellite is currently seeking applicants for the following positions:

Communications and Ground Station Software Lead

Description

If selected as the Communications and Ground Station Software Lead, you will direct and coordinate network and communication systems on the satellite and on the ground. This position will involve implementing control software to remotely operate the ground station, organize and schedule satellite passes, manage encoding and decoding software, and creating software systems to effectively communicate with the satellite.

Responsibilities

- Work with the Communications and Ground Station teams to create software support for satellite communications.
- Report considerations and limitations to the Communications and Ground Station managers.
- Lead a team to create and network communications systems

Preferred Qualifications

- Ability to research areas of interest and expand understanding independently
- Problem solving skills and comfort making decisions
- Knowledge of networks, digital signal processing, error correction, and modulation techniques

Science and Instrumentation Lead

Description

If selected as the Science and Instrumentation Lead, you will direct operations and systems related to payload analysis and effectiveness determination as part of the Payload team.

Responsibilities

- Work with the Payload and Attitude Determination Control System (ADCS) teams to determine sensor configuration including but not limited to:
- What sensors will be needed to evaluate the payload’s performance?

- What sampling rate will be needed to capture all behaviors of interest?
- Over what time period will payload measurement need to take place?
- What will be the minimum thrust level discernable?
- Report considerations relating to mission planning to the Payload Manager.
- Lead a team to research and predict the impact of the payload

Preferred Qualifications

- Ability to research areas of interest and expand understanding independently
- Problem solving skills and comfort making decisions
- Passion for science, orbital physics, and digital signal processing
- Curiosity and willingness to learn

Payload Electrical Lead

Description

If selected as the Payload Electrical Lead, you will lead the design of a custom PCB for controlling the deployment and operation of the electro agile tether payload (read more here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrodynamic_tether). You will work closely with the technical managers, CTO’s, and external advisors to coordinate the design and ensure parity with the rest of the satellite.

Responsibilities

- Define schematics, component selection,



and BOM for the payload distribution boards.
- Design PCB layouts within tight mechanical envelopes.
- Prototype and validate circuits in the lab.
- Communicate with advisors to get a better understanding of the subsystem.
- Document what you do clearly

Preferred Qualifications

- Exposure to PCB design tools and microcontrollers and eagerness to learn.
- Critical thinking and decision making, with a passion for engineering and design.
- Effective communication and time management skills.
- Exposure to Solid State Physics concepts is beneficial.

Mechanism Lead

Description

If selected as the Mechanism Lead, you will lead the design of the deployables and modelling of moving parts in space. The successful candidate will work closely with the Technical managers and CTO’s to coordinate the designs, as well as delegating tasks to mechanical members.

Responsibilities

- Designing and modelling deployables on the satellite.
- Prototype and validate models In the lab.
- Simulating all elements you design for space readiness.
- Document what you do clearly.

Preferred Qualifications

- Exposure to Solidworks and Finite Element Analysis or eagerness to learn.
- Critical thinking and decision making, with a passion for engineering and design.
- Effective communication and time management skills.
- Understanding of the basic principles of mechanical design (failure modes, material selection, design by user requirements, etc.).

Structural Lead

Description

The Structural Lead assists the Mechanical Manager by overseeing the designs of the primary structure, deployables, and every mechanical interface between sub-teams. You are responsible for making sure the satellite survives launch, holds together on orbit, and physically fits everything the payload, avionics, and power teams need to fly.

Responsibilities

- Maintain the mass budget and mass properties (CG, moments of inertia) and coordinate with Altitude Detection and Control Systems on inertia requirements.
- Perform structural analysis: static launch loads, random vibration, modal/frequency analysis, and margin checks against yield and buckling.
- Ensure compliance with the CubeSat Design Specification and the launch provider's deployer/rail interface, dimensional envelope, and stiffness requirements.
- Maintain structural documentation, drawings, and analysis reports in the team documentation portal.
- Plan and lead fabrication, integration,



and environmental test campaigns (vibe, fit-check, mass properties).

Preferred Qualifications

- Experience with a parametric CAD tool (SolidWorks, Fusion 360, or Onshape) for full assemblies.
- Working knowledge of FEA for structural and modal analysis, and the ability to interpret and act on results.
- Ability to reason about tolerances, fasteners, and manufacturability of real parts.
- Hands-on machining, 3D printing, or shop experience.
- Familiarity with lightweighting, insert design, or bonded/composite structures.
- Comfort mentoring newer members and reviewing others' CAD.

ADCS Software/Firmware Lead

Description

The Altitude Detection and Control Systems (ADCS) Software Lead will assist the ADCS Manager and owns the attitude determination and control software, the code that figures out which way the satellite is pointing and commands the actuators to point it where the mission needs. You lead the ADCS sub-team's software effort, from estimation and control algorithms through simulation, testing, and flight software integration with the onboard computer (OBC).

Responsibilities

- Own the attitude determination pipeline: sensor processing and fusion across sun sensors, magnetometers, gyros.
- Design and implement control algorithms for each mode: detumbling, sun/nadir pointing, slew maneuvers, and momentum management.
- Drive actuator control and command generation for magnetorquers.
- Run software-in-the-loop and, where possible, hardware-in-the-loop testing before flight.
- Integrate flight ADCS code with the OBC flight software, and define the interface, telemetry, and command set with the OBC sub-team.
- Maintain requirements, algorithm documentation, and test results in the team documentation portal.

Preferred Qualifications

- Solid grasp of attitude representations (quaternions, rotation matrices, Euler angles) and their pitfalls or willingness to learn.
- Understanding of control theory: feedback control, stability, and gain tuning
- Familiarity with estimation, especially Kalman filtering and sensor fusion.
- Programming ability in a firmware language like C/C++ or Rust.
- Experience with sensors or actuators (turbidity, gyroscope, ultrasonic)
- Comfort defining interfaces with an OBC team and writing testable, reviewable flight code.

To remain updated with projects and the greater satellite systems, Leads must coordinate and attend weekly meetings, supported by the greater satellite management team.

The Queen’s Space Engineering Team encourages applications from women, visible minorities, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQ2S+ community. If you require accommodations during the interview process, please contact qset @ engsoc.queensu.ca.

Applications Accepted on a Rolling Basis

📌 Queens' Space Engineering Team (QSET) Satellite- Technical Leads (Canada)
🏢 EngSoc
📍 Canada