Practicus
Payload Systems Lead
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🚀 Payload Systems Project Lead | Space Sector 🚀
📍 Manchester, Harwell or Stevenage | 4 days on-site
📄 Initial 4-Month Contract (Strong Potential for Extension)
💷 Inside IR35 | £550 per day
Please note our client is looking for someone available to start in August 2026.
👥 The Role
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Payload Systems Project Lead to join a leading organisation within the space sector, supporting the delivery of a complex next-generation satellite communications programme.
This is a highly visible, customer-facing leadership role where you'll provide the engineering direction and programme leadership needed to successfully deliver a technically complex payload programme.
Working across multidisciplinary engineering teams, you'll act as the key interface between engineering, programme management and the customer, helping to drive technical decision-making while maintaining stakeholder confidence throughout programme delivery.
The successful candidate will combine strong technical credibility with exceptional leadership and stakeholder management skills, helping to establish programme stability while driving engineering excellence throughout a critical phase of delivery.
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🧠 What We're Looking For
We're looking for an experienced engineering leader with a strong background in satellite communications and payload development who can quickly establish credibility with both customers and engineering teams.
You'll bring:
- 10+ years' experience in communications systems engineering, payload engineering or engineering management.
- Proven experience delivering complex satellite payload programmes.
- Strong understanding of digital payloads, Software Defined Radios (SDRs) and on-board processing technologies.
- Experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams within complex engineering programmes.
- Excellent customer and stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence and build credibility at senior level.
- Experience developing and managing technical plans covering scope, schedule, cost, risk and programme governance.
- The ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
- Experience working within highly regulated engineering environments to ECSS standards.
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🌟 Why Apply?
- Join an organisation delivering cutting-edge programmes at the forefront of the global space sector.
- Play a pivotal leadership role during a critical programme kick-off phase.
- Lead multidisciplinary engineering teams working on advanced satellite communications technology.
- Work in a highly collaborative environment with genuine influence over programme direction and customer engagement.
- Initial four-month contract with strong potential for extension.
🔒 Security Vetting Note
Successful candidates will be required to complete BPSS (Baseline Personnel Security Standard) screening prior to starting. This includes right-to-work verification, identity checks, a basic criminal record check, employment history verification and reference checks.
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