Senior Engineer

Who we are:

For more than 70 years, NATO's mission has been to preserve peace and security for nearly one billion citizens. The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA) and its predecessors have worked tirelessly to provide the connectedness and technological edge that keep our Alliance strong.

We are the NCIA — a team of over 3,000 civilian and military professionals in 29 locations across Europe, North America and Asia.

Our technology and cyber experts enable NATO to conduct critical operations, protect NATO's airspace, make data-driven decisions, defend against cyber threats, secure networks and maintain superiority in space. All of this is possible because of our greatest strength: our people. To maintain this edge, we aim to hire, train and retain the very best talent.

When you join the NCIA, you will become part of a diverse and united organisation where you can contribute authentically to NATO's mission and help us stay at the forefront of innovation and defence.

About the job:

Based in Kester, Belgium, you will join the Agency as we continue our journey to transform our IT and communications services in support of NATO's Digital Endeavour.

You will be part of the NATO Integrated Mission Services Centre (NIMSC), which provides NATO and its Partners 24/7 with scalable, secure and reliable wireless communication-based services focused on operations, missions, exercises and business continuity

We are looking for an experienced and motivated Senior Engineer (SATCOM) to lead the operational and technical management of NATO's Satellite Ground Stations (SGS). In this role, you will  be a professional responsible for designing, implementing, and maintaining the core network architecture that connects different devices and platforms, establishing a robust and seamless satellite Communication backbone.

Reporting to the Ground Service Delivery Manager, you will:

· Provide technical leadership for SATCOM operations, exercises, and maintenance activities at the SGS;

· Lead and coordinate preventive, corrective and perfective maintenance of communications and supporting equipment;

· Monitor operational performance, quality of service, and contractor compliance;

· Deliver on-the-job training and technical guidance for station personnel;

· Support upgrades, engineering changes, and commissioning of new systems;

· Deputise for higher-grade staff and perform other SATCOM engineering activities as required.

For a full list of duties, please review the job description on the NCI Agency careers site.

About you:

The valuable knowledge and experience that you bring to this role include:

· A Bachelor's degree in a related discipline (e.g. Telecommunications, Electronic or Electrical Engineering) with at least three years of post-related experience; or, exceptionally, ten years of relevant professional experience without a degree.

· Proven experience in designing, implementing and maintaining wireless communications systems, ideally for military or mission-critical applications.

Strong technical knowledge in:

• Modern radio communications techniques, protocols and standards;
• Radio networks design, testing and troubleshooting;
• Modulation, digital signal processing, and propagation principles;
• SATCOM subsystems including antennas, transmit/receive chains, MODEMs and control systems.
• Solid knowledge of radio wave propagation, including propagation mechanisms, impairments and associated mitigation techniques;
• Experience leading or mentoring technical staff, ideally in an international environment.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving and communication skills.
• Fluency in English, both written and spoken.

Desirable qualifications:

· Familiarity with cryptographic, power and HVAC systems.

What we offer:

· Genuinely meaningful work supporting the most successful Alliance in history;

· A five-year contract with a competitive, tax-free salary and household/children's allowances;

· Privileges for expatriate staff including education and home leave allowances (where applicable);

· Excellent private health insurance coverage;

· 30 days of annual leave plus official holidays;

· Participation in the NATO Pension Scheme;

· Professional development programmes including technical training and wellbeing initiatives.

To learn more about the NCI Agency and our work, please visit our website.

The NCI Agency is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment of mutual respect and value the uniqueness of every individual, regardless of gender, identity, ethnicity, age, religion, sexual orientation, or ability.

Additional details on the conditions of employment and application process can be found on the NCI Agency careers site.