Space systems engineer
Spacecraft as a whole system rather than a part of one. A small sector with an outsized Israeli presence and an unusually high proportion of interesting work.
What the work actually is
You work across subsystems: structure, thermal, power, attitude control, propulsion and communications, and the budgets that tie them together. Mass, power and link budgets are the currency, and systems engineering here means owning the trade rather than any one box.
Small satellites have changed the field. A CubeSat programme moves in months rather than a decade, which means a graduate can touch real flight hardware quickly.
Verification is unforgiving because there is no maintenance visit. Everything is argued in advance and tested on the ground.
The course chain
In the order worth taking them. Each one links to what it covers, when it runs and what it needs first.
- 0542-4524Introduction to space engineeringDepartment electives · Semester A · 4h
- 0542-4527Satellite orbital mechanicsDepartment electives · Semester B · 4h
- 0509-4010Nanosatellites: education to space revolutionFaculty electives · Not fixed · 3h
- 0542-4622Dynamics and control of systemsCore: systems · Semester B · 4h
- 0542-4352Gas dynamicsCore: fluids · Semester A · 4h
What prepares you
Introduction to space engineering is the systems overview. Orbital mechanics is the mathematical half and is essential for mission and GNC work. Nanosatellites is hands-on and has no prerequisite, which makes it an easy early entry. Dynamics and control underpins attitude work, and gas dynamics if you are heading toward propulsion.
Quick answers
Which TAU courses prepare you for the Space systems engineer role?
In the order worth taking them, the Tel Aviv University electives that prepare you for the Space systems engineer role are: Introduction to space engineering (0542-4524), Satellite orbital mechanics (0542-4527), Nanosatellites: education to space revolution (0509-4010), Dynamics and control of systems (0542-4622), Gas dynamics (0542-4352).
Which software do you use in the Space systems engineer role?
In the Space systems engineer role you are expected to work with STK, GMAT, MATLAB, Python (poliastro).
Where is the Space systems engineer role done in Israel?
Israeli companies where the Space systems engineer role exists include IAI Space, Israel Space Agency, NSLComm, SpaceIL, Gilat. These are examples of where the work is done, not partners, sponsors or a placement claim.
Which interest areas lead to the Space systems engineer role?
The Space systems engineer role draws on these interest areas of the TAU Mechanical Engineering electives: Aeronautics and space.
Closest neighbours
Aerospace structures engineer
Making structures that are strong enough and no heavier than that. The Israeli defence and aerospace industry is one of the largest technical employers in the country.
Aeronautics and spaceStructures and computational mechanics6 coursesCFD engineer
Computational fluid dynamics, applied to anything with a fluid in it. One of the highest-demand simulation roles in Israel and one where a portfolio genuinely substitutes for experience.
Flow and thermal designAeronautics and spaceEnvironment and energy5 coursesControl and GNC engineer
Guidance, navigation and control. The most mathematical route out of a mechanical degree, and the one the Israeli defence and space industry hires most consistently.
Mechatronics and roboticsAeronautics and space5 courses
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What the interview actually asked, which team is worth joining, who to talk to. That comes from people who have done it, which is most of what the club is for.
Join CARNOTThis is our reading of where a mechanical degree goes in Israel, written from the course content and the shape of the local market. It is judgement, not data. We do not have interview questions, salaries or hiring numbers, and we would rather say so than invent them. If you have sat one of these interviews, tell us and the page gets better.