This PhD project focuses on advanced radio resource management (RRM) techniques for emerging Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellations utilizing direct radiating arrays (DRAs). The role involves establishing models for broadband DRAs, setting up simulation frameworks for satellite payloads and traffic scenarios, and investigating optimal RRM techniques for various operational scenarios. The goal is to enhance efficient beam coordination, adaptive interference mitigation, and optimized spectrum sharing within the evolving 5G and 6G ecosystem, considering hardware imperfections.

Must Have

• Establish models for accurate and efficient modelling of broadband DRAs in the Ku- and Ka-bands considering hardware imperfections
• Set up simulation frameworks for the satellite payload and the traffic scenarios enabling to predict system performance
• Investigate optimum RRM techniques for given operational scenarios
• Orbital analysis
• Wireless communication systems
• Numerical simulation programming (Matlab)

Perks & Benefits

• Attractive compensation package
• Continuous skill development: training courses, academies and internal communities
• Inclusive, benevolent environment that respects employee balance
• Recognized societal and environmental commitment

Let's build a future of trust together

Thales is a global high-tech leader specializing in three sectors: Defense & Security, Aeronautics & Space, and Cyber & Digital. It develops products and solutions that contribute to a safer, more environmentally friendly, and more inclusive world. The Group invests nearly 4 billion euros per year in Research & Development, particularly in key innovation areas such as AI, cybersecurity, quantum, cloud technologies, and 6G. Thales has nearly 81,000 employees in 68 countries.

Our commitments, your benefits

• Success driven by our technological excellence, your experience, and our shared ambition
• An attractive compensation package
• Continuous skill development: training courses, academies and internal communities
• An inclusive, benevolent environment that respects employee balance
• Recognized societal and environmental commitment

Your daily life

The Toulouse Champollion site brings together activities in satellite system engineering, payload design and production, ground segment development and qualification. It integrates a research center and an industrial accelerator for start-ups and ventures, as well as activities dedicated to low-temperature science, more precisely to the development and production of micromechanical coolers for demanding markets.

Emerging Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellations are increasingly adopting direct radiating arrays (DRAs) as a key technology for next-generation communications. Unlike traditional reflector-based antennas, DRAs consist of electronically controlled arrays of radiating elements that can steer multiple beams dynamically without mechanical movement. This shift is driven by the need for greater flexibility, higher frequency reuse, and improved coverage agility to support broadband services and dynamic user demand on a global scale. Enabled by advances in digital as well as radio frequency and solid state technologies, emerging LEO constellations relying on DRA payloads offer unprecedented agility but also significantly increases the complexity of managing spectrum and power resources across thousands of beams and satellites.

Consequently, the development of advanced radio resource management (RRM) techniques becomes essential to fully exploit the potential of DRAs—enabling efficient beam coordination, adaptive interference mitigation, and optimized spectrum sharing between satellites and terrestrial networks. As a result, DRAs combined with intelligent RRM approaches are set to redefine how LEO constellations deliver seamless, high-performance connectivity within the evolving 5G and 6G ecosystem. A number of research questions remain open when it comes to the RRM of LEO networks with DRA payloads. RF hardware imperfections such as nonlinearities and load-pull effects at the power amplifiers may contaminate the spectral emissions and complicate the modelling of the DRA.

This topic has recently been addressed in the framework of the HARMONY MSCA project (https://www. harmony-horizoneurope.eu/papers.html), where tools enabling the end-to-end modelling of a satellite link have been developed for direct-to-device use cases. Extending these tools to broadband satellite links in the Ku- and Ka-bands remain an open question. Accounting for the aforementioned hardware imperfections in a constellation where the satellite experiences rapidly varying traffic as it orbits the Earth raises open questions about which coverage and radio resource management (RRM) strategies will best optimise service delivery.

The project will include the following core activities:

1. Establish models for accurate and efficient modelling of broadband DRAs in the Ku- and Ka-bands considering hardware imperfections

2. Set up simulation frameworks for the satellite payload and the traffic scenarios enabling to predict system performance

3. Investigate optimum RRM techniques for given operational scenarios

Research field:

• Telecommunication engineering
• Electrical engineering
• Aerospace engineering

Required skills:

• Orbital analysis
• Wireless communication systems
• Numerical simulation programming (Matlab)

The Thesis will include 18 months at Thales Alenia Space in Toulouse, followed by 18 months at the Heriot-Watt University, United Kingdom, Edinburgh. In total the PhD will span 36 months.

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