Mission Operations Development Engineer

Mission Overview

We are seeking a Mission Operations Development Engineer to develop, automate, and maintain the mission operations processes, tools, and procedures required for successful operation of the AST SpaceMobile satellite constellation.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, evolve mission operations processes and concepts of operations (ConOps) across all mission phases (LEOP, commissioning, routine operations).
• Perform trade studies on SOC software tools and operational architectures.
• Support SOC system design, integration, and scalability initiatives with a strong automation focus.
• Configure, operate, and troubleshoot SOC operations tools and environments.
• Develop, test, and validate satellite operations procedures, sequences of events, and command scripts.
• Script and automate satellite command and control procedures using Python or similar scripting languages.
• Create telemetry validation logic and expected response checks for automated and manual operations.
• Improve and update procedures based on on-orbit performance and lessons learned.
• Design, develop, and maintain custom mission operations tools and automation scripts.
• Develop lightweight applications and tooling to support on-orbit operations, monitoring, and analysis.
• Build or enhance dashboards, visualization tools, and operator interfaces.
• Integrate internal and external APIs into mission operations workflows.
• Support system-level integration testing and end-to-end testing between the SOC and factory satellite.
• Participate in operations tests, simulations, rehearsals, and readiness activities.
• Support mission operations during LEOP and other critical events, potentially including periodic rotating shifts.
• Work closely with systems engineers, flight software, ground software teams, and external vendors.
• Support requirements development, architecture reviews, design reviews, and program milestones.
• Provide mentorship and technical guidance to mission operations team members.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in an Engineering or STEM-related field.
• Experience: Minimum of 2–5+ years in spacecraft mission operations, software development, or automation.
• Required Qualifications:
• Experience scripting operational procedures or automation workflows using Python or similar.
• Familiarity with satellite command and control operations and mission operations processes.
• Comfortable working in a Windows development and operations environment.
• Experience with AWS or other cloud environments.
• Familiarity with Git or other version control tools.
• Familiarity with Jira and Confluence.
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to work independently.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to operate in a fast-paced environment with evolving requirements.
• Preferred Qualifications:
• Experience with multi-satellite LEO constellations.
• Experience developing or operating automated mission operations systems.
• Familiarity with distributed systems, networking protocols, and API integrations.
• Experience developing telemetry displays, dashboards, or operator interfaces.
• Basic experience with databases or data persistence systems.
• Systems engineering experience or coursework (requirements, architecture, I\&T).
• Experience supporting mission rehearsals, simulations, or critical on-orbit operations.
• Soft Skills:
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Proven ability to collaborate within cross-functional teams.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Meticulous attention to detail and documentation accuracy.
• Self-starter with strong ownership and initiative.
• Able to work effectively under tight deadlines and in high-pressure operational environments.
• Strong operational mindset with a bias toward automation and reliability.
• Physical Requirements:
• Ability to work in a standard office environment.
• Ability to use a computer for extended periods.
• Availability for periodic rotating shifts during critical mission operations, if required.

Technology Stack

• Python or similar scripting languages.
• AWS or equivalent cloud platforms.
• Windows OS (operations and development environment).
• Git / version control systems.
• Atlassian suite (Jira, Confluence).
• APIs for workflow integration.
• Basic database tools or persistence technologies (preferred).