Principal Vehicle & Mission Operations Engineer

Responsibilities

• Define and operationalize our Mission operations concept for the first satellite mission, including procedures, tools, and real-time support systems
• Develop telemetry monitoring strategies, fault response frameworks, and command plans for pre-launch, LEOP, and nominal operations
• Collaborate closely with systems, software, and hardware teams to ensure operational readiness across all spacecraft subsystems
• Drive the roadmap for mission operations tooling, ground segment workflows, and long-term constellation management
• Serve as a key operator during on-orbit operations, responsible for real-time decision-making and coordination
• Operate spacecraft (interpret telemetry, send commands) during system tests at the factory, test facilities, launch sites, and during pre-launch operations
• Interface with customers to scope testing performed on their payloads, based on expected functions and failure modes of interest
• Assess risks associated with different integration and test approaches, justify test reductions and optimize vehicle build/test flows for at-rate production

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical, aerospace, mechanical, computer, or other relevant engineering discipline
• 10+ years of experience in an operations/integration/automation engineering role including 4 years of direct experience operating satellites on-orbit
• Experience testing and troubleshooting spacecraft and their related components and systems, including subsystem checkouts and system acceptance testing
• Familiarity with mission operations concepts such as LEOP, telemetry, commanding, fault protection, and anomaly resolution
• Experience building or contributing to custom tooling for telemetry, analysis, data pipelines, or operational dashboards
• Background in designing or scaling operational architectures for fleets or constellations
• Experience with scripting or automation tools (e.g. Python, Rust)
• Excellent conflict resolution and negotiation skills

Nice to Have

• Hands-on experience with HITL or Flatsat software verification testbeds
• Experience working with GAaaS providers.
• Experience with Linux systems
• Experience managing contractual interfaces (e.g. customer, launch vehicle)

Compensation and Benefits

Base salary range for this role is $180,000 - $210,000 + equity in the company

Salary will be based on several factors including, but not limited to: knowledge and skills, education, and experience level

Comprehensive benefits package including paid time off, medical/dental/vision coverage, life insurance, paid parental leave, and many other perks