Space Systems Engineer, Space Operations

Description

Welcome to Planet. We believe in using space to help life on Earth.

Planet designs, builds, and operates the largest constellation of imaging satellites in history. This constellation delivers an unprecedented dataset of empirical information via a revolutionary cloud-based platform to authoritative figures in commercial, environmental, and humanitarian sectors. We are both a space company and data company all rolled into one.

Customers and users across the globe use Planet's data to develop new technologies, drive revenue, power research, and solve our world’s toughest obstacles.

As we control every component of hardware design, manufacturing, data processing, and software engineering, our office is a truly inspiring mix of experts from a variety of domains.

We have a people-centric approach toward culture and community and we strive to iterate in a way that puts our team members first and prepares our company for growth. Join Planet and be a part of our mission to change the way people see the world.

Planet is a global company with employees working remotely world wide and joining us from offices in San Francisco, Washington DC, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, and The Netherlands.

About the Role:

The Space Operations team is crucial to Planet's success, responsible for maintaining and optimizing the health and productivity of the world's largest Earth Observation satellite constellation. Our team spans North America and Berlin, relying heavily on automation to scale our operations effectively. As a Space Systems Engineer, you'll support daily satellite operations, analyze operational data, triage anomalies, run on-orbit experiments, and deploy software across our fleet. You'll collaborate closely with cross-functional hardware and software experts to build reliable services and shape next-generation spacecraft strategies. We are looking for a data-driven self-starter with strong communication skills who thrives in a technical, fast-paced environment.

This is a full-time, hybrid role which will require you to work from our Berlin office 3 days per week.

Impact You’ll Own:

Develop and maintain real-time, mission-critical software solutions for satellite operations

Conduct daily fleet checks, debug on-orbit satellite anomalies, and support On-Call shifts

Test and deploy flight software upgrades and perform on-orbit experiments

Create and maintain operational procedures

Analyze data to identify issues and inefficiencies in the full stack of services

Drive improvements to fleet capacity and productivity through process enhancements

Provide feedback to launch, manufacturing, and spacecraft engineering teams based on on-orbit performance, technical demonstrations, and forecasting models

Shape operational strategies for next-generation spacecraft

What You Bring:

4+ years of experience in spacecraft operations or a closely related field

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, computer science, or equivalent

Thorough understanding of satellite sub-systems and Earth observation missions

Working proficiency in Python or a comparable language, ability to model systems, analyze operational data, and contribute production code

Track record of running and completing engineering projects end to end

Data-driven mindset with experience in statistical analysis

Effective interpersonal and collaboration skills within a technical team

Professional working proficiency in English, the language of the company

What Makes You Stand Out:

Hands-on experience operating spacecraft or remote systems

Experience with Earth Observation systems

Experience with hardware-in-the-loop testing infrastructures

Experience in DevOps tools and practices (e.g., Git, GitLab, Docker, Jenkins, Bash, Linux, CI/CD, Sentry, Datadog)

Familiarity with automation and optimization tools

Application Deadline:

11:45p / 23:45 CET on the date stated below. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. This posting may be removed earlier than projected if a suitable pool of applications has been received. For this reason, we recommend applying as soon as you are able to.

Export Control Requirements:

Planet Labs Germany GmbH is authorized to receive U.S. export-controlled information at Planet under an export license issued by the Bureau of Industry and Security. This position requires access to U.S. and German/EU export-controlled information, and as such, employment (or hiring of a contractor) is contingent upon the candidate’s ability to access all applicable export-controlled information without additional export licensing being required by German, EU, or U.S. authorities.

Conditions

The expected starting gross salary range for this role is listed below. Individual placement within this range is determined objectively based on gender-neutral criteria such as your skills, qualifications, and professional experience. This position may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses and/or equity.

Germany Salary Range

€60.900 - €76.100 EUR

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Why we care so much about Belonging.

We’re dedicated to helping the whole Planet, and to do that we must strive to represent all of it within each of our offices and on all of our teams. That’s why Planet is guided by an ultimate north star of Belonging—dreaming big as we approach our ongoing work. If this job intrigues you, but you’re thinking you might not have all the qualifications, please... do apply! At Planet, we are looking for well-rounded people from around the world who can contribute to more ways than just what is listed in this job description. We don’t just fill positions, we aspire to fulfill people’s careers, most excited about folks who are motivated by our underlying humanitarian efforts. We are a few orbits around the sun before we get to where we want to be, so we hope you’re excited to come along for the ride.

Benefits

• These offerings are dependent on employment type and geographical location, based upon applicable law or company policy.
• Paid time off including vacation, holidays and company-wide days off
• Employee Wellness Program
• Home Office Reimbursement
• Monthly Phone and Internet Reimbursement
• Tuition Reimbursement and access to LinkedIn Learning
• Equity
• Volunteering Paid Time Off