Senior Vehicle & Mission Operations Engineer

TL;DR

Senior Vehicle & Mission Operations Engineer (Aerospace): Define and operationalize Mission Operations concept for first satellite mission, including procedures, tools, and real-time support systems with an accent on telemetry monitoring, fault response frameworks, and command plans. Focus on collaborating with teams for operational readiness, driving tooling roadmap, and serving as key operator during on-orbit operations and system tests.

Location: Los Angeles, CA. Must be a U.S. Person as defined by ITAR (U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or protected individuals).

Salary: $130,000 - $180,000 + equity

Company

Building the largest and highest-power satellites for LEO to deep space missions, backed by $450M from top investors, with multiple launches planned through 2026-2027.

What you will do

• Develop Mission Operations concept, procedures, tools, telemetry strategies, fault response, and command plans for pre-launch, LEOP, and nominal operations.
• Collaborate with systems, software, and hardware teams to ensure spacecraft readiness across subsystems.
• Drive roadmap for mission operations tooling, ground segment workflows, and constellation management.
• Operate spacecraft during factory tests, test facilities, launch sites, pre-launch, and on-orbit, making real-time decisions.
• Interface with customers on payload testing, assess integration risks, and optimize build/test flows for production.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical, aerospace, mechanical, computer, or relevant engineering discipline.
• 1+ years operating satellites on-orbit.
• 5+ years in operations/integration/automation engineering.
• Experience testing/troubleshooting spacecraft, subsystems, checkouts, and acceptance testing.
• Familiarity with mission operations: LEOP, telemetry, commanding, fault protection, anomaly resolution.
• Experience with scripting/automation (e.g., Python, Rust).

Nice to have

• Building custom tooling for telemetry, analysis, data pipelines, operational dashboards.
• Designing/scaling operational architectures for fleets/constellations.
• Hands-on with HITL/Flatsat testbeds.
• Experience with GAaaS providers, Linux systems, managing contractual interfaces.

Culture & Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits: paid time off, medical/dental/vision, life insurance, paid parental leave, and more.
• Fast-paced Series C startup environment focused on groundbreaking space tech.
• Equity in the company.
• Encourages non-traditional career paths and motivated individuals.