Mission Planning Software Engineer (Aerospace)

TL;DR

Mission Planning Software Engineer (Aerospace): Building and optimizing automated mission planning services for a thermal satellite constellation with an accent on scalability, reliability, and operational compliance. Focus on designing robust backend systems, integrating satellite telecommand workflows, and ensuring feasible mission execution in a high-stakes environment.

Location: Must be based in or willing to relocate to Munich, Germany

Company

A fast-scaling space-tech company building a thermal satellite constellation to provide critical climate and security intelligence.

What you will do

• Build core mission planning services and algorithms for a growing satellite constellation.
• Shape the architecture of mission planning systems to ensure scalability and reliability.
• Run, monitor, and maintain mission planning systems in live production environments.
• Define engineering standards for CI/CD, infrastructure-as-code, and operational compliance.
• Collaborate with Flight Operations and Payload teams to turn mission needs into technical system designs.
• Translate mission requests into executable satellite telecommands.

Requirements

• Must be based in or willing to relocate to Germany
• Must meet citizenship requirements for security clearance (NATO member states)
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, or related field.
• 3–5+ years of experience in software engineering, space systems, or ground segment development.
• Strong proficiency in Python, Java, and SQL.
• Experience with Linux, AWS, CI/CD pipelines, and containerized application development.

Nice to have

• Experience with satellite tasking, commanding, and on-board schedule generation.
• Background in AI planning and optimization (PDDL, constraint satisfaction).
• Hands-on experience with Kubernetes, Terraform, and Ansible.
• Full-stack development skills with Next.js and JavaScript.

Culture & Benefits

• High-impact mission in the defence and climate resilience sectors.
• Virtual Share Option Plan (VSOP) for permanent employees.
• Flexible hybrid working model.
• International, interdisciplinary team with a flat hierarchy.
• Commitment to scientific excellence and high autonomy.