Ground Station Engineer

Planet; Berlin; Hybrid; EUR 61.000 - 76.000; Vollzeit

Benefits dieser Stelle

Paid time off

Employee Wellness Program

Home Office Reimbursement

Monthly Phone and Internet Reimburse-

Tuition Reimbursement and LinkedIn }

Equity

Volunteering

Zusammenfassung

Planet in Berlin is seeking a Ground Station Engineer to join the Operations Team. You will oversee the installation and operation of the ground station network, collaborating with spacecraft operators to bring data from orbit to Earth.

The role requires a bachelor’s in RF/Electrical/Aerospace, 4+ years in antenna systems, familiarity with RF test equipment, and willingness to travel up to 75%. This is a full-time, hybrid position at Planet’s Berlin office.

Qualifikationen

• Bachelor’s degree in RF/Electrical/Aerospace or related field.
• 4+ years of antenna system installation or maintenance.
• Experience with RF test equipment (spectrum & network analyzers).
• Willingness to travel up to 75% of the time.
• Ability to work with little supervision and make independent decisions.

Aufgaben

• Collaborate with Logistics and Service Delivery to deploy hardware to ground station locations.
• Direct and manage on-site implementation and construction tasks.
• Partner with Finance to ensure asset tracking and accounting for deployed infrastructure.
• Provide progress updates on the installation lifecycle.

Kenntnisse

RF Engineering

Electrical Engineering

Aerospace Engineering

Driving

Independent decision making

Ausbildung

Bachelors in RF Engineering

Bachelors in Electrical Engineering

Bachelors in Aerospace Engineering

Tools

RF test equipment

Spectrum analyzers

Network analyzers

Linux/UNIX servers

Jobbeschreibung

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:

As a Ground Station Engineer at Planet you will be a member of the Planet Ground Stations Operations Team focused on the delivery and operational excellence of a geographically diverse Ground Station network. The network is composed of a mix of physical antennas, network and compute resources, cloud infrastructure and industrial controllers working in unison to autonomously track and communicate with Planet’s multiple satellite constellations. Planet’s satellites generate a substantial dataset and moving that data from our spacecraft across the Ground Station network daily poses ever changing design goals for our Operations Team. The Ground Station team works closely with Spacecraft Operators and Mission Control engineers to autonomously control the spacecraft and bring the data back to Earth. As a Ground Station Engineer overseeing the installation of complex systems that are critical to Planet’s ongoing operations, you will be required to regularly exercise discretion, independent judgment, and will be expected to make decisions independent of oversight as needed. An essential element of this position requires the ability to climb, and lift/push/pull equipment up to 50 pounds. A drivers license and clean driving record will be required as well as the ability to operate vehicles in foreign countries. 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:

• Collaborate with the Logistics and Service Delivery Managers to facilitate the deployment of hardware and essential materials to emerging ground station locations.
• Direct and manage all on-site implementation and construction tasks.
• Partner with internal Finance units to ensure rigorous asset tracking and accounting for deployed infrastructure.
• Provide consistent and detailed progress updates regarding the technical installation lifecycle.

What You Bring:

• Experience in organizational management and high-volume task prioritization.
• Bachelor’s degree or higher in RF Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or similar specialized technical field.
• 4+ years of experience in antenna system installation or maintenance.
• Familiarity with RF test equipment such as spectrum and network analyzers.
• Willingness to travel up to 75% of the time.
• Ability to work with little or no supervision.
• Discretion to make independent decisions.

What Makes You Stand Out:

• Advanced understanding of RF communication and satellite communication protocols.
• 2+ years experience with RF electronics and communication systems including: RF front-end equipment, back-end equipment, communication hardware, and link budgets.
• Antenna system calibration, diagnostics and monitoring experience.
• 2+ years experience with telemetry, tracking and control systems.
• 2-4 years project management and logistics experience.
• Radar and/or comms experience.
• Experience with Linux or UNIX servers.

Benefits While Working at Planet:

• 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

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.

Application Deadline:

November 24, 2026 at 11:59p PT

Compensation:

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, commission, 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.

Accommodations:

Planet is an inclusive community and we know that everyone has their own needs. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation during the hiring process, please reach out to [e-mail] or contact your recruiter with your request. Your message will be confidential and we will be happy to assist you.

EEO statement:

Planet is committed to building a community where everyone belongs and we invite people from all backgrounds to apply. Planet is an equal opportunity employer, and committed to providing employment opportunities regardless of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding, age, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other protected classification, in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.

AI in Our Interviewing Process

Planet is committed to providing an exceptional interview experience for all candidates. We currently use Metaview to better focus on candidates and less on trying to capture notes. As such, with the candidate's consent, select interviews may be recorded and include a "Planet AI Notetaker" for transcription and summarization purposes. Should an interview involve use of AI interview technologies, the candidate will receive notification and have the ability to opt out both in advance and/or real-time. Opting out will not affect one's candidacy.

Candidate AI Policy

Planet embraces Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, and we encourage its responsible use. We understand that candidates may use various resources, including AI tools, to prepare for interviews and assessments. However, during any live interview stage or when actively completing assessments for this position, the use of AI tools—e.g. Large Language Models (LLMs), deep fake technology, etc.—is strictly prohibited unless explicitly prompted by an interviewer or assessment instructions. If you are unsure about acceptable use, please contact your recruiter for clarification. If an AI tool or similar technology is desired as an accommodation, please contact [e-mail] with your request for assistance. Your message will be confidential, and we will be happy to assist you. Violation of this policy may result in disqualification of your application.