Senior Spacecraft Qualification Engineer

Planet; Berlin; Vor Ort; EUR 60.000 - 80.000; Vollzeit

Zusammenfassung

Planet in Berlin is seeking a Senior Spacecraft Qualification Engineer to lead environmental testing for spacecraft production. In this full-time role, you will manage testing operations, ensuring safety and efficiency while working closely with cross-functional teams.

The ideal candidate will have over 6 years of aerospace experience, focusing on vibration, thermal cycling, and data analysis. Proficiency in Solidworks and a strong mechanical background are essential. Join us in shaping the future of data in the space industry.

Qualifikationen

• 6+ years of relevant work experience.
• Proficient in Solidworks CAD & FEA.
• Knowledge of spacecraft systems and environmental verification methodologies.

Aufgaben

• Own environmental test execution and assess hardware integrity.
• Perform hands-on operations and analyze test data.
• Generate clear test reports and provide technical guidance.

Kenntnisse

Vibration testing

Thermal cycling

Shock testing

Data analysis

Solidworks CAD

Mechanical knowledge

Ausbildung

Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering

Bachelor’s in Aerospace Engineering

Tools

Thermal vacuum chambers

Vibration shakers

Data Acquisition Systems (DAQ)

Jobbeschreibung

Senior Spacecraft Qualification Engineer

Berlin, Germany

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

Customers and users across the globe use Planet's data to develop new technologies, drive revenue, power research, and solve global challenges. Our office is a mix of experts from a variety of domains, with a people-centric approach toward culture and community.

Planet is a global company with employees working remotely worldwide and offices in San Francisco, Washington DC, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, and The Netherlands.

About the Role

At Planet, we launch spacecraft early and often. This role offers an opportunity to own environmental testing activities supporting spacecraft production and delivery. You will serve as the primary mechanical and environmental test engineering authority at our Berlin manufacturing site. The ideal candidate is hands-on, technically deep, and able to independently assess and resolve complex test situations while ensuring safety and hardware integrity. Experience from a dynamic aerospace environment with challenging environmental test campaigns is advantageous.

This is a full-time, in-office position based in our Berlin office 5 days per week. Occasional travel should be expected as part of testing and integration operations.

Impact You’ll Own

Own environmental test execution and respond to off-nominal events:

• Review environmental test requirements, procedures, and readiness packages for spacecraft acceptance and protoflight campaigns.
• Serve as the primary technical authority during test operations including vibration, shock, thermal cycling, and thermal vacuum test operations.
• Perform hands-on operations including instrumentation setup, inspections, test monitoring, and hardware troubleshooting.
• Assess test data in real time to identify failures, anomalies, or unexpected hardware responses.
• Develop and implement technically sound recovery plans while preserving personnel safety, facility safety, and hardware integrity.

Ensure test readiness and facility capability:

• Validate test configurations, instrumentation plans, facility readiness, and hardware constraints prior to test execution.
• Coordinate with technicians and cross-functional teams to ensure safe and efficient execution of environmental test campaigns.
• Ensure compliance with industry standards and regulations.
• Supervise and assist with procurement, machining, assembly and proofloading operations of test fixtures and Ground Support Equipment (GSE).

Drive measurement and test data analysis:

• Configure and validate data acquisition systems, instrumentation, and test monitoring tools.
• Analyze environmental test data to evaluate hardware performance, determine compliance, identify anomalies, and recommend next steps.

Implement continuous improvement and process development:

• Improve environmental test processes, procedures, facility capabilities, and operational efficiency and reliability.
• Develop practical solutions to recurring technical challenges and contribute to long-term reliability of environmental test operations.

Document and develop communication:

• Generate clear test reports, anomaly investigations, and engineering recommendations based on environmental test results.
• Provide technical guidance to technicians and advise spacecraft, systems, manufacturing, and quality teams on environmental test matters.
• Develop close communication and working relationships with Engineering and Manufacturing teams. Participate in technical reviews and program status meetings.

What You Bring

• 6+ years of relevant work experience.
• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Thermal Engineering or Electro-Mechanics/Robotics Engineering.
• Experience owning vibration, shock, thermal cycling, and thermal vacuum test campaigns for flight or flight-like hardware.
• Understanding of environmental verification methodologies, acceptance and protoflight testing industry standards, and flight hardware handling.
• Knowledge of spacecraft systems and the interactions between structures, mechanisms, avionics, payloads, and thermal systems.
• Knowledge of structural dynamics and vibration theory (resonance and modal behavior, wave propagation, random vibration, boundary control).
• Knowledge of heat transfer principles and thermal management technology.
• Ability to evaluate test data, identify anomalies, assess risk, make sound engineering decisions during off-nominal situations, and develop recovery plans for flight hardware.
• Proficiency in using Solidworks CAD & FEA (simulation) or equivalent.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision while managing competing priorities and tight schedules.
• Ability to lead a team of technicians and work closely with international engineers in a collaborative environment.

What Makes You Stand Out

• Experience operating a variety of test machines such as vibration shakers, thermal chambers, TVAC chambers, and shock equipment; experience with test instrumentation and data acquisition.
• Experience building and working with DAQs for test article command/control and data gathering; familiarity with accelerometers, load cells, and other DAQ sensors.
• Interest in prototyping, rapid iteration and agile processes; experience in a machine shop.
• Interest in automation; familiarity with Raspberry Pi, Node Red, or Python.

EEO/Accommodations

Planet is an equal opportunity employer. We provide accommodations during the hiring process upon request. See our corporate policies for more details.