Spacecraft Controller

Pixxel Space; Bengaluru; On-site; INR 800,000 - 1,400,000; Full time

Job summary

Pixxel Space in Bengaluru seeks an Associate Spacecraft Operations and Analysis Engineer to monitor and control spacecraft per mission plans, ensuring zero downtime due to operational lapses and maintaining space vehicle health.

The role covers live control room operations, flight procedures, anomaly diagnosis, and automation for scalable mission planning across a growing satellite constellation.

Qualifications

• Understanding of key spacecraft subsystems and components such as attitude determination and control, space-ground communications, and power systems.
• Understanding of the space environment and orbital mechanics.
• Software development experience in Python/C/C++/Ruby or other high-level languages.
• Prior experience in spacecraft operations.
• Prior experience in satellite ground systems.
• Familiarity with Git, CI/CD, and cloud infrastructure.

Responsibilities

• Monitor, operate, and maintain mission planning and ground systems in live production environments, including real-time spacecraft monitoring and control in the control room.
• Execute routine and special operational procedures across all mission phases; develop, validate, and maintain flight operational procedures under configuration control.
• Participate in on-call and shift rotations, providing responsive support during non-nominal situations.
• Perform trending and performance analysis on spacecraft subsystems and instruments, diagnosing anomalies and defining new analysis checks as needed.
• Prepare and validate Operational Database change requests.
• Build core mission planning services and algorithms that power mission planning applications for a growing satellite constellation.
• Shape the architecture and design of mission planning systems for scalability, reliability, and long-term operability.
• Translate mission requests into executable satellite telecommands, including interaction with the telecommand database.
• Align mission plans with onboard scheduling and execution constraints to ensure operational feasibility.
• Define and drive engineering standards for reliability, CI/CD, infrastructure-as-code, observability, and operational compliance across mission-critical systems.
• Design, develop, and test ground software and scripting for robust, automated long-term space operations.
• Design, develop, and test flight software sequences and FDIR/telemetry configuration to support spacecraft health and fault management.
• Maintain continuous integration and testing of operational code.
• Leverage automation as a core enabler for efficient, reliable mission execution.
• Support ground segment and spacecraft testing, including validation against simulation tools and campaigns.
• Develop test methods and supporting data analysis.
• Perform requirements validation and verification, and generate/maintain requirements for spacecraft missions, including disposition.
• Create and maintain operations system documentation, interface specifications, CONOPS, and flight operations manuals.
• Review space-to-ground interface specifications for accuracy and completeness.
• Collaborate across Flight Operations, Flight Dynamics, Payload, Satellite Operations, and Product leadership to translate mission needs into technical direction and system design.
• Provide technical inputs and recommendations to the Lead Engineer.
• Contribute to the preparation and execution of critical mission campaigns.
• Identify and support implementation of system and process improvements.

Skills

Spacecraft subsystems

Space environment

Programming experience

Space operations

Ground systems

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or related field

Tools

Git

CI/CD

Cloud infrastructure

Job description

Job Summary

Role: Associate Spacecraft Operations and Analysis Engineer

Employment Type: Full Time

Educational Qualification: Bachelor' s degree in engineering (aerospace, computer/software, electrical, mechanical) or other technical field

Work Experience: 0-2 years of direct experience in any of the following: spacecraft operations, satellite subsystems, ground systems, space mission design

Role Description

We are looking for an enthusiastic and self driven individual to take up the responsibility of spacecraft operations. The primary responsibility of this role is to monitor;and control the spacecraft as per the mission plan and schedules. The hire will need to ensure that there is zero downtime in operations due to operational lapses/errors, while also ensuring that the spacecrafts are safe and healthy.

Responsibilities

• Monitor, operate, and maintain mission planning and ground systems in live production environments, including real-time spacecraft monitoring and control in the control room


• Execute routine and special operational procedures across all mission phases; develop, validate, and maintain flight operational procedures under configuration control


• Participate in on-call and shift rotations, providing responsive support during non-nominal situations


• Perform trending and performance analysis on spacecraft subsystems and instruments, diagnosing anomalies and defining new analysis checks as needed


• Prepare and validate Operational Database change requests


• Build core mission planning services and algorithms that power mission planning applications for a growing satellite constellation


• Shape the architecture and design of mission planning systems for scalability, reliability, and long-term operability


• Translate mission requests into executable satellite telecommands, including interaction with the telecommand database


• Align mission plans with onboard scheduling and execution constraints to ensure operational feasibility


• Define and drive engineering standards for reliability, CI/CD, infrastructure-as-code, observability, and operational compliance across mission-critical systems


• Design, develop, and test ground software and scripting for robust, automated long-term space operations


• Design, develop, and test flight software sequences and FDIR/telemetry configuration to support spacecraft health and fault management


• Maintain continuous integration and testing of operational code


• Leverage automation as a core enabler for efficient, reliable mission execution


• Support ground segment and spacecraft testing, including validation against simulation tools (flatsat, HITL) and AIT campaigns (TVAC, propulsion stack, DITL)


• Develop test methods and supporting data analysis


• Perform requirements validation and verification, and generate/maintain requirements for spacecraft missions, including disposition


• Create and maintain operations system documentation, interface specifications, CONOPS, and flight operations manuals


• Review space-to-ground interface specifications for accuracy and completeness


• Collaborate across Flight Operations, Flight Dynamics, Payload, Satellite Operations, and Product leadership to translate mission needs into technical direction and system design


• Provide technical inputs and recommendations to the Lead Engineer


• Contribute to the preparation and execution of critical mission campaigns


• Identify and support implementation of system and process improvements

Desirable Skills Certifications

• Understanding of key spacecraft subsystems, their functions and components such as attitude determination and control, space-ground communications, spacecraft electrical power systems etc.


• Understanding of the space environment, orbital mechanics, and rigid body dynamics


• Software development experience (Python/C/C++/Ruby/other high-level languages)


• Prior experience in spacecraft operations


• Prior experience in satellite ground systems


• Familiarity with GIT, CI/CD, cloud infrastructure

Candidate Acumen

• Strong communication skills in English, both speaking and writing, with the ability to clearly document procedures and share findings with the team


• Strong observation skills with keen attention to detail and solid analytical ability, with a willingness to dig into anomalies rather than take data at face value


• Systematic and process-oriented, with the discipline to stay calm and follow procedure carefully during high-pressure, real-time situations


• Collaborative team player who works well across shifts and with cross-functional partners, and is comfortable asking for help or escalating when a situation is outside their experience