Director of Space Systems

Superorganism; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Orbital Sentry is seeking its inaugural Director of Space Systems to bridge technical execution and program management. You will own satellite and ground architecture from concept through launch, while coordinating contractors, tracking schedules, and ensuring milestones translate into mission success.

Reporting to the CEO, this high-impact role will expand into broader leadership as the company grows. The position is remote-first with quarterly in-person executive meetups.

Qualifications

• Minimum 8 years of space industry experience with hands-on satellite development.
• Bachelor's degree in engineering, science, or related field (Advanced degrees preferred).
• Willingness to travel up to 20% of time.
• US citizenship and based in the US.
• Strong communication and documentation in a remote-first environment.

Responsibilities

• Define and manage satellite and ground architecture from concept to launch.
• Drive system integration and lifecycle management across subsystems.
• Own verification and validation activities to meet mission requirements.
• Oversee external contractors to ensure milestones and timely delivery.
• Draft program management documents including SOWs, requirements, and master schedules.

Skills

High Initiative

Collaborative Mindset

Space Heritage

Remote-first Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering/science/related field

Advanced degrees preferred

Job description

About Orbital Sentry

Orbital Sentry is delivering the world's first 24/7 persistent livestream of Earth. While current satellite constellations provide periodic "snapshots," our dual-use geosynchronous platforms offer uninterrupted monitoring at a temporal cadence unmatched by any existing system. As we expand beyond our founding team, we are looking for mission-driven pioneers ready to build the future of space infrastructure from the ground up. If you want to skip the corporate bureaucracy and have a direct, visible presence at a space company, you belong here.

At Orbital Sentry we hire good people and trust them to get the work done. We embrace a culture that is opposed to micromanagement and believe in empowering our employees to accomplish their work in the manner that suits them most effectively. Orbital Sentry is a remote-first environment meaning all our team members must have strong communication and documentation skills and possess a willingness to adhere to core hours for meetings. We focus on being pragmatic, conscientious, and proactive, with a side of joviality.

About the Role

We are looking for our initial Director of Space Systems-a critical, high-impact hire who will bridge the gap between technical execution and program management. In this multifaceted role, you won't just lead the design of the system; you will drive the entire program forward. You will own the satellite and ground architecture from concept through launch, while managing contractors, tracking schedules, and ensuring our technical milestones translate into mission success.

This position reports directly to the CEO and will have a wide range of responsibilities and authorities. As Orbital Sentry grows, this high-impact role will continue to expand into a key leadership role. Orbital Sentry is a remote-first organization; however, you can anticipate quarterly required meetups with the executive team.

What You'll Do:

• Own the Architecture: Define and manage the satellite and ground station requirements, ensuring full traceability from Level 0 down to lower subsystems.

• Drive Integration: Lead the development of the integrated system and all associated subsystems throughout the entire lifecycle, from initial concept to launch and on-orbit operations.

• Lead V&V: Own all verification and validation activities to ensure the delivered system meets every mission requirement.

• Manage Execution: Oversee external contractors to ensure milestones are met, technical delivery is flawless, and the program stays on schedule.

• Write the Playbook: Draft vital program management documents, including statements of work (SOWs), system requirements, and master schedules for both internal teams and external contractors.

Required Attributes:

• High Initiative: You are a self-starter who thrives with limited supervision and loves building structure out of ambiguity.

• Collaborative Mindset: You can easily balance the needs of multiple stakeholders against the practical constraints of building a satellite, keeping teams aligned and moving forward.

• Space Heritage: A minimum of 8 years of experience in the space industry with real-world, hands-on experience in satellite development.

• Education: Bachelor's degree in engineering, science, or a related technical field (Advanced degrees preferred).

• Ability to work in a remote-first environment: Strong communication and documentation skills and willingness to adhere to core hours for meetings.

• Citizenship and Location: US Citizenship required and must be based in the US

• Willingness and ability to travel up to a 20% travel rate.

Desirable Attributes:

• Experience working with US Government space agencies (e.g., USSF, NRO, NASA, NOAA).

• A proven track record of delivering a satellite on-orbit as a major contributor to the effort.

• Prior experience with Earth Observation systems, infrared imaging payloads, and/or geosynchronous (GEO) satellites.

• An active TS/SCI security clearance.