Engineer II, Ground System Operator

Iridium; Grand Forks Air Force Base (ND); Hybrid; USD 75,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company stock

Annual bonus

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k) plan

Paid time off

Paid holidays

Parental leave

Job summary

Iridium is seeking a Ground System Operator II to monitor and control SDA ground systems in a 24/7, multi-satellite operations environment. You will work 12-hour shifts, collaborate with a team, and support real-time anomaly investigations while maintaining system health and logs.

The role requires an active Secret clearance and a background in engineering or related field, with a strong emphasis on troubleshooting, scripting, and software testing.

Qualifications

• Strong communication skills and the ability to clearly present information to teammates.
• Ability to build meaningful relationships with management and team members.
• Ability to prioritize tasks, self-aware, and willing to ask for help.
• Actively seek to improve knowledge and share it with others.
• Interest or experience in troubleshooting, testing, or scripting is beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Monitor real-time ground system operations in support of the SDA mission.
• Analyze operational data and perform first-level troubleshooting.
• Support investigations and troubleshooting of software and system logs.
• Monitor spacecraft fleet health and status.
• Collaborate with team to detect and recover from issues in the ground system.
• Validate fixes and confirm system stability after recovery actions.
• Assist with anomaly investigation and follow fault escalation policies.
• Participate in deeper technical analysis and provide operational insight.
• Document events and update procedures for new capabilities.
• Create clear event logs for outages or system events.
• Support testing of new software releases and configurations prior to rollout.
• Assist with rollout activities and post-deployment monitoring.

Skills

Communication

Relationship building

Prioritization

Learning mindset

Troubleshooting interest

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience

Tools

Linux OS

Scripting

Software testing

Job description

Company Overview

Iridium is an award-winning satellite communications company operating the world's only truly global voice and data network, delivering reliable connectivity anywhere on Earth. For more than 20 years, Iridium has powered mission-critical communications for governments, businesses, aviation, maritime, and the rapidly expanding Internet of Things. Now part of Iridium, Aireon is the world’s only space-based air traffic surveillance system, providing real-time visibility of aircraft over oceans, the poles, and remote regions. Together, Iridium and Aireon are helping build a safer, more connected, and more efficient future for global aviation. Join our team and help shape how the world stays connected. We foster a collaborative, inclusive culture where employees are empowered to innovate, grow professionally, and make a meaningful impact.

What We’re Looking For:

If you are a science and space enthusiast who is excited about working on cutting-edge technology and with a talented team of professionals, then you will be excited about the Ground System Operator II opening with Iridium for a Space Development Agency (SDA) project. As a Ground System Operator II, you will participate in monitoring and controlling ground systems at one of the SDA Operations Centers. You will work 12-hour shifts with a team in a 24/7, multi-satellite operations environment. You will thrive in this role if you have a desire to learn and execute new technical skills and are highly motivated and passionate about engineering and space systems.

This position requires an active/current Secret Security Clearance (A U.S. Security Clearance that has been active in the past 24 months is considered active).

What You’ll Do:

• Perform real-time monitoring of the ground system in support of the SDA mission


• Analyze operational data and execute first level troubleshooting to resolve issues


• Support data-driven investigations and troubleshooting of software and system logs


• Monitor spacecraft fleet-level health and status


• Work collaboratively with the team to detect and recover from issues within the Iridium ground system applications, and for a global network of remote teleport antennas and Wide Area Network (WAN)


• Assist in validating fixes and confirming system stability following recovery actions


• Support real-time anomaly investigation and resolution and follow established Fault Escalation policies and procedures


• Participate in deeper technical analysis of anomalies and contribute operational insight to factory teams


• Support process improvement initiatives by properly documenting all events through an anomaly and issue reporting process


• Create accurate, timely, and descriptive event logging for all ground system outages or system events


• Participate in testing and evaluating new software releases, patches, and configuration changes prior to operational rollout


• Execute operational test cases and provide structured feedback to developers and system engineers


• Assist with rollout activities for new tools, capabilities, or ground system applications, including integration checks and post-deployment monitoring


• Help develop and refine updated procedures, troubleshooting documentation, and operational best practices for newly introduced capabilities

What You’ll Need to Succeed:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or related field OR equivalent relevant experience in a network operations or spacecraft operations environment in lieu of degree


• 2+ years of related engineering experience


• Strong communication skills, with the ability to clearly present information and ideas to others


• Have confidence and be able to easily build meaningful relationships with your manager and members of your team


• Must be able to prioritize your tasks, be self-aware enough to identify and correct your mistakes, and not be afraid to ask for help when needed


• Be active in seeking out ways to improve yourself and gain new knowledge, and be enthusiastic in sharing knowledge with others


• Interest or experience in technical troubleshooting, software testing, or scripting to support evolving operational tools is beneficial

Things That Would be Great if You Brought to the Table:

• Proficiency in the LINUX operating system, as well as standard PC usage and applications


• Familiarity with software development and programming skills


• Exposure to system test environments, automation tools, or telemetry analysis techniques is a plus

We’ll also need you to:

• Work 12-hour shifts


• Be a U.S. citizen

Work Environment:

This position primarily works in an office setting and is largely sedentary with the majority of the position working with a computer. The role typically requires the use of basic office equipment such as a phone, video, computer, keyboard, mouse, and printer. We believe in-person connection drives innovation, strengthens mentorship, and builds culture, while flexibility enables employees to do their best work. Under Iridium’s Hybrid Work Policy, employees are expected to work at least four days per week (approximately 80%) in an Iridium office to support collaboration, relationship-building, and professional growth.

Additional Information

This job description outlines the general nature and level of work for this role and is not a comprehensive list of duties, responsibilities, or qualifications. Employees may be assigned additional responsibilities as needed. Base Pay Range: $75,000 - $95,000 USD. Actual compensation will be determined based on a variety of factors and this range represents an estimate of compensation at the time of posting. Base salary is only one part of our compensation package for this role. You may also be eligible for company stock and annual bonus. Employee benefits also include medical, dental, and vision insurance coverage; 401(k) retirement plan options; paid time off and paid holidays; paid parental leave; and other discounts and perks.

Iridium is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans.