Flight Dynamics Engineer, Orbits R&D

Planetlabs; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 114,200 - 142,700; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision

HSA with company contribution

Paid Time Off & holidays

Parental Leave 16 weeks

Wellness Program

Home Office Reimbursement

Phone & Internet Reimbursement

Tuition Reimbursement

Equity

Commuter Benefits

Volunteer PTO

Job summary

Planet is seeking a Flight Dynamics Engineer to design and optimize mission planning for its satellite constellation. You will join a small team handling mission design, orbit determination, and maneuver execution, building tools to automate design trade-offs and improve operations across Planet’s fleets.

You will work in our San Francisco office in a hybrid setup, three days onsite, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to enable future missions while applying first-principles analysis

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, physics or related technical field.
• 2–3 years of relevant work experience.
• Experience in orbital mechanics and space mission operations.
• Software development experience in C++ and Python.
• Ability to carry out first-principles analysis and operationalize MVP solutions.
• Excellent written and verbal technical communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Research, design, and architect new software solutions for Mission Design needs.
• Work on complex optimization problems with flight dynamics and software engineering.
• Develop and automate tools to assess mission design trade-offs.
• Collaborate with mission planning, flight dynamics, and ground software teams.
• Perform first-principles analysis to optimize scheduling of imaging and contacts.

Skills

C++

Python

Orbital mechanics

Mission operations

Technical communication

Education

Bachelors in Aerospace Engineering/Physics

Job description

About the Role:

As a Flight Dynamics Engineer, you will work on a small team of dedicated engineers responsible for the Flight Dynamics and Mission Planning for Planet’s fleet of satellites. The Flight Dynamics disciplines of this team include mission design, orbit determination, maneuver design and execution (with propulsion and differential‑drag), and conjunction assessment & mitigation. Mission Planning is concerned with optimal scheduling of imaging and contacts for Planet’s Dove, SkySat, Pelican, and Tanager constellations. This operations research problem has a direct impact on fulfilling the business needs for the world’s largest heterogeneous constellation of Earth Observation satellites. Your role will involve developing and automating tools to assess mission design trade‑offs that will define the future of Planet’s constellations.

This is a full‑time, hybrid role which will require you to work from our San Francisco office 3 days per week.

Impact You’ll Own:

• Research, design, and architect new software solutions for managing Mission Design needs for Planet's increasingly diverse fleets of satellites.
• Work on complex optimization problems with your knowledge of flight dynamics and software engineering.
• Develop and automate tools to assess mission design trade‑offs that will define the future of Planet's constellations.
• Collaborate with mission planning, flight dynamics, and ground software teams to improve the operations of existing fleets and enable future missions.
• Perform first‑principles analysis to optimize scheduling of imaging and contacts for Planet's diverse satellite constellations.

What You Bring:

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, physics or related technical field
• 2‑3 years of relevant work experience
• Experience in orbital mechanics and space mission operations
• Software development experience in C++ and Python
• Ability to carry out first‑principles analysis and operationalize MVP solutions
• Excellent written and verbal technical communication skills

What Makes You Stand Out:

• Experience with constellation and mission design trade studies
• Experience implementing one or more of the following:
  • Orbit determination and high‑fidelity propagation
  • Covariance realism
  • Low‑thrust mission design
  • Maneuver automation
  • Constellation management
• Experience maintaining peer‑reviewed code, attention to quality including automated testing, and continuous integration and deployment

Application Deadline:

October 6, 2026 at 11:59p PT

Benefits While Working at Planet:

• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision plans
• Health Savings Account (HSA) with a company contribution
• Generous Paid Time Off in addition to holidays and company‑wide days off
• 16 Weeks of Paid Parental Leave
• Wellness Program and Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Home Office Reimbursement
• Monthly Phone and Internet Reimbursement
• Tuition Reimbursement and access to LinkedIn Learning
• Equity
• Commuter Benefits (if local to an office)
• Volunteering Paid Time Off

Compensation:

The US base salary range for this full‑time position at the commencement of employment is listed below. Additionally, this role might be eligible for discretionary short‑term and long‑term incentives (bonus and equity). The final salary range is determined by job related experience, skills and location. The range displays our typical hiring range for new hire salaries in US locations only. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process.

$114,200 – $142,700 USD

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.

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. Know Your Rights.