IC Space Operations Center SETA

Stratos Solutions, Inc.; Chantilly (VA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Stratos Solutions, Inc. is seeking an experienced Systems Engineer / Mission Operations SETA to support an IC Space customer in Springfield, VA.

You will provide technical and operational expertise focused on flight safety, mission protection, and safe execution of on-orbit operations across mission systems. You will work with government operators, spacecraft engineers, and partners to assess operational risks and provide independent technical recommendations to support safe mission execution.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a technical field related to space systems engineering.
• Experience supporting spacecraft operations, satellite systems, or mission operations.
• Understanding of orbital mechanics and spacecraft concepts.
• Experience evaluating risks and providing actionable recommendations.
• Ability to coordinate across multidisciplinary orgs and communicate to leadership.

Responsibilities

• Provide SETA support to IC Space Customer Operations Center mission operations.
• Assess planned and ongoing spacecraft operations for flight safety and mission risk.
• Analyze spacecraft trajectories, conjunctions, and maneuver plans for safe operations.
• Evaluate RPO and other non-routine on-orbit activities; offer technical recommendations.
• Develop and evaluate mission protection strategies and risk mitigation measures.
• Provide real-time or time-sensitive technical assessments for decision-making.
• Coordinate with operators, partners, engineering, and government leadership to align on risks.
• Analyze data to identify threats, hazards, or mission impacts.
• Support development of briefings and senior-level recommendations.
• Participate in mission planning, readiness activities, and rehearsals.
• Offer independent technical insight to support government decision authorities.

Skills

Space systems engineering

Mission operations

RPO

Communication skills

Education

Aerospace Engineering

Job description

Stratos Solutions is seeking an experienced Systems Engineer / Mission Operations SETA to support Operations Center of an IC Space Customer in Springfield, VA. This position will provide technical and operational expertise focused on spacecraft flight safety, mission protection, and safe execution of on-orbit operations across IC Space mission systems.

The successful candidate will work closely with government mission operators, spacecraft engineers, mission partners, and other SETA personnel to assess operational risks, evaluate spacecraft activities, and provide independent technical recommendations supporting safe and effective mission execution. Experience with Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO), space domain awareness, or complex on-orbit operations is highly desired.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide SETA support to IC Space Customer Operations Center mission operations, with emphasis on spacecraft flight safety and mission protection.
• Assess planned and ongoing spacecraft operations for flight safety, mission risk, and potential impacts to Customer and partner space systems.
• Support analysis of spacecraft trajectories, orbital interactions, conjunctions, maneuver plans, and other activities affecting safe mission operations.
• Evaluate and provide technical recommendations regarding Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO) and other complex or non-routine on-orbit activities.
• Support development and evaluation of mission protection strategies, operational concepts, procedures, and risk mitigation measures.
• Provide real-time or time-sensitive technical assessments in support of operational decision-making and anomaly/event response.
• Coordinate across spacecraft operators, mission partners, engineering organizations, intelligence organizations, and government leadership to develop a common understanding of operational risks.
• Analyze technical and operational data to identify potential threats, hazards, vulnerabilities, or mission impacts.
• Support development of briefings, technical assessments, decision packages, and recommendations for senior government leadership.
• Participate in mission planning, readiness activities, exercises, rehearsals, and operational reviews.
• Provide independent technical insight and recommendations while supporting government decision authorities.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, or a related technical discipline.
• Experience supporting spacecraft operations, satellite systems, mission operations, flight dynamics, space systems engineering, or space mission analysis.
• Understanding of orbital mechanics and spacecraft operational concepts.
• Experience evaluating technical and operational risks and developing actionable recommendations.
• Ability to work effectively across multidisciplinary engineering, operations, intelligence, and acquisition organizations.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex technical issues to operational and senior leadership audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, mission-focused environment.
• Active TS/SCI clearance with Polygraph.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience supporting the IC Space Customers, IC Space Operations Center, DoD, Intelligence Community, or other national security space organizations.
• Experience with Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO), including mission planning, trajectory assessment, safety analysis, or operational execution.
• Experience with spacecraft flight safety, collision avoidance, conjunction assessment, or spaceflight safety analysis.
• Experience with Space Domain Awareness (SDA), Space Situational Awareness (SSA), or space object characterization.
• Familiarity with spacecraft maneuver planning, orbital analysis, relative motion, and proximity operations.
• Experience assessing threats to space systems, mission vulnerabilities, anomalous spacecraft behavior, or potentially hazardous on-orbit activities.
• Experience supporting real-time mission operations, operations centers, or command-and-control environments.
• Familiarity with IC Space mission systems, operational processes, and mission partners.
• Experience supporting exercises, mission rehearsals, contingency planning, or anomaly response.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate combines a strong space systems engineering foundation with an operational mindset and understands how technical spacecraft behavior translates into mission risk. Candidates with direct experience in flight safety, orbital analysis, RPO, spacecraft operations, or mission protection will be particularly well suited for this role.