Lead, Satellite Mission Operations & Automation

Northrop Grumman; Gilbert (AZ); On-site; USD 123,000 - 184,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Total Rewards

Health Insurance

Career Growth Opportunities

On-site Facilities

Job summary

Northrop Grumman is seeking a mission operations specialist to provide support across LEOPS, NOMOPS, payload operations, and End-of-Life phases for satellite programs. You will develop on-orbit procedures, write automation scripts, and maintain operator handbooks and training materials.

You will lead on-orbit rehearsals and tests, perform script and procedure development, coordinate with systems engineers, and support launch and early operations with on-console presence.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related discipline or equivalent.
• 8+ years of relevant experience; 6 years with a Master’s; 4 years with a PhD.
• Active TS/SCI clearance at time of application with willingness to take a polygraph.
• Experience with on-orbit mission operations and resolving satellite/ground system anomalies.
• Experience with at least one spacecraft subsystem (e.g., ADCS/GNC, comms, power).
• Experience writing technical documents (procedures, handbooks, test plans).
• Excellent verbal and written communication for milestone reviews.
• Experience with scripting for automation (Python/Perl).

Responsibilities

• Provide mission operations support to satellite programs across LEOPS, NOMOPS, payload operations, and EOL phases.
• Lead on-orbit procedure and script development and automation; test on-orbit products and resolve discrepancies.
• Develop and maintain Signatures, Limits, and Constraints documentation.
• Create and maintain on-orbit handbooks and operator references for LEOPS/NOMOPS payload events.
• Lead training and system familiarization for operations teams.
• Lead rehearsals for LEOPS events, MRTs, MRs, DITL, and major payload events.
• Provide on-console LEOPS support during launch and early orbit operations.
• Support passivation and EOL planning and execution.
• Develop and test command procedures, telemetry pages, and related ops products.
• Develop on-orbit products including procedures and executable scripts.
• Collaborate with systems engineers on ops concepts for checkout and routine ops.
• Participate in anomaly resolution and provide status reporting.

Skills

On-orbit operations

Automation scripting

Technical communication

Cross-functional leadership

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in engineering or related discipline

Tools

Python

Perl

Job description

Northrop Grumman is seeking a mission operations specialist to provide support across LEOPS, NOMOPS, payload operations, and End-of-Life phases for satellite programs. You will develop on-orbit procedures, write automation scripts, and maintain operator handbooks and training materials.

You will lead on-orbit rehearsals and tests, perform script and procedure development, coordinate with systems engineers, and support launch and early operations with on-console presence.