Lead Satellite Systems Engineer

Planet; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 163,000 - 203,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

HSA with company contribution

Paid time off

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 senior satellite systems engineer in San Francisco to bridge customer requirements and our satellite programs. You will coordinate mechanical, thermal, ADSCS/GNC, propulsion and electrical teams to ensure end-to-end system integrity from design through testing.

The role emphasizes hands-on verification, collaboration with mission operations, and ensuring the satellite system meets diverse customer needs across environments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering or similar.
• 5+ years of experience in the design and development of satellite systems.
• Customer facing experience in briefings and design reviews.
• Understanding of subsystems: Mechanical, Thermal, ADSCS/GNC, Propulsion, Electrical.
• Familiarity with requirements formulation, validation, and verification best practices.
• Experience with vehicle testing (functional and environmental).

Responsibilities

• Interface mission specifications between customer and Planet’s teams.
• Assess system level budgets for engineering trades and feasibility studies.
• Collaborate with mission operations and data product teams to ensure satellite system meets customer needs.
• Participate in assembly, integration and testing (AI&T) of satellite systems for test planning and anomaly resolution.
• Provide verification and validation of satellite and ground systems (environmental, functional, end-to-end).
• Lead technical coordination of Mechanical, Thermal, ADSCS/GNC, Propulsion, Electrical and Manufacturing teams.

Skills

Satellite systems design

Customer facing experience

System-level understanding

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering

Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering (advantage)

Tools

STK

NASA GEVS knowledge

Job description

Planet is seeking a senior satellite systems engineer in San Francisco to bridge customer requirements and our satellite programs. You will coordinate mechanical, thermal, ADSCS/GNC, propulsion and electrical teams to ensure end-to-end system integrity from design through testing.

The role emphasizes hands-on verification, collaboration with mission operations, and ensuring the satellite system meets diverse customer needs across environments.