Operations Systems Engineer II

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory; Pasadena (CA); On-site; USD 119,000 - 143,000; Full time

Job summary

Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena seeks an Operations System Engineer II to support Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) and Mars 2020 (M2020) missions, applying systems engineering to ensure spacecraft safety and develop automation tools. You will lead anomaly investigations and collaborate across tactical flight operations and strategic development teams.

The role emphasizes real-time decision making, testbed validation, and optimizing power management in degraded scenarios, with a focus on

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or related technical discipline with typically a minimum of 3 years of related experience; master’s degree in similar disciplines with a minimum of 1 year of related experience.
• Extensive knowledge in Aerospace Engineering, System Engineering, mission systems and mission system processes and procedures.
• Power Optimization: Experience designing, testing, and implementing strategies to optimize spacecraft activities as power degradation occurs.
• Testbed Experience: Direct experience validating flight activities and sequences within spacecraft testbed environments.
• Communication & Analysis: Exceptional analytical capabilities, initiative, and strong verbal and written technical communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Prime Shift & Telemetry Analysis: Analyze downlink data, evaluate spacecraft health and safety, and build/deliver tactical sequences for upcoming activities.
• Engineering Commanding: Make real-time decisions on engineering commands supporting science objectives, mobility drives, and robotic arm activities while safeguarding rover safety.
• Testbed Validation: Support hardware-in-the-loop validation in MSL and/or M2020 testbeds to verify spacecraft behavior and operational safety.
• Health & Trend Analysis: Continually monitor, trend, and report on the performance of integrated rover hardware and software systems.
• Anomaly Leadership: Lead multi-disciplinary anomaly response teams to diagnose, troubleshoot, and resolve issues across software, hardware, and complex subsystem interactions.
• Ground Tool Automation: Design and deploy strategic ground tools to streamline surface capabilities, improve operational workflows, and expand automation.
• Partner with engineering teams across projects to deliver complex systems engineering solutions under general direction.
• Apply creative problem-solving and independent judgment to evaluate technical options and resolve significant operational challenges.
• Adapt and refine complex technical models to optimize system performance, including spacecraft power management as degradation occurs.

Skills

Aerospace Engineering

Systems Engineering

Mission systems

Power optimization

Testbed experience

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or related technical discipline

Master’s degree in similar disciplines

Job description

Job Details

New ideas are all around us, but only a few will change the world. That’s our focus at JPL. We ask the biggest questions, then search the universe for answers—literally. We build upon ideas that have guided generations, then share our discoveries to inspire generations to come. Your mission—your opportunity—is to seek out the answers that bring us one step closer. If you’re driven to discover, create, and inspire something that lasts a lifetime and beyond, you’re ready for JPL.

Job Details

New ideas are all around us, but only a few will change the world. That’s our focus at JPL. We ask the biggest questions, then search the universe for answers—literally. We build upon ideas that have guided generations, then share our discoveries to inspire generations to come. Your mission—your opportunity—is to seek out the answers that bring us one step closer. If you’re driven to discover, create, and inspire something that lasts a lifetime and beyond, you’re ready for JPL.

Located in Pasadena, California, JPL has a campus-like environment situated on 177 acres in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains and offers a work environment unlike any other: we inspire passion, foster innovation, build collaboration, and reward excellence. As an Operations System Engineer II within the Engineering Operations for Surface Missions Group (326E), you will support the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) and Mars 2020 (M2020) missions across both tactical flight operations and strategic development in the Systems role. You will apply systems engineering principles to ensure spacecraft safety, evaluate complex vehicle behaviors during critical activities, build automation tools, and lead anomaly investigations.

Key Responsibilities:

Tactical & Flight Operations

• Prime Shift & Telemetry Analysis: Analyze downlink data, evaluate spacecraft health and safety, and build/deliver tactical sequences for upcoming activities.
• Engineering Commanding: Make real-time decisions on engineering commands supporting science objectives, mobility drives, and robotic arm activities while safeguarding rover safety.
• Testbed Validation: Support hardware-in-the-loop validation in MSL and/or M2020 testbeds to verify spacecraft behavior and operational safety.

Strategic Systems & Anomaly Management

• Health & Trend Analysis: Continually monitor, trend, and report on the performance of integrated rover hardware and software systems.
• Anomaly Leadership: Lead multi-disciplinary anomaly response teams to diagnose, troubleshoot, and resolve issues across software, hardware, and complex subsystem interactions.
• Ground Tool Automation: Design and deploy strategic ground tools to streamline surface capabilities, improve operational workflows, and expand automation.

Core Job Functions

• Partner with engineering teams across projects to deliver complex systems engineering solutions under general direction.
• Apply creative problem-solving and independent judgment to evaluate technical options and resolve significant operational challenges.
• Adapt and refine complex technical models to optimize system performance, including spacecraft power management as degradation occurs.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or related technical discipline with typically a minimum of 3 years of related experience; master’s degree in similar disciplines with a minimum of 1 year of related experience.
• Extensive knowledge in one or more of the following areas: Aerospace Engineering, System Engineering, mission systems and mission system processes and procedures.
• Power Optimization: Experience designing, testing, and implementing strategies to optimize spacecraft activities as power degradation occurs.
• Testbed Experience: Direct experience validating flight activities and sequences within spacecraft testbed environments.
• Communication & Analysis: Exceptional analytical capabilities, initiative, and strong verbal and written technical communication skills.
• undefined

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge of Laboratory policies and procedures, NASA policies and procedures, and government regulations across a range of applications.
• Previous hands-on experience working spacecraft mission operations.
• Broad familiarity with space flight engineering subsystems and end-to-end flight operations.
• Demonstrated ability to synthesize operational lessons learned and apply them directly to improve flight team workflows.

JPL has a catalog of benefits and perks that span from the traditional to the unique. This includes a variety of health, dental, vision, wellbeing, and retirement plans, paid time off, learning, rideshare, childcare, flexible schedule, parental leave and many more. Our focus is on work-life balance, and living healthy, fulfilling lives as we Dare Mighty Things Together. For benefits eligible positions, benefits are effective the first day of the month coincident with or immediately following the employee’s start date.

For further benefits information click Benefits and Perks

The typical full time equivalent annual hiring range for this job in Pasadena, California.

$118,872 - $143,000

JPL is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy or perceived pregnancy, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, protected military or veteran status or any other characteristic or condition protected by Federal, state or local law.

In addition, JPL is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.

EEO is the Law.

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Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory is a federal facility. Due to rules imposed by NASA, JPL will not accept applications from citizens of designated countries or those born in a designated country unless they are U.S. Citizens, Legal Permanent Residents of the U.S or have other protected status under 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3). The Designated Countries List is available here.