Payload Lead

EOI Space; Lafayette (CO); On-site; USD 200,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Unlimited paid time off

401K plan

Parental leave

12 paid holidays

Job summary

A leading satellite technology company is seeking a Payload Lead responsible for the design and development of electro-optical payload systems. The role involves managing engineering teams and collaborating with multiple departments to ensure project success. Candidates must have a strong engineering background, leadership experience, and familiarity with payload commissioning. This onsite position offers a competitive salary ranging from $200,000-$260,000, along with comprehensive benefits and equity opportunities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Physics, Engineering, Remote Sensing or equivalent.
• 12+ years of experience in engineering with hands-on payload development.
• 5+ years in a leadership role managing technical teams.

Responsibilities

• Drive design and development of payload systems.
• Oversee integration, testing, and calibration processes.
• Manage internal and subcontracted engineering teams.

Skills

Leadership experience

Technical communication

Requirements analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Program management

Education

Bachelor’s of Science in Physics, Engineering, or Remote Sensing

Tools

Software for image processing

Job description

Who we are:

EOI Space specializes in developing and deploying a network of satellites in Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO) to provide ultra-high-resolution Earth imagery. We aim to deliver timely and actionable data for commercial and defense applications. We are on our way to achieving many industry firsts. This demands an ambitious team that revels in leaning into challenges, getting hands on, and working together. Does this sound like you? EOI Space is looking for a talented Payload Lead with a strong background in the fundamentals of space‑bound electro‑optical payload development and related image processing to own and drive the development of EOI’s primary payload.

What you will do:

In this role, you will hold broad responsibility to drive design; ground‑based integration, alignment and testing; and subsequent design iterations/improvements over time for a complex, ~50 cm aperture electro‑optical payload. This includes direct management of engineers within the payload as well as extensive cross‑functional collaboration with other engineering departments to ensure overall functional, structural, design, interface, and performance requirements of the payload are addressed. While this is a lead role, and part of this role is people management, as in any small organization, the majority of your time is expected to be spent on tasks related to the design, build, and test of the payload. This role will manage both internal engineering and sub‑contractor teams associated with payload specific subsystems and structures. The ideal candidate will have program management experience in addition to strong technical fundamentals and demonstrated experience executing across the full breadth of areas needed to drive a subsystem to completion (technical, program management, SOW development and management, supplier engagement, etc.).

Responsibilities:

• Lead the overall development of the payload, ultimately delivering a system (internally) that meets performance, cost, and schedule objectives
• Lead design trade studies to balance production feasibility/ease/costs with top‑level image quality; own the top‑level image quality budget
• Define requirements and traverse trade studies throughout the various phases of development and integration
• Define and drive on‑ground payload assembly, integration, test, and calibration at all phases of development; define and lead on‑orbit payload calibration
• Develop and manage EOI’s payload team; effectively collaborate with and manage subcontractors
• Collaborate with other subsystem leads on the development of the spacecraft overall
• Simulate payload performance to aid in payload development
• Collaborate with software engineers in the development and implementation of the overall image processing pipeline
• Work with company leadership in defining and implementing roadmaps for future capabilities

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s of Science degree or higher in Physics, Engineering, Remote Sensing or equivalent, with each higher‑level degree counting as an additional 2 years of experience
• A minimum 12 years of progressively responsible experience in the engineering field, including hands‑on experience through all phases of payload development
• A minimum of 5 years of experience in a leadership role, to include managing technical teams and acting as primary customer interface, activity planning and development, staffing, cost and schedule budgeting and management, cross‑functional collaboration and support to enterprise test activities
• Ability to communicate highly complex technical concepts and ideas to both technical and non‑technical audiences
• Experience with requirements analysis, decomposition, and allocation
• Spacecraft operations experience, particularly the LEOP phase and payload commissioning
• Experience within a startup environment if preferred

Compensation:

The salary range for this role is $200,000-$260,000 per year, depending on previous experience. Pay ranges are determined by role, level, location, and alignment with market data. Individual pay will be determined on a case‑by‑case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: interviews and an assessment of several factors that are unique to each candidate, job‑related skills, relevant education and experience, certifications, abilities of the candidate and internal equity.

Work Location:

This onsite role is located in Lafayette, CO.

Benefits:

The health and safety of our employees and their families come first. In addition to competitive salary and equity, we offer medical, dental, vision, disability and life insurance coverage, unlimited paid time off, 12 paid holidays, parental leave, and 401K. The Company reserves the right to modify or change these benefits at any time.