Senior Camera Systems Engineer

Planet; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 205,800 - 257,200; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Health insurance

Paid time off

Parental leave

Home office stipend

Phone & Internet reimbursement

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Planet seeks a Senior Camera Systems Engineer to be the primary system architect and technical lead for next-generation satellite camera modules. You will bridge mission-level imaging goals and hardware implementation, driving requirements flowdown and coordinating with vendors.

You will collaborate with Electrical, Mechanical, Thermal, Optical, and Flight Software teams to optimize the camera system for tight SWaP-C and electro-optical performance targets.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Physics, or closely related field.

Responsibilities

• Translate performance requirements into clear specifications for the camera subsystem.
• Serve as primary technical contact for image sensor foundries and camera vendors; define SOWs and milestones.
• Lead camera-level trade studies balancing image quality with spacecraft constraints.
• Define ICDs mapping camera module interfaces to data, ISP, and payload bus.
• Own end-to-end verification, environmental qualification plans, and calibration routines.

Job description

Welcome to Planet. We believe in using space to help life on Earth.

Planet designs, builds, and operates the largest constellation of imaging satellites in history. This constellation delivers an unprecedented dataset of empirical information via a revolutionary cloud-based platform to authoritative figures in commercial, environmental, and humanitarian sectors. We are both a space company and data company all rolled into one.

Customers and users across the globe use Planet's data to develop new technologies, drive revenue, power research, and solve our world’s toughest obstacles.

As we control every component of hardware design, manufacturing, data processing, and software engineering, our office is a truly inspiring mix of experts from a variety of domains.

We have a people-centric approach toward culture and community and we strive to iterate in a way that puts our team members first and prepares our company for growth. Join Planet and be a part of our mission to change the way people see the world.

Planet is a global company with employees working remotely worldwide and joining us from offices in San Francisco, Washington DC, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, and The Netherlands.

About the Role

Planet seeks a Senior Camera Systems Engineer to serve as the primary system architect and technical lead for our next-generation satellite camera modules. In this role, you will bridge the gap between mission-level imaging goals and hardware implementation, orchestrating the end-to-end lifecycle of our camera systems. You will drive requirements flowdown, lead cross-functional trade studies, and manage key technical relationships with external image sensor and camera component vendors.

You will collaborate closely with Electrical, Mechanical, Thermal, Optical, and Flight Software teams to optimize the camera system to meet our tight SWaP-C (Size, Weight, Power, Cost, and Schedule) and electro-optical performance targets.

This is a full-time, hybrid role which will require you to work from our San Francisco office 3 days per week.

Impact You’ll Own

• Translate top-level remote sensing performance requirements into clear, verifiable specifications for the camera subsystem (including image sensor, proximity electronics, lens/optical interfaces, and thermal management).
• Serve as the primary technical point of contact for external image sensor foundries and camera component vendors; drive statement of work (SOW) definitions, technical milestones, and critical design reviews (PDR/CDR).
• Lead camera-level trade studies balancing image quality attributes (SNR, dynamic range, MTF, radiometry) against spacecraft constraints like power consumption, thermal dissipation, and mass.
• Define and maintain Interface Control Documents (ICDs) mapping the boundaries between the camera module, high-speed data serialization, the image signal processing (ISP) pipeline, and the host payload/spacecraft bus.
• Own the end-to-end verification matrix for the camera; design and oversee the execution of environmental qualification plans (vacuum, thermal, vibration) and electro-optical calibration routines.

What You Bring

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Physics, or a closely related field.
• 10+ years of engineering experience, with at least 5+ years dedicated to systems engineering or technical leadership for complex digital cameras or electro-optical (EO) imaging systems.
• Proven track record of managing requirements traceability and flowdown across electrical, mechanical, and optical boundaries.
• Demonstrated experience managing external vendors, foundries, or contract manufacturers for high-performance camera components or custom sensors.
• Deep understanding of CMOS image sensor architecture, radiometry, and camera performance budgets (e.g., tracking noise, stray light, and MTF across the camera module).

What Makes You Stand Out

• Experience developing camera hardware or imaging instruments for the LEO environment, including knowledge of radiation mitigation, outgassing, and vacuum-compatible design.
• Experience applying aerospace standards (NASA, ESA, or high-reliability commercial equivalents) to camera qualification, environmental testing, and hardware acceptance.
• Familiarity with hardware-level image processing (e.g., dark current correction, defective pixel masking), high-speed serialization protocols, and ground-station image calibration.

Application Deadline

October 14, 2026 at 11:59p PT

Benefits

• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision plans
• Health Savings Account (HSA) with a company contribution
• Generous Paid Time Off in addition to holidays and company-wide days off
• 16 Weeks of Paid Parental Leave
• Wellness Program and Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Home Office Reimbursement
• Monthly Phone and Internet Reimbursement
• Tuition Reimbursement and access to LinkedIn Learning
• Equity
• Commuter Benefits (if local to an office)

Compensation

The US base salary range for this full-time position at the commencement of employment is listed below. Additionally, this role might be eligible for discretionary short-term and long-term incentives (bonus and equity). The final salary range is determined by job related experience, skills and location. The range displays our typical hiring range for new hire salaries in US locations only.

San Francisco Salary Range

$205,800 - $257,200 USD

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

EEO statement

Planet is committed to building a community where everyone belongs and we invite people from all backgrounds to apply. Planet is an equal opportunity employer, and committed to providing employment opportunities regardless of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding, age, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other protected classification, in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Know Your Rights.