Senior Earth Observation Engineer: Imaging & Data Leader

Loft Orbital Solutions; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 145,000 - 205,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

100% company-paid medical, dental, and

vision insurance for employees and

Dependent coverage

Flexible Time Off

401(k) plan and equity options

Daily catered lunches and snacks

International exposure to our team in 

Fully paid parental leave

Relocation assistance when applicable

Job summary

Loft Orbital Solutions seeks a Senior Earth Observation Engineer to serve as the technical authority for optical payloads, image quality, and mission performance across Loft's growing fleet. You will collaborate with customers, mission teams, and suppliers to define requirements and drive payload development.

This role focuses on imagery calibration, on-ground and in-orbit testing, and building the data-processing foundation to convert raw data into market-ready imagery.

Qualifications

• 5+ years as a space systems engineer on earth observation missions.
• Familiar with image quality metrics and imagery calibration (geometric, radiometric, spectral).
• Experience with optical payloads.
• Proficient in Python (at least 1 year).
• Strong communication and organizational skills.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced development environment with hands-on work.

Responsibilities

• Derive mission and payload requirements with customers and translate to software/hardware teams incl. suppliers.
• Drive optical payload development and test activities with suppliers.
• Develop on-ground and in-orbit test and calibration strategy with AIT/OPS teams.
• Develop on-board and on-ground data processing strategy.
• Support CONOPS development with the Lead Systems Engineer.
• Support business development for optical payload customers and virtual missions.
• Participate in test procedures, integration, launch, and in-orbit commissioning.
• Contribute to Loft's Earth observation roadmap.

Skills

Earth observation experience

Image quality metrics

Python programming

Strong communication

Fast-paced development

Job description

Loft Orbital Solutions seeks a Senior Earth Observation Engineer to serve as the technical authority for optical payloads, image quality, and mission performance across Loft's growing fleet. You will collaborate with customers, mission teams, and suppliers to define requirements and drive payload development.

This role focuses on imagery calibration, on-ground and in-orbit testing, and building the data-processing foundation to convert raw data into market-ready imagery.