Senior Earth-Observation Payloads Engineer

Loft Federal; Golden (CO); On-site; USD 130,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

100% medical, dental, vision insurance

Flexible vacation and 12 holidays

401(k) and equity options

Relocation assistance

Daily catered lunches

Job summary

Loft, Space Made Simple, is seeking a Senior Earth Observation Engineer to be the technical authority for optical payloads, imagery quality, and mission performance across Loft's growing satellite fleet.

You will define performance requirements, drive payload development and test, support in-orbit calibration, and help turn raw payload data into sellable imagery for diverse customer missions, including AI-ready processing.

Qualifications

• 5+ years as a space systems engineer on Earth observation missions.
• Familiar with imagery calibration aspects: geometric, radiometric, spectral.
• Experience with optical payloads.
• Proficient in Python (≥1 year).
• Strong communication and organizational skills.
• Ability to challenge norms in aerospace engineering and testing.
• Willing to do hands-on work under pressure.

Responsibilities

• Derive mission and payload requirements with customers and translate to software/hardware teams and suppliers.
• Drive development and test activities with payload vendors.
• Develop on-ground and in-orbit test and calibration strategies with AIT/OPS teams.
• Define on-board and on-ground data processing approaches.
• Support CONOPS development with Lead Systems Engineer.
• Assist business development for optical payload customers and virtual missions.
• Contribute to integration, test campaigns, and in-orbit commissioning.

Skills

Image quality metrics

Optical payloads

Python

Space systems engineering

Communication

Hands-on, fast-paced

Troubleshooting under pressure

Job description

Loft, Space Made Simple, is seeking a Senior Earth Observation Engineer to be the technical authority for optical payloads, imagery quality, and mission performance across Loft's growing satellite fleet.

You will define performance requirements, drive payload development and test, support in-orbit calibration, and help turn raw payload data into sellable imagery for diverse customer missions, including AI-ready processing.