Senior Spacecraft Systems Engineer

Planet; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 163,000 - 203,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

HSA with company contribution

Paid time off

Parental leave (16 weeks)

Wellness program

Home office reimbursement

Phone & internet reimbursement

Tuition reimbursement

Equity

Commuter benefits

Volunteer PTO

Job summary

Planet is seeking a senior satellite systems engineer in San Francisco to bridge customer requirements and our satellite programs. You will coordinate mechanical, thermal, ADSCS/GNC, propulsion and electrical teams to ensure end-to-end system integrity from design through testing.

The role emphasizes hands-on verification, collaboration with mission operations, and ensuring the satellite system meets diverse customer needs across environments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering or similar.
• 5+ years of experience in the design and development of satellite systems.
• Customer facing experience in briefings and design reviews.
• Understanding of subsystems: Mechanical, Thermal, ADSCS/GNC, Propulsion, Electrical.
• Familiarity with requirements formulation, validation, and verification best practices.
• Experience with vehicle testing (functional and environmental).

Responsibilities

• Interface mission specifications between customer and Planet’s teams.
• Assess system level budgets for engineering trades and feasibility studies.
• Collaborate with mission operations and data product teams to ensure satellite system meets customer needs.
• Participate in assembly, integration and testing (AI&T) of satellite systems for test planning and anomaly resolution.
• Provide verification and validation of satellite and ground systems (environmental, functional, end-to-end).
• Lead technical coordination of Mechanical, Thermal, ADSCS/GNC, Propulsion, Electrical and Manufacturing teams.

Skills

Satellite systems design

Customer facing experience

System-level understanding

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering

Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering (advantage)

Tools

STK

NASA GEVS knowledge

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 world wide and joining us from offices in San Francisco, Washington DC, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, and The Netherlands.

Impact You’ll Own

• Interface mission specifications between our customer and Planet’s teams
• Assess system level budgets for engineering trades and feasibility studies
• Collaborate with our mission operations as well as data product teams to ensure that the satellite system meets the needs of our customer
• Participate in the assembly, integration and testing (AI&T) of satellite systems for test planning and anomaly resolution
• Provide verification and validation of the satellite system and ground systems, including environmental, functional, and end-to-end testing
• Lead the technical coordination of multiple teams, including Mechanical, Thermal, ADSCS/GNC, Propulsion, Electrical, and Manufacturing engineering teams

What You Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering or similar
• 5+ years of experience in the design and development of satellite systems
• Customer facing experience in briefings and design reviews
• Understanding of one or multiple satellite subsystems, including Mechanical, Thermal, ADSCS/GNC, Propulsion, or Electrical
• Familiarity with requirements formulation, validation, and verification best practices
• Experience with vehicle testing, including both functional and environmental testing

What Makes You Stand Out

• Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering or similar.
• 7+ years of experience working in the satellite industry, including design/analysis, AI&T and/or V&V.
• Familiar with industry standards including NASA GEVS and SMC-S-16 for small satellites (50-200 kg)
• Remote Sensing experience related to electro-optical payloads
• Knowledge of design for space environment best practice
• Experience with constellation design or orbital simulations in custom tool suites or STK
• Excellent understanding of ground segment architecture including mission control and mission processing elements

Application Deadline

11:45pm PT on the date stated below. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. This posting may be removed earlier than projected if a suitable pool of applications has been received. For this reason, we recommend applying as soon as you are able.

EAR/ITAR Requirements

This position requires access to export-controlled information, and as such, employment (or hiring of a contractor) is contingent upon the candidate’s ability to access all applicable export-controlled information without additional export licensing being required by the Bureau of Industry and Security and/or the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls.

Benefits While Working At Planet

These offerings are dependent on employment type and geographical location, based upon applicable law or company policy.

• 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)
• Volunteering Paid Time Off

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. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process.

San Francisco Salary Range

$162,600—$203,200 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.

Why We Care So Much About Belonging.

We’re dedicated to helping the whole Planet, and to do that we must strive to represent all of it within each of our offices and on all of our teams. That’s why Planet is guided by an ultimate north star of Belonging—dreaming big as we approach our ongoing work. If this job intrigues you, but you’re thinking you might not have all the qualifications, please... do apply! At Planet, we are looking for well-rounded people from around the world who can contribute to more ways than just what is listed in this job description. We don’t just fill positions, we aspire to fulfill people’s careers, most excited about folks who are motivated by our underlying humanitarian efforts. We are a few orbits around the sun before we get to where we want to be, so we hope you’re excited to come along for the ride.

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.

Accommodations

Planet is an inclusive community and we know that everyone has their own needs. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation during the hiring process, please reach out to [e-mail] or contact your recruiter with your request. Your message will be confidential and we will be happy to assist you.

AI in Our Interviewing Process

Planet is committed to providing an exceptional interview experience for all candidates. We currently use Metaview to better focus on candidates and less on trying to capture notes. As such, with the candidate's consent, select interviews may be recorded and include a "Planet AI Notetaker" for transcription and summarization purposes. Should an interview involve use of AI interview technologies, the candidate will receive notification and have the ability to opt out both in advance and/or real-time. Opting out will not affect one's candidacy.

Candidate AI Policy

Planet embraces Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, and we encourage its responsible use. We understand that candidates may use various resources, including AI tools, to prepare for interviews and assessments. However, during any live interview stage or when actively completing assessments for this position, the use of AI tools—e.g. Large Language Models (LLMs), deep fake technology, etc.—is strictly prohibited unless explicitly prompted by an interviewer or assessment instructions. If you are unsure about acceptable use, please contact your recruiter for clarification. If an AI tool or similar technology is desired as an accommodation, please contact [e-mail] with your request for assistance. Your message will be confidential, and we will be happy to assist you. Violation of this policy may result in disqualification of your application.