Technical Manager, Ground Systems Director

Iridium

Grand Forks (ND)

Hybrid

USD 140,000 - 183,000

Full time

8 days ago

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Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

401(k) retirement plan

Paid time off & holidays

Paid parental leave

Employee discounts

Job summary

Iridium is seeking a Technical Manager, Ground System Director for a Space Development Agency (SDA) project. You will supervise 24/7 operations, manage a team handling daily mission objectives, and coordinate with partners.

This role requires a Top Secret clearance (active or pending) and involves 12-hour shifts in a high‑tempo environment. You will lead real-time monitoring of ground systems, drive issue resolution, and support process improvements while ensuring effective communication with

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in engineering/CS or related field.
8+ years of related engineering experience.
Experience leading a team in real-time operations.
Strong motivation and leadership for team goals.
Excellent communication and analytical skills.
Ability to manage multiple projects and meet deadlines.
Ability to build relationships with management and partners.

Responsibilities

Lead and develop a high-performing team to manage daily mission objectives.
Mentor shift personnel and drive performance reviews.
Coordinate execution of planned daily mission objectives.
Monitor ground system operations in real-time and troubleshoot issues.
Coordinate recovery of ground system applications and WAN components.
Investigate anomalies and follow escalation procedures.
Document events and create descriptive event logs for outages.
Supervise daily mission activities of up to twenty personnel.

Skills

Team leadership

Real-time operations

Communication

Analytical mindset

Multi-project management

Ownership & accountability

Motivation & mentoring

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering / Computer Science / related field

Tools

Linux

Programming basics

Job description

Iridium is an award-winning and innovative satellite communications company with bragging rights to the only network that offers voice and data connectivity anywhere in the world. For over 20 years, Iridium’s unique network and services have supported critical communications needs for individuals, businesses, and the evolving Internet of Things.

At Iridium, we understand the importance of staying connected and the limitations of traditional communications networks. People across the globe, including first responders, humanitarians, global militaries, scientific researchers, and lone workers, as well as ships, aircraft and remote operations all rely on Iridium to stay connected. We take our responsibility for providing these essential communications very seriously and pride ourselves on offering a reliable lifeline when needed. Likewise, Iridium is committed to providing an exciting and innovative workplace, where employees are challenged to think outside the box and collaborate on new, bold ideas and solutions. Our talented teams are passionate about their work and the impact our company makes around the world. Iridium fosters an empowering and inclusive culture that allows employees to genuinely be their best selves. We are looking for others who want to join this truly unique company that celebrates our employees and provides the opportunity to truly make a difference in the world.

What We’re Looking For:

If you are enthusiastic about working in the space industry, then you will be excited about the Technical Manager, Ground System Director opening with Iridium for a Space Development Agency (SDA) project. As a Ground System Director, you’ll be responsible for managing the monitoring and control of the ground systems at the Operations Centers, as well as coordinating mission activities with partners and customers. You will work 12-hour shifts leading a team in a 24-hour, multi-satellite operations environment. You will thrive in this role if you have a desire to lead a team on the forefront of one of the most advanced satellite constellations in the world and are highly motivated and passionate about engineering and space systems.

This position requires an active/current Top Secret Security Clearance or the ability to obtain a Top Secret Security Clearance (A U.S. Security Clearance that has been active in the past 24 months is considered active).

What You’ll Do:

Foster and develop a highly effective team to manage and coordinate daily mission objectives and recovery from unplanned events
Mentor and develop shift personnel operational performance and career advancement through regular feedback and annual Performance Review cycles
Manage and coordinate execution of planned daily mission objectives
Manage real-time monitoring of the ground system in support of the SDA mission, and analysis for first level troubleshooting and resolving issues
Manage and coordinate recovery of issues within the ground system applications
Manage and coordinate detection and recovery of issues at remote teleport antennas as well as Wide Area Network (WAN)
Coordinate real-time anomaly investigation and resolution, following established Fault Escalation policies and procedures for both ground and space system issues
Support process improvement initiatives by properly documenting all events through the anomaly and issue reporting process
Create accurate, timely, and descriptive event logging for all ground system outages or system events
Supervise daily mission activities of up to twenty mission partner and customer personnel

What You’ll Need to Succeed:

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or related field OR equivalent relevant experience in a network operations or spacecraft operations environment in lieu of degree
8+ years of related engineering experience
Experience in leading a team in a real-time operations environment
Capable of being a strong motivator and source of direction for your team and role modelling commitment to your team’s goals
Strong communication skills, with the ability to confidently present information and ideas to others
Possess an analytical mindset, with the ability to understand a situation or problem and think critically to make decisions or come up with solutions
Have confidence and be able to easily establish valuable relationships with management, members of your team, mission partners, and customers
Must be able to prioritize key tasks and have a strong sense of ownership over your work
Have the ability to efficiently manage multiple projects for yourself and your team while making sure to meet deadlines
Be active in seeking out ways to continuously improve yourself and gain new knowledge

Things That Would be Great if You Brought to the Table:

Proficiency in the LINUX operating system, as well as standard PC usage and applications
Familiarity with software development and programming skills

We’ll also need you to:

Work 12-hour shifts

This position primarily works in an office setting and is largely sedentary with the majority of the position working with a computer. The role typically requires the use of basic office equipment such as a phone, video, computer, keyboard, mouse, and printer.

We believe in-person connection drives innovation, strengthens mentorship, and builds culture, while flexibility enables employees to do their best work. Under Iridium’s Hybrid Work Policy, employees are expected to work at least three days per week (approximately 60%) in an Iridium office to support collaboration, relationship-building, and professional growth.

Additional Information

This job description outlines the general nature and level of work for this role and is not a comprehensive list of duties, responsibilities, or qualifications. Employees may be assigned additional responsibilities as needed.

Base Pay Range: $140,000 - $183,000 USD

Actual compensation will be determined based on a variety of factors and this range represents an estimate of compensation at the time of posting. Base salary is only one part of our compensation package for this role. You may also be eligible for company stock and annual bonus. Employee benefits also include medical, dental, and vision insurance coverage; 401(k) retirement plan options; paid time off and paid holidays; paid parental leave; and other discounts and perks.