Senior Space Systems Engineer, Mission Optimization
About this role
Engineers who thrive in cross-functional environments and enjoy bridging the gap between high-level customer commitments and complex technical execution will find a natural home here. Planet designs and operates the largest constellation of Earth-observation satellites in history, combining hardware manufacturing with a cloud-based data platform. The Mission Optimization team focuses on improving constellation productivity by resolving bottlenecks in contact scheduling, downlink latency, collection capacity, and future mission design.
Working as a senior engineer on this team, the person hired will own the creation of novel concepts of operations. Responsibilities include translating contractual agreements and unexploited spacecraft capabilities into actionable operational models, collaborating closely with spacecraft engineering, software, product, and customer-facing groups. The role exists to continuously optimize fleet performance and support company growth while operating with substantial latitude in a hybrid setting based out of Berlin.
What you will do
- Define and own concepts of operations for new missions, spacecraft capabilities, and customer products from early design through nominal operations.
- Lead optimization initiatives across multiple organizations by setting technical direction and evaluating outcomes against fleet SLAs and KPIs.
- Act as the primary technical interface for the team with stakeholders spanning engineering, operations, and product departments.
- Translate contractual and customer obligations into operational concepts and capacity commitments the satellite fleet can meet.
- Model and analyze fleet performance using operational data to uncover limitations in capacity, latency, or agility.
- Design, develop, and maintain software solutions that implement operational concepts and improve constellation productivity.
What you need
- Bring over 10 years of relevant professional experience in spacecraft operations or mission systems engineering.
- Hold a bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering, systems engineering, computer science, or a related technical field.
- Demonstrate prior ownership of concepts of operations for complex operational systems from definition to implementation.
- Possess working proficiency in Python or a comparable programming language to model systems and analyze operational data.
- Apply a quantitative approach that includes statistical analysis and reasoning over large operational datasets.
- Show a proven track record of leading technical initiatives across organizational boundaries and communicating with senior stakeholders.
Nice to have
- Experience operating or designing operations for a large-scale satellite constellation
- Background in optimization, scheduling, or operations research
- Familiarity with commercial Earth observation, tasking, or fulfillment systems
- Familiarity with orbital mechanics, link budgets, and spacecraft resource modeling
- Experience with DevOps tooling and practices such as Git, Docker, CI/CD, and Linux
Benefits
- Paid time off including vacation, holidays and company-wide days off
- Employee Wellness Program
- Home Office Reimbursement
- Monthly Phone and Internet Reimbursement
- Tuition Reimbursement and access to LinkedIn Learning
- Equity
Skills and tech stack
Questions candidates ask
What is the work arrangement for this role?
This is a full-time, hybrid position that requires working from the Berlin office three days per week.
What is the compensation range for the position?
The expected starting gross salary range for Germany is €86.600 to €108.300 EUR, with potential eligibility for discretionary bonuses and equity.
What languages and technical tools are used on the team?
Engineers need working proficiency in Python or a comparable language to model systems, analyze operational data, and contribute production code, alongside familiarity with standard DevOps tools.
Who does this team collaborate with?
The team works closely with spacecraft and systems engineering groups, software and operations teams, and product and customer-facing departments to align with SLA risks and commitments.