Ground Station Engineer
About the Role:
As a Ground Station Engineer at Planet you will be a member of the Planet Ground Stations Operations Team focused on the delivery and operational excellence of a geographically diverse Ground Station network. The network is composed of a mix of physical antennas, network and compute resources, cloud infrastructure and industrial controllers working in unison to autonomously track and communicate with Planet’s multiple satellite constellations.
Planet’s satellites generate a substantial dataset and moving that data from our spacecraft across the Ground Station network daily poses ever changing design goals for our Operations Team. The Ground Station team works closely with Spacecraft Operators and Mission Control engineers to autonomously control the spacecraft and bring the data back to Earth.
As a Ground Station Engineer overseeing the installation of complex systems that are critical to Planet’s ongoing operations, you will be required to regularly exercise discretion, independent judgment, and will be expected to make decisions independent of oversight as needed.
An essential element of this position requires the ability to climb, and lift/push/pull equipment up to 50 pounds. A drivers license and clean driving record will be required as well as the ability to operate vehicles in foreign countries.
This is a full-time, hybrid role which will require you to work from our Berlin office 3 days per week.
Impact You’ll Own:
Collaborate with the Logistics and Service Delivery Managers to facilitate the deployment of hardware and essential materials to emerging ground station locations.
Direct and manage all on-site implementation and construction tasks.
Partner with internal Finance units to ensure rigorous asset tracking and accounting for deployed infrastructure.
Provide consistent and detailed progress updates regarding the technical installation lifecycle.
What You Bring:
Experience in organizational management and high-volume task prioritization.
Bachelor’s degree or higher in RF Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or similar specialized technical field
4+ years of experience in antenna system installation or maintenance.
Familiarity with RF test equipment such as spectrum and network analyzers.
Willingness to travel up to 75% of the time.
Ability to work with little or no supervision. Discretion to make independent decisions.
What Makes You Stand Out:
Advanced understanding of RF communication and satellite communication protocols.
2+ years experience with RF electronics and communication systems including: RF front-end equipment, back-end equipment, communication hardware, and link budgets.
Antenna system calibration, diagnostics and monitoring experience.
2+ years experience with telemetry, tracking and control systems.
2-4 years project management and logistics experience.
Radar and/or comms experience.
Experience with Linux or UNIX servers.
Application Deadline:
November 24, 2026 at 11:59p PT
Export Control Requirements:
Planet Labs Germany GmbH is authorized to receive U.S. export-controlled information at Planet under an export license issued by the Bureau of Industry and Security. This position requires access to U.S. and German/EU 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 German, EU, or U.S. authorities.
Benefits While Working at Planet:
These offerings are dependent on employment type and geographical location, based upon applicable law or company policy.
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
Volunteering Paid Time Off
Compensation:
The expected starting gross salary range for this role is listed below. Individual placement within this range is determined objectively based on gender-neutral criteria such as your skills, qualifications, and professional experience. This position may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses, commission, and/or equity.
Germany Salary Range
€60.900—€76.100 EUR
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