Mission Operations Engineer II - Ground Segment
Vast is looking for a Mission Operations Engineer II - Ground Segment, reporting to the Lead Mission Operations Engineer, Mission Systems, to support planning and execution of Vast missions.
At Vast, Mission Operations Engineers are responsible for the planning and successful execution of our spacecraft missions. They work cross functionally with engineers from other disciplines from the very early stages of spacecraft design through on-orbit decommissioning. The Mission Operations Engineer - Ground Segment is responsible for designing systems as well as authoring procedures to operate both the spacecraft as well as supporting ground systems, ensuring harmonious communications & operations between the spacecraft and ground, and ensuring the integrity and validity of commands sent to and telemetry received from the spacecraft.
This will be a full-time, exempt position located in our Long Beach location.
Responsibilities:
Take extreme ownership of large impact initiatives working with engineers across disciplines to support the development of spacecraft operations & ground operations procedures, flight rules, products & processes, culminating in the safe & successful operations of a newly launched spacecraft
Provide technical and operational leadership as the operations expert in planning for and execution of pre-flight testing and checkouts of ground systems to ensure spacecraft and ground systems are ready for flight
Assist with performing the operations of Vast’s crewed and uncrewed missions for vehicle commissioning, on-orbit operations, anomaly resolution and final deorbit of the spacecraft
Perform deep-dive analysis of vehicle & ground system telemetry and deliver informed summaries as well as recommendations to mission stakeholders for further review & analysis
Formulate and lead the execution of workflows facilitating improvements to processes & systems with a focus on advancing Vast’s Mission Operations while maintaining Vast’s commitment to excellence
Help strategize plans for and contribute to efforts to iteratively improve the Mission Systems, Mission Operations Software and other ground processes and collaborate with the Mission Systems Engineering & Ground Software Engineering teams to implement them
Work closely with Mission Management to ensure customer requirements are translated to a Concept of Operations that balances all needs
Assist and support peer Mission Operations Engineers, offering helpful input or specific items for consideration as informed by anecdotal experiences and operational best practices
Minimum Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree in aerospace, mechanical, software engineering, or other engineering discipline
3+ years of experience in the operation of complex systems
Demonstrated ability to work cross-functionally with other engineering disciplines
Demonstrated ability to to critically think in high stress environments and rapidly evolving situations
Ability to disseminate critical engineering & technical information effectively and clearly
Strong verbal and written communication skills
Willing to support 24/7 operations during operationally intense mission phases
Preferred Skills & Experience:
Experience in human spaceflight mission operations
Master’s of science degree in a technical field
1+ years working in a spacecraft design, build, and test environment
Technical knowledge in spacecraft systems engineering (avionics, propulsion, attitude control, communications, orbital mechanics, life support systems, thermal and power control systems)
Technical knowledge in Space-to-Ground Communication Systems (RF, Ground Stations, Modems, Antenna Systems)
Experience building or designing from scratch a system, process and team to perform complex operations of an aerospace system (launch vehicle, satellite, crew capsule)
Software Engineering Skills (C++, Golang, Javascript, React, Software Architecture, Databases, Cloud)
Matlab or Python/Octave Proficiency
Proficient at using the command line and scripting languages
Strong Technical Writing skills
Strong mentorship and leadership skills
Additional Requirements:
Ability to travel up to 20% of the time
Willingness to work overtime, or weekends to support critical mission milestones
Ability to lift up to 25 lbs unassisted
Pay Range: California
$110,000—$195,000 USD