Senior Spacecraft Systems Engineer

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:

December 11, 2026 by 11:59p / 23:59 CET (Central European Time)

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