Mission Operations Engineer (Entry-Level) - Millennium Space Systems

Boeing • Chantilly, VA

3d • $66,000 - $145,000 • Onsite

About The Position

Millennium Space Systems, a part of Boeing Defense, Space and Security, is a small satellite company focused on national security space. The Mission Operations Engineer serves as the lead technical authority for Millennium’s on-orbit spacecraft and supports the full spacecraft mission life cycle, from proposal and mission design through vehicle integration and testing, launch, on-orbit operations, and decommissioning. The role covers mission design, operational concepts, on-orbit procedures, and development of mission-specific spacecraft operating methods. It requires composure in high-pressure situations, knowledge of spacecraft and ground segments, and the ability to respond to anomalies in real time. The position is internally coded as Systems Engineer, and hiring is at Level 1–2.

The engineer supports launch and early-orbit commissioning, mission and ground-segment design and testing, spacecraft fault and autonomy capabilities, operational automation, rehearsals, and customer briefings. The role may require support for 24/7 operations and occasional off-hours work during critical mission activities. Candidates must be able to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance and meet applicable U.S. citizenship and export-control requirements. The position is not contingent upon program award and is not safety-sensitive.

The listed pay ranges are $66,000–$117,000 for Level 1 and $82,000–$145,000 for Level 2. Eligible employees may enroll in benefit programs that generally include health insurance, flexible spending and health savings accounts, retirement savings plans, life and disability insurance, and paid and unpaid time away from work. Competitive base pay and variable compensation opportunities are also part of the Total Rewards package. Relocation assistance is not a negotiable benefit, and the employer will not sponsor employment visas.

Requirements

• Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering, Engineering Technology (including Manufacturing Technology), Computer Science, Data Science, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, or a directly related non-U.S. equivalent qualification.
• Experience with real-time satellite command and control operations.
• Demonstrated knowledge of satellite subsystems, ground systems, space missions, and CONOPS design.
• Willingness to support 24/7 operations as required and occasional off-hours work during critical 24/7 mission operations activities.
• Ability to obtain a U.S. security clearance; U.S. citizenship is required by the U.S. Government for clearance eligibility.
• U.S. Person status as defined by 22 C.F.R. §120.62 is required to meet U.S. export-control compliance requirements.
• Willingness to apply for and maintain a security clearance.
• Successful completion of the Company’s Conflict of Interest assessment process.

Nice To Haves

• For Level 2, two or more years of related work experience or an equivalent combination of technical education and experience.
• Master’s degree in a STEM-related field.
• Extended knowledge of satellite systems engineering, including guidance, navigation, and control; electrical power; thermal control; telemetry, tracking, and command; and propulsion.
• Experience with spacecraft command and control software systems.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary technical teams, especially to resolve anomalous scenarios.
• Familiarity with software and scripting tools such as MATLAB, Python, C/C++, and Java.

Responsibilities

• Support spacecraft and subsystem engineers during launch and early-orbit activities to commission spacecraft for service.
• Serve as lead technical authority during mission operations for the space and ground segments.
• Support all aspects of the mission lifecycle, including proposal and mission modeling, design, integration and test, shipment, launch, on-orbit operations, and decommissioning.
• Assist with ground and mission operations requirements and flow mission requirements back to the spacecraft team.
• Develop mission concepts of operation and design reference missions.
• Catalog lessons learned from on-orbit exercises to inform future vehicle designs.
• Support ground-segment design, including command and control, mission planning, mission data processing, and supporting infrastructure.
• Implement and test spacecraft fault and autonomy capabilities, including fault detection and response, autonomous behavior, and onboard command and control.
• Implement operational automation to reduce day-to-day operator responsibilities.
• Assist in creating and executing spacecraft simulator tests to validate mission, fault, and autonomy designs.
• Assist in creating and executing in-factory flight-vehicle tests to validate mission-design compatibility with flight hardware.
• Conduct ground-segment testing, including radio-frequency compatibility, remote ground-facility interface, and acceptance testing of critical ground assets and locations.
• Support the anomaly response team when off-nominal vehicle conditions arise.
• Contribute to customer briefings and debriefings for orbital events.
• Assist with mission sequences of events for bus commissioning, payload checkout and calibration, and mission operations.
• Contribute to mission rehearsals to train the mission team and validate mission design.

Benefits

• Competitive base pay and variable compensation opportunities.
• Eligible employees may enroll in health insurance, flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, retirement savings plans, life and disability insurance programs, and programs providing paid and unpaid time away from work.
• Relocation assistance is not a negotiable benefit for this position.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level