Propulsion Flight Operations Engineer, Amazon Leo

Amazon.com, Inc.•Redmond, WA

39d

About The Position

Amazon Leo is Amazon's low Earth orbit satellite network. Our mission is to deliver fast, reliable internet connectivity to customers beyond the reach of existing networks. From individual households to schools, hospitals, businesses, and government agencies, Amazon Leo will serve people and organizations operating in locations without reliable connectivity. Amazon Leo's Propulsion Team seeks a Flight Operations Engineer to support the execution of the full mission lifecycle for Amazon Leo's satellite constellation. This critical support spans: propulsion pre-launch and go/no-go decisions; early mission propulsion checkouts and commissioning; ascending each vehicle to the altitude and station necessary to provide customer service; formation keeping for the service life of each satellite; as well as the the descent and decommissioning of each satellite. This role will work with Amazon Leo's Mission Operations team, and other Guidance, Navigation, and Control operators to ensure the safe and effective execution of each satellite's mission. The Propulsion Operations Engineer serves as a critical liaison between Amazon Leo's Mission Operations and the Propulsion Design Engineering team, executing approved operational responses while supporting the development of improved operational automation. This role combines hands-on operational support with the continuous improvement of processes and automated operational capabilities for the Amazon Leo Propulsion System. A significant portion of the position focuses on developing and improving automated operational responses, including telemetry monitoring and flight data analysis. The engineer will be responsible for creating and reviewing new scripted operations procedures, enhancing existing automated sequences, and formulating responses to novel scenarios that arise. This work requires close collaboration with GNC and Propulsion design engineers (both hardware and software) to ensure all solutions align with established safety and operational parameters. The role involves active participation in troubleshooting and investigating in-flight anomalies, working alongside propulsion subject matter experts and systems engineers. The engineer will contribute to maintaining propulsion system operational health by identifying and assessing potential risks, while also evaluating system health and maneuverability across the constellation, applying criteria approved by the Propulsion Design Engineering team. Professional growth opportunities include potential cross-training in other GNC disciplines, such as attitude determination and control, and supporting the GNC's Flight Dynamics Operations team. This expansion of responsibilities helps ensure comprehensive understanding and support of constellation operations. Given that automated constellation operations run continuously throughout the year, this position requires flexibility in work scheduling. Initially, the role may involve standard working hours with rotating 24/7 on-call responsibilities. As the team expands, the schedule will evolve to cover morning, night, and day shifts across all days of the week, distributed among a team of operators. This scheduling structure ensures continuous coverage and support for the constellation's operational needs.

Requirements

3+ years of industry work experience
Experience working with version control systems
Bachelor of Science degree (or equivalent skills/experience) in a relevant technical or engineering discipline (e.g. Mechanical engineering, Computer Science, Aerospace Engineering, Physics)
Ability to work flexible shifts, including nights, weekends, and holidays
Proficiency in at least one programming language (Python, or similar)
Ability to work at computer workstations for extended periods
Ability to respond to urgent on-call situations
Experience with real-time system monitoring and anomaly response
Demonstrated ability to execute technical procedures and follow operational protocols
Experience with data analysis tools and software

Nice To Haves

Experience with distributed systems at scale

Responsibilities

Serve as primary operational liaison between Propulsion Design Engineering and Leo flight operations stakeholders
Execute defined propulsion operational responses
Monitor and assess propulsion system health across the constellation
Support investigation and troubleshooting of in-flight anomalies
Escalate to responsible engineers for scenarios where existing automation or runbooks do not apply
Document operational instructions and procedures for the benefit of other Propulsion operators
Develop and enhance operational procedures, both manual and automated
Create and review scripted operations procedures (i.e. software development)
Improve telemetry monitoring and flight data analysis capabilities
Support continuous automation improvements for operational sequences
Formulate responses to new operational scenarios for review and approval from the Propulsion Design Engineering team
Identify and assess operational risks
Collaborate in the definition of risk mitigations, owning the their implementation and in-space execution
Apply and scale mechanisms to asses propulsion system health & maneuverability during all mission phases
Contribute to improvements propulsion system concepts of operations (CONOPs)
Staff rotating shifts including early morning, late night, and weekends - on a rotating basis constrained by 40h shift assignments
Respond to needs for 24/7 on-call support on a rotating basis