Senior Camera Systems Engineer

Planet•San Francisco, CA

8d•$182,900 - $228,600•Hybrid

About The Position

Planet seeks a Senior Camera Systems Engineer to serve as the primary system architect and technical lead for next-generation satellite camera modules. The role bridges mission-level imaging goals and hardware implementation and oversees the end-to-end lifecycle of camera systems, including requirements flowdown, cross-functional trade studies, and technical relationships with external image sensor and camera component vendors. The engineer collaborates with Electrical, Mechanical, Thermal, Optical, and Flight Software teams to meet SWaP-C (Size, Weight, Power, Cost, and Schedule) and electro-optical performance targets. This is a full-time, hybrid role requiring work from Planet’s San Francisco office three days per week. The position requires access to export-controlled information; employment is contingent upon the candidate being able to access applicable information without additional export licensing.

Requirements

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Physics, or a closely related field.
10+ years of engineering experience, including at least 5+ years dedicated to systems engineering or technical leadership for complex digital cameras or electro-optical imaging systems.
Track record managing requirements traceability and flowdown across electrical, mechanical, and optical boundaries.
Experience managing external vendors, foundries, or contract manufacturers for high-performance camera components or custom sensors.
Deep understanding of CMOS image sensor architecture, radiometry, and camera performance budgets, including tracking noise, stray light, and MTF across the camera module.

Nice To Haves

Experience developing camera hardware or imaging instruments for the LEO environment, including knowledge of radiation mitigation, outgassing, and vacuum-compatible design.
Experience applying NASA, ESA, or high-reliability commercial aerospace standards to camera qualification, environmental testing, and hardware acceptance.
Familiarity with hardware-level image processing, such as dark current correction and defective pixel masking, high-speed serialization protocols, and ground-station image calibration.

Responsibilities

Translate top-level remote sensing performance requirements into clear, verifiable specifications for the camera subsystem, including the image sensor, proximity electronics, lens and optical interfaces, and thermal management.
Act as the primary technical point of contact for external image sensor foundries and camera component vendors; define statements of work, technical milestones, and preliminary and critical design reviews (PDR/CDR).
Lead camera-level trade studies balancing image quality attributes such as SNR, dynamic range, MTF, and radiometry against spacecraft power, thermal dissipation, and mass constraints.
Define and maintain Interface Control Documents (ICDs) for interfaces among the camera module, high-speed data serialization, the image signal processing (ISP) pipeline, and the host payload or spacecraft bus.
Own the camera verification matrix and design and oversee environmental qualification plans, including vacuum, thermal, and vibration testing, as well as electro-optical calibration routines.

Benefits

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 for employees local to an office
Paid volunteer time off
The role may be eligible for discretionary short-term and long-term incentives, including bonus and equity