Senior Spacecraft Mission Operations Engineer
About The Position
Varda is hiring an experienced spacecraft operator to develop and lead on-orbit missions and own operations for its Winnie Spaceship. The role involves shaping a new mission operations framework in a startup environment and applying cross-discipline engineering to operational challenges. The engineer will own the operations development cycle for mission-unique payloads, from mission profile creation through execution, and work across teams to improve operations and support mission success. They will also build web tools to automate work and reduce operational burden, while scaling operational capabilities to support a growing flight cadence. The position is on-site in El Segundo, California. The annual salary range is $140,333–$179,314. The role is subject to Varda’s U.S.-person requirement for access to export-controlled items.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline, preferably Aerospace, Electrical, or Computer Science.
- At least 5 years of experience in a real-time operations role involving complex, high-consequence operations.
- At least 3 years of experience developing software tools in Python, JavaScript, and/or HTML.
- Familiarity with spacecraft avionics, GNC, software, and thermal design practices.
- Must qualify as a U.S. person as defined in the posting: a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or protected individual admitted as a refugee or granted asylum.
Nice To Haves
- At least 5 years of experience with spacecraft systems.
- Previous spacecraft operator experience in a leadership role.
- Previous in-orbit spacecraft operations experience.
- Experience with Git and Atlassian products.
- Familiarity with ground station networks.
Responsibilities
- Develop, coordinate, execute, and lead Varda's on-orbit missions.
- Own the full operations development cycle for mission-unique payloads, from creating mission profiles through execution.
- Work with teams across the company to continuously improve mission operations and ensure mission success.
- Build web tools to automate work and eliminate operational burden.
- Scale operational capabilities to support a growing flight cadence.
Benefits
- Eligible for incentives in the form of stock options and/or long-term cash awards.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
