Sr. Director of Mission Systems & Operations (NASA LTVS Contingent)

Astrolab • Houston, TX

107d • $215,000 - $300,000

About The Position

Venturi Astrolab is building the next generation of planetary rovers and mission systems to support human exploration and settlement beyond Earth. Our FLEX rover will deliver unprecedented capability on the lunar surface and pave the way for sustainable off-world operations. We are seeking a seasoned leader to architect and own the mission systems and operations that will bring these vehicles to life. The Sr. Director of Mission Systems & Operations will be responsible for designing and operating Astrolab’s mission-critical ground infrastructure and leading mission operations strategy. This role will serve as the primary interface with NASA and commercial partners on mission operations, training, and crew readiness, while also establishing Astrolab’s Houston-based operations presence at the Texas Space Institute. The successful candidate will combine vision and hands-on leadership to build a world-class operations function for Astrolab’s lunar missions. Employment in this role is contingent on Astrolab being selected as a winner of NASA’s LTVS program, scheduled for announcement on November 15, 2025.

Requirements

• BA degree in a STEM field required
• 15+ years of experience in mission operations, ground systems, or related aerospace fields
• Proven success building and operating mission-critical ground infrastructure
• Strong background in mission operations, training, and simulation exercises
• Direct experience interfacing with NASA and commercial partners
• Technical expertise in communications systems and ground segment integration
• Track record of building and leading high-performance teams

Responsibilities

• Architect mission-critical ground infrastructure, either with providers or in-house
• Lead ground segment coordination, scheduling, and partner integration
• Manage mission operations, training programs, and simulation exercises (including joint sims)
• Own operations infrastructure, including the Astrolab Control Center, comms, and voice loops
• Act as primary interface to NASA on mission ops, ops training, crew training, and ground segment topics
• Provide technical input on rover communications systems

Benefits

• Join a team of best-in-class engineers building the foundation of planetary surface exploration
• Equity ownership in the company
• Comprehensive health benefits, including medical, dental, vision, and mental health support
• 401(k) plan with company match
• Flexible PTO and parental leave
• Home office set-up reimbursement
• Fully flexible and remote-friendly work environment
• Weekly lunch stipend, plus complimentary snacks and beverages on-site
• Twice a month social hour on-site with food and drinks

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree
• Number of Employees: 11-50 employees