About the role

Aplyr's Quick Take

This role is about maintaining and optimizing satellite operations for a large Earth Observation constellation. You'll be involved in analyzing data, troubleshooting issues, and developing software for both ground and satellite systems. It's primarily an individual contributor role focused on technical tasks.

Good fit

Ideal candidates are data-driven engineers with a background in systems engineering or software development, and experience in satellite operations. You should be adaptable and comfortable working in a collaborative, fast-paced environment.

Worth noting

The position emphasizes automation in operations, which may appeal to those interested in cutting-edge technology. The hybrid work model offers flexibility, but the role requires strong communication skills to work across diverse teams.

Welcome to Planet. We believe in using space to help life on Earth.

Planet designs, builds, and operates the largest constellation of imaging satellites in history. This constellation delivers an unprecedented dataset of empirical information via a revolutionary cloud-based platform to authoritative figures in commercial, environmental, and humanitarian sectors. We are both a space company and data company all rolled into one.

Customers and users across the globe use Planet's data to develop new technologies, drive revenue, power research, and solve our world’s toughest obstacles.

As we control every component of hardware design, manufacturing, data processing, and software engineering, our office is a truly inspiring mix of experts from a variety of domains.

We have a people-centric approach toward culture and community and we strive to iterate in a way that puts our team members first and prepares our company for growth. Join Planet and be a part of our mission to change the way people see the world.

Planet is a global company with employees working remotely world wide and joining us from offices in San Francisco, Washington DC, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, and The Netherlands.

About the Role:

The Space Operations team is crucial to Planet's success, responsible for maintaining and optimizing the health and productivity of the world's largest Earth Observation satellite constellation. Our team spans North America and Berlin. Given the scale of our fleet, automation is at the heart of our operations. You'll develop and maintain critical software, transforming large datasets into actionable metrics, and streamline key workflows around satellite performance.

As a Space Systems Engineer, you'll support daily satellite operations, analyze data, triage and resolve anomalies, run on-orbit experiments, test and deploy software both on the ground and in orbit, and commission satellites. You'll work closely with hardware and software experts across teams to debug anomalies, enhance or create services, and provide operational insights to shape our next-generation of satellites.

We are looking for a data-driven self-starter with effective communication skills that collaborates well within a technical team and adapts quickly to changing tasks and contexts.

This is a full-time, hybrid role which will require you to work from our San Francisco office 3 days per week.

Impact You'll Own:

Conduct daily fleet checks and support On-Call shifts
Test and deploy flight software upgrades, debug satellite anomalies, and perform on-orbit experiments
Provide feedback to launch, manufacturing, and spacecraft engineering teams based on on-orbit performance, technical demonstrations, and forecasting models
Create and maintain operational procedures
Develop and maintain real-time, mission-critical software solutions for satellite operations
Write scripts to aggregate satellite data and generate system monitoring metrics
Analyze data to identify issues and inefficiencies in the full stack of services and propose solutions
Drive improvements to fleet capacity and productivity through process enhancements
Shape operational strategies for next-generation spacecraft

What You Bring:

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, computer science, or equivalent experience
Proficiency in software development, particularly in Python or similar languages
Data-driven mindset with experience in statistical analysis
Familiarity with the space environment and its challenges
Proactive approach to engineering and problem-solving
Effective interpersonal and collaboration skills within a technical team
Understanding of DevOps and CI/CD concepts
Experience with Agile software development
Proficiency in DevOps tools and practices (e.g., Git, GitLab, Docker, Jenkins, Bash, Linux, CI/CD, Sentry, Datadog)

What Makes You Stand Out:

Hands-on experience operating spacecraft or remote systems
Experience coordinating resources and projects with multiple engineering teams
Familiarity with hardware

Skills & Tags

python go aws docker ai devops data product

Aplyr's read

Planet Labs is a leader in Earth imaging, leveraging satellite technology for diverse sectors like agriculture and urban planning, attracting talent in engineering and management.
Synthesized from recent postings & public sources

What's promising

•Planet Labs operates one of the largest satellite fleets, providing high-resolution Earth imagery.
•The company supports diverse applications, from agriculture to urban planning, fostering innovation.
•Recent hiring trends indicate growth in engineering and customer success roles across global offices.

What to watch

•The competitive Earth imaging market poses challenges for differentiation and market share.
•High operational costs in satellite management could impact financial sustainability.
•Dependence on external data partnerships may limit control over service offerings.

Why Planet Labs

•Planet Labs' daily global imagery offers unmatched frequency and coverage.
•The company emphasizes sustainability by providing data for environmental monitoring.
•Its diverse satellite fleet enables tailored solutions for specific industry needs.

Aplyr’s read is generated by AI from public sources. Was it useful?

About Planet Labs

Planet Labs

planet.com

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Planet Labs is a private Earth imaging company that operates a fleet of satellites to capture high-resolution images of the Earth, providing data for various applications including agriculture, forestry, and urban planning.