Senior/Staff Space Mission Operations Engineer

We are seeking a highly skilled Senior/Staff Space Mission Operations Engineer to lead the design, analysis, integration, and verification of the space mission’s ground segment and operations. In this role, you will collaborate with world-class scientists—including Nobel Prize laureates—as well as engineers and global partners to develop a cutting-edge space observatory to enable groundbreaking astrophysical discoveries. As a Senior/Staff Space Mission Operations Engineer, you will be the primary architect and operator for the "day-in-the-life" of our upcoming astrophysics observatory. You will be a critical owner and stakeholder in the design, implementation, and verification of the Ground Segment, ensuring that the spacecraft, the science instruments, and the ground stations function as a seamless infrastructure. You will transition from a designer/builder during the development phase to the Lead Operator once the mission is on orbit. You will help ensure successful on-orbit Observatory commissioning during LEOPs and routine operations during the science operations phase of the mission. This role requires strong cross-disciplinary communication skills, excellent technical judgment, and the ability to operate effectively in fast-moving, complex program environments. Key responsibilities for this role include the following: \n Ground Segment Design & Build-out Lead the architectural design of the Mission Operations Center (MOC) and Systems and interface to the Science Operations Center (SOC). Define and manage Level 3 and 4 requirements for ground operations, including Telemetry, Tracking, and Control (TT&C) systems, data downlink systems, flight dynamics, etc. Oversee the deployment of data network infrastructure, ensuring low-latency, high-availability links between the MOC, SOC, and ground station providers Ensure Cybersecurity protocols are implemented for command encryption and secure data archiving. Support ICD development and maintenance. Work with stakeholders to set up mission operations software for the MOC to SOC interface and monitoring telemetry in real time Build out tools for key spacecraft component/ subsystem modeling, such as battery models, slew models, etc. Spacecraft Bus, Payload, and Observatory Integration & Test (I&T) Travel to spacecraft bus and payload provider facilities to participate in Hardware-in-the-Loop (HWIL) testing prior to hardware delivery. Lead End-to-End (ETE) tests to verify that ground commands correctly trigger spacecraft actions and that science data is successfully downlinked. Lead operational testing for Flight Software and Ground Software before deployment to critical systems Lead operator training and procedure validation using ground simulators and virtual environments Test conductor, Writing test procedures/scripts, data processing, etc... Operational Readiness Own the Flight Operations Manual (FOM). Develop, test, and validate Nominal and Contingency Flight Operations Procedures. Design and execute Operational Readiness Tests (ORTs) and mission rehearsals to certify the flight team for launch. Observatory Operations Support Work closely with the Science Operations team as the Spacecraft Engineering Liaison, work hand in hand with both the Science Operations Team and the Spacecraft Operations Team. Lead Mission Operations: on-console activities throughout the lifetime of the mission Flight Dynamics Support: Assist in orbit determination and maneuver planning operations. Work with orbit conjunction coordination organization. Trend Analysis: Establish a "Long-term Trending" database to monitor spacecraft degradation (e.g., battery capacity, solar array efficiency) over the mission life. Anomaly Resolution: Lead telemetry and spacecraft logs to lead anomaly investigations and resolution Configuration Management: Manage the version control of flight software loads and ground database parameters. Required Qualifications Education: B.S. in Aerospace, Electrical, or Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, or a related technical field. At least 5+ years in spacecraft development and/or operations, ground segment development, and/or spacecraft I&T. Experience in operational environments such as space, air, manufacturing, nuclear, etc. Proficiency in scripting languages (e.g., Python, Perl) for telemetry processing and automation. Experience with mission control software (e.g., MAX Ground, COSMOS, ITOS, or OpenMCT). Experience with data visualization tools (e.g. Grafana) Travel: Ability to travel up to 25–50% during peak integration and testing phases. Familiarity with spacecraft systems and the space environment. Possess strong team and inter-team cooperation and organization skills. Self-motivated with ability to work concurrent, independent tasks. Ability to effectively work in mission-critical environments and make risk-based decisions. Preferred Experience Experience with Astrophysics or Deep Space missions (L2, Cis-Lunar, or Interplanetary). Experience with AI/ML workflows Prior experience in a "Start-up" environment or a fast-paced "NewSpace" company. \n $150,000 - $215,000 a year \n This is an exempt position. This role requires access to U.S. export controlled information. Candidates must be a U.S. person (i.e. a citizen of the United States, a permanent resident, or a legal asylee or refugee) OR receive approval from the U.S. Government to work with U.S. export controlled information.