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, relying heavily on automation to scale our operations effectively. As a Space Systems Engineer, you'll support daily satellite operations, analyze operational data, triage anomalies, run on-orbit experiments, and deploy software across our fleet. You'll collaborate closely with cross-functional hardware and software experts to build reliable services and shape next-generation spacecraft strategies. We are looking for a data-driven self-starter with strong communication skills who thrives in a technical, fast-paced environment.
This is a full-time, hybrid role which will require you to work from our Berlin office 3 days per week.
Impact You’ll Own:
Develop and maintain real-time, mission-critical software solutions for satellite operations
Conduct daily fleet checks, debug on-orbit satellite anomalies, and support On-Call shifts
Test and deploy flight software upgrades and perform on-orbit experiments
Create and maintain operational procedures
Analyze data to identify issues and inefficiencies in the full stack of services
Drive improvements to fleet capacity and productivity through process enhancements
Provide feedback to launch, manufacturing, and spacecraft engineering teams based on on-orbit performance, technical demonstrations, and forecasting models
Shape operational strategies for next-generation spacecraft
What You Bring:
4+ years of experience in spacecraft operations or a closely related field
Bachelor’s degree in engineering, computer science, or equivalent
Thorough understanding of satellite sub-systems and Earth observation missions
Working proficiency in Python or a comparable language, ability to model systems, analyze operational data, and contribute production code
Track record of running and completing engineering projects end to end
Data-driven mindset with experience in statistical analysis
Effective interpersonal and collaboration skills within a technical team
Professional working proficiency in English, the language of the company
What Makes You Stand Out:
Hands-on experience operating spacecraft or remote systems
Experience with Earth Observation systems
Experience with hardware-in-the-loop testing infrastructures
Experience in DevOps tools and practices (e.g., Git, GitLab, Docker, Jenkins, Bash, Linux, CI/CD, Sentry, Datadog)
Familiarity with automation and optimization tools
Application Deadline:
11:45p / 23:45 CET on the date stated below. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. This posting may be removed earlier than projected if a suitable pool of applications has been…