Senior Forward Deployed Engineer

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: We are seeking a Senior Forward Deployed Engineer to help develop transformative solutions for our most strategic accounts, starting with our Global Defense and Security customers. In this role, you will work directly with key partners, acting as a senior technical contributor and hands-on builder within a collaborative engineering team. Your mission will be to tackle complex, mission-critical customer challenges by building high-impact software solutions. You will have a high degree of autonomy to design and build what is needed, turning ambiguous requirements into functional and reliable software. Your work will directly contribute to delivering on critical customer commitments and will help inform future product development. This role is ideal for an individual contributor who thrives in dynamic environments and enjoys taking ownership of complex technical problems from design to delivery. This is a full-time, remote position based in the United States. If located near an office, you are expected to work from that office 3 days per week. Impact You'll Own: Contribute to the full development lifecycle: from discovery and decomposition to designing, building, and deploying bespoke solutions for customer challenges. Design and develop robust, full-stack software, including front-end, back-end, data integration, cloud infrastructure (e.g., AWS), and CI/CD pipelines. Work directly with customers to understand their operational challenges and translate them into clear technical requirements. Identify reusable patterns in customer solutions to inform broader platform development. Leverage the latest AI tooling and an AI-first mindset to drive rapid iteration, deliver value quickly, and adapt to evolving requirements with a bias for action. Mentor other engineers, contribute to code reviews, and help foster a collaborative team environment. Deliver critical commitments on time, understanding their direct impact on customer relationships and business objectives. What You Bring: 6+ years of relevant work experience in software engineering or in an equivalent technical role. Experience with geospatial software development and concepts (e.g., Rasterio, Fiona, Shapely, OpenLayers, GDAL). AWS or GCP experience. Proficiency in Python. Excellent knowledge of software engineering best practices, including coding standards, code reviews, source control management, and testing methodologies. Excellent customer engagement skills, with the ability to communicate complex technical concepts to diverse audiences. Experience with fast, iterative development cycles and an ability to adapt to shifting requirements. Willingness to travel 30-50% to customer sites within the region. Must have a current active security clearance (TS or TS/TSI). What Makes You Stand Out:  Experience with JavaScript, Java, Go or C#. Application Deadline: September 116, 2026 by 11:59p PT Benefits While Working at Planet: These offerings are dependent on employment type and geographical location, based upon applicable law or company policy. Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision plans Health Savings Account (HSA) with a company contribution Generous Paid Time Off in addition to holidays and company-wide days off  16 Weeks of Paid Parental Leave Wellness Program and Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Home Office Reimbursement Monthly Phone and Internet Reimbursement Tuition Reimbursement and access to LinkedIn Learning Equity Commuter Benefits (if local to an office) Volunteering Paid Time Off Compensation: The US base salary range for this full-time position at the commencement of employment is listed below.  Additionally, this role might be eligible for discretionary short-term and long-term incentives (bonus and equity). The final salary range is determined by job related experience, skills and location.  The range displays our typical hiring range for new hire salaries in US locations only.  Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process. #LI-REMOTE New York City + California Salary Range $172,200 — $215,200 USD San Francisco Salary Range $182,900 — $228,600 USD US National Salary Range $160,600 — $200,800 USD San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. Why we care so much about Belonging.  We’re dedicated to helping the whole Planet, and to do that we must strive to represent all of it within each of our offices and on all of our teams. That’s why Planet is guided by an ultimate north star of Belonging—dreaming big as we approach our