Senior Spacecraft Systems Engineer (San Francisco Office)

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. Impact You’ll Own: Interface mission specifications between our customer and Planet’s teams Assess system level budgets for engineering trades and feasibility studies Collaborate with our mission operations as well as data product teams to ensure that the satellite system meets the needs of our customer Participate in the assembly, integration and testing (AI&T) of satellite systems for test planning and anomaly resolution  Provide verification and validation of the satellite system and ground systems, including environmental, functional, and end-to-end testing Lead the technical coordination of multiple teams, including Mechanical, Thermal, ADSCS/GNC, Propulsion, Electrical, and Manufacturing engineering teams  What You Bring: (Reference the wiki on how to make sure this section meets compliance requirements) Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering or similar 5+ years of experience in the design and development of satellite systems Customer facing experience in briefings and design reviews Understanding of one or multiple satellite subsystems, including Mechanical, Thermal, ADSCS/GNC, Propulsion, or Electrical Familiarity with requirements formulation, validation, and verification best practices Experience with vehicle testing, including both functional and environmental testing What Makes You Stand Out: Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering or similar. 7+ years of experience working in the satellite industry, including design/analysis, AI&T and/or V&V. Familiar with industry standards including NASA GEVS and SMC-S-16 for small satellites (50-200 kg) Remote Sensing experience related to electro-optical payloads Knowledge of design for space environment best practice Experience with constellation design or orbital simulations in custom tool suites or STK Excellent understanding of ground segment architecture including mission control and mission processing elements Application Deadline: July 7, 2026 by 11:59p / 23:59 CET (Central European Time) EAR/ITAR Requirements: This position requires access to export-controlled information, and as such, employment (or hiring of a contractor) is contingent upon the candidate’s ability to access all applicable export-controlled information without additional export licensing being required by the Bureau of Industry and Security and/or the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls. 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. San Francisco Salary Range $162,600 — $203,200 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 ongoing work.  If this job intrigues you, but you’re thinking you might not have all the qualifications, please... do apply!  At Planet, we are looking for well-rounded people from around the world who can contribute to more ways than just what is listed in this job description.  We don’t just fill positions, we aspire to fulfill people’s careers, most excited about folks who are motivated by our underlying humanitarian efforts.  We are a few orbits around the sun before we get to where we want to be, so we hope you’re excited to come along for the ride.  EEO state