Senior Systems Engineer, EO/IR Payloads

About the role

The company is seeking a creative and technically rigorous Senior Systems Engineer, EO/IR Payloads to join our Mission Innovation team. In this high-impact role, you will drive the technical exploration of new payload and instrument concepts, enable novel imaging modes, and conceptualize innovative use cases for the company through advanced systems engineering, modeling and analysis, and active experimentation. You will act as a critical bridge across Applied Science, Payload Engineering, Product, Mission Systems, and Business Development to identify emerging opportunities, lead proof-of-concept efforts, and drive stakeholder engagement. You will be the technical engine and analytical force exploring new EO/IR applications of the company technologies, developing advanced concepts, and building early-stage models and simulations to enable the missions of tomorrow. Operating at the earliest stages of the business lifecycle, you will hypothesize, analyze, and validate how the company’s unique payload capabilities can solve critical challenges for defense, intelligence, philanthropic, and commercial end-users.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a core technical member of the Mission Innovation team, conceptualizing, analyzing, demonstrating, and experimenting with new EO/IR payload concepts and related technologies.

• Develop system and payload requirements, build advanced simulations and models, and perform detailed technical analysis for early-stage payload concepts and use-cases.

• Identify and enable novel imaging modes and enable new operational use cases that address critical challenges for stakeholders and customers.

• Drive and support early-stage execution of R&D activities/proposals as Principal Investigator.

• Partner closely with Product and Applied Science groups to translate early-stage ideas into feasible, rigorous technical architectures and demonstrations.

• Evaluate early-stage technical trades, radiometric models, and system budgets for unconventional applications prior to traditional development phases.

• Perform feasibility studies, literature reviews, and trade studies to support development of early-stage mission, instrument, and data concepts.

• Support customer discovery, capability demonstrations, and proposal generation by providing deep EO/IR systems engineering expertise and analytical backing.

• Support creation of technical proposals, white papers, and concept studies that articulate the differentiation and mission utility of the company’s offerings and drive R&D roadmaps.

Qualifications

• B.S, M.S., or Ph.D. in an engineering field, Physics, Optical Sciences, or equivalent experience.

• 5+ years of experience working as a systems or instrument engineer, with deep technical knowledge in the EO/IR payload engineering domain.

• Background in infrared, multispectral, hyperspectral, or similar remote sensing phenomenologies

• Experience in EO/IR and related space missions across government and commercial markets.

• Demonstrated capability in traditional systems engineering including requirements development, simulation/modeling, and detailed technical analysis.

• Software skills in one or more languages (e.g. Python, Julia, MATLAB) for modeling, simulation, and data analysis.

• Excellent communication, presentation, and organization skills, with the ability to articulate complex technical information to cross-functional teams and external customers.

• Strong collaborative skills for working across disciplines including engineering, satellite operations, mission architecture, and business development.

• Ability to obtain TS/SCI security clearance required, active clearance strongly preferred.

• Ability to travel 25-30%

Nice-to-have Skills

• Familiarity with early-stage business development, strategic capture, and customer discovery.

• Experience developing radiometric models and/or scene simulations to drive early application feasibility and payload design trades.

• Experience working hands-on with rapid prototyping, experimental payloads, or capability demonstrations.

• Familiarity with space systems development, especially small satellite remote sensing system architectures.

Salary

The salary range for this role is $151,000-209,000  plus a competitive equity grant and comprehensive benefits package. Final compensation will be determined based on skills, qualifications, experience, and geographic location as assessed during the interview process.

About the company

Founded in 2021, the company is an end-to-end Space Systems Provider that designs, builds, and operates LEO satellite constellations delivering mission-critical data. Our revolutionary, integrated technology stack enables customers to optimize every dimension of their missions for faster time-to-orbit and superior constellation remote sensing performance. Our state-of-the-art facility in the heart of Silicon Valley is optimized for manufacturing spacecraft and rapid, flexible payload integration at scale. From climate monitoring to national security, the company is dedicated to delivering Earth Intelligence for a safer and more resilient world.

Taking Care of Our Team

At the company salary is only part of our total compensation package. In addition to salary, full-time employees receive equity compensation as well as benefits including medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401k retirement plan, short & long term disability and life insurance. We also offer three weeks paid vacation for new employees, along with 12 paid holidays, unlimited sick time and paid parental leave.

Our mission embraces the entire planet and we believe our team should too.  The company is dedicated to creating a diverse and dynamic company and workforce. We believe in equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, age, national origin, citizenship, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, or gender identity. We value diversity in the workplace, and that starts with our applicants. We encourage you to apply, even if you don't check all the boxes, and we look forward to reviewing your application! In addition, if you need a reasonable accommodation as part of your application for employment or interviews with us, please let us know.

The company is currently registered and able to hire in the following states:

AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, IL, IA, ID, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, NJ, NY, NC, OH, OR, PA, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA

ITAR/EAR Requirements

This position requires access to export controlled information. To conform to U.S. Government export regulations applicable to that information, applicant must either be (A) a U.S. person, defined as a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (green card holder), (iii) refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, (B) eligible to access the export controlled information without a required export authorization, or (C) eligible and reasonably likely to obtain the required export authorization from the applicable U.S. government agency. The Company may, for legitimate business reasons, decline to pursue any export licensing process.