Full-Time
Earth Station Operations Engineer
Updated on 5/6/2026
Astranis
501-1,000 employees
GEO satellites delivering bandwidth-as-a-service
Compensation Overview
$125k - $160k/yr
No H1B Sponsorship
San Francisco, CA, USA
In Person
US Citizenship Required
 Aerospace Engineering (1) |
|---|
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering (or related field), or 3+ years of relevant experience in earth station operations
- Experience with earth station systems, including antennas, link budgets, and RF front-/back-end equipment
- Hands-on experience with antenna operations, calibration, diagnostics, and monitoring
- Proficiency with RF test equipment (e.g., spectrum analyzers, signal generators) and RF troubleshooting
- Experience working in 24/7 or on-call environments; strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and sense of urgency
- Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to operate effectively in fast-paced environments
- Willingness to travel (~20%) and ability to obtain a security clearance
- Physically capable of fieldwork (lifting, climbing, standing, bending, etc.)
- Provide end-to-end technical oversight and operational support for earth stations, including RF/IF chains, antenna systems, tracking, and environmental systems
- Monitor operations, perform station bring-ups, execute link activations, implement configuration changes, and drive performance optimization
- Troubleshoot and resolve anomalies; lead fault isolation across ground, mission, space, and network segments through resolution and closure
- Plan and execute preventive and corrective maintenance, including fieldwork, remote support, and vendor coordination
- Collaborate cross-functionally with satellite operations, engineering, IT, network, payload, software, and program teams across both nominal and anomaly conditions
- Develop and maintain SOPs, MOPs, contingency procedures, and operational documentation; ensure configuration control and system accuracy
- Build and maintain tools and dashboards for telemetry, trending, and system health monitoring
- Document incidents, root cause analyses, corrective actions, and lessons learned; communicate status, risks, and escalations to stakeholders
- Support testing, commissioning, and acceptance of new stations, upgrades, and system changes; participate in shift and on-call rotations
- Ensure compliance with regulatory, safety, and customer requirements while driving improvements in reliability, automation, efficiency, and scalability
- Experience working in an Earth Station Operations Center
- Hands-on experience with ground systems (e.g., CPI, Kratos), including antenna control and tracking systems
- Working knowledge of networking (Ethernet, IP, TCP) and regulatory frameworks (FCC, ITU, local authorities)
- Experience with scripting or software tools for automation and monitoring
Astranis builds and operates small, low-cost satellites in geostationary orbit to provide bandwidth-as-a-service for global connectivity. Its satellites carry telecom payloads that deliver internet capacity to customers, including commercial entities and government agencies, via turnkey services that simplify procurement and reduce costs. Customers buy bandwidth and use Astranis’ satellite capacity to reach previously unserved regions, rather than building and managing their own satellites. The company differentiates itself by owning the design, manufacturing, and operation of its GEO satellites, enabling cost-efficient, turnkey connectivity solutions for markets that traditional providers overlook. The goal is to close the digital divide by bringing affordable internet access to billions of people worldwide and to build a large, sustainable market for satellite-based connectivity.
Company Size
501-1,000
Company Stage
Series E
Total Funding
$1.2B
Headquarters
San Francisco, California
Founded
2015
Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- $450M funding expands MicroGEO production for 100 satellites by 2030.
- Chunghwa Telecom partners for Taiwan's first dedicated MicroGEO satellite.
- USSF and NASA contracts secure high-margin government revenue streams.
What critics are saying
- Block 3 satellites delay to 2025 erodes first-mover edge versus Starlink.
- Starlink Starshield achieves price parity by 2027, squeezing defense margins.
- $1B backlog relies on few customers; Thaicom loss triggers 20% revenue drop.
What makes Astranis unique
- MicroGEO satellites deliver 8.5 Gbit/s throughput, exceeding 7.5 Gbit/s specs.
- Vanguard enables air-gapped point-to-point comms via MicroGEO for defense.
- Omega satellites provide 50 Gbps at 600 kg mass from 2026 launches.
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Benefits
An equity stake in the company.
Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance.
Unlimited vacation days.
Healthy, delicious, free lunch catered in every day.
Complementary OneMedical membership.
Great office chairs, stand-up desks, and a machine shop.
Reimbursement to spend on commuting from outside SF
Generous, fully-paid parental leave.
Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
↑ 0%1 year growth
↓ -1%2 year growth
↑ 1%Chunghwa Telecom has entered a partnership with Astranis to create a geostationary satellite specifically designed for Taiwan.
Taipei, April 15 (CNA) Taiwan-based telecom service provider Chunghwa Telecom Co. recently signed a strategic agreement with Astranis Space Technologies Corp., an American satellite start-up, to develop the first dedicated compact geostationary orbit (MicroGEO) satellite for Taiwan.
Astranis, operator of a satellite internet company intended to bridge the digital divide, raised an additional $50 million of Series D venture funding from NTT Docomo Ventures, and other investors.
As part of this ambitious effort, Orbits first partnered with Astranis, the world's leading operator of dedicated communications satellites, to construct its latest satellite.
Astranis to develop resilient GPS satellites for USSF.