Mission Operations Engineer

Job Summary
As a Mission Operations Engineer, you will be the lead technical authority for Millennium’s on-orbit spacecraft.  Your work will encompass the entire spacecraft mission life cycle, from the proposal phase to spacecraft and mission design, through space vehicle integration and test, and culminating with launch and on-orbit operations.  You will be responsible for all facets of the mission design, including definition of operational concepts, development of on-orbit procedures, and innovation of advanced methods of spacecraft operation unique to each space mission.  Mission Operations requires composure in high-pressure situations, in-depth knowledge of both the space vehicles and ground segment, and an ability to respond to anomalous scenarios in real-time.  You will be directly responsible for Millennium’s critical on-orbit assets. 

This position’s internal job code is Systems Engineer. Our team is currently hiring for levels 3-4.

Responsibilities

• Support every aspect of the mission lifecycle, from proposal/mission modeling, design, integration and test, space vehicle shipment, launch and on-orbit operations, to decommissioning
• Define ground and mission operations requirements, and flow mission requirements back to the space vehicle
  • Define mission concept of operation and design reference missions
• Design the ground segment, including command and control, mission planning, mission data processing, and the associated infrastructure to support all activities
• Implement and test space vehicle fault and autonomy, including fault detection and response, autonomous space vehicle behavior, and on-board command and control
• Develop and implement methods of operational automation, to reduce day-to-day operator responsibilities
• Create and execute space vehicle simulator tests to validate mission/fault/autonomy design
• Create and execute in-factory flight vehicle tests to validate mission design compatibility with flight hardware
• Conduct critical ground segment testing, including radio-frequency compatibility testing, remote ground facility interface testing, and acceptance testing of critical ground assets/locations
• Design and validate the mission “sequence of events” for bus commissioning, payload checkout/calibration, and mission operations
  • Plan and lead formal Mission Rehearsal events to train the mission team and to validate the mission design
• Lead a team of spacecraft and subsystem engineers during launch and early orbit activities to commission the space vehicle(s) for service
• Perform duties of lead technical authority during mission operations for both the space and ground segments
  • Focal for customer and internal leadership during critical mission activities
• Provide oversight of nominal on-orbit operations for Millennium’s entire fleet of on-orbit spacecraft

Minimum Qualifications

• B.S. in Aerospace, Electrical, Software, Computer, Mechanical Engineering, or related field
• Experience with real-time satellite command and control
• Working knowledge of satellite subsystems, ground systems, space missions, and OPSCON design
• Experience delivering operational products to customer environments
• Willingness to support occasional off-nominal working hours during critical 24/7 mission operations activities

Preferred Qualifications

• Active TS/SCI Clearance
• M.S. in Aerospace, Electrical, Software, Computer, Mechanical Engineering, or related field
• Experience in leading multidisciplinary technical teams, especially to resolve anomalous scenarios
• Experience with external customer briefing/interfacing
• Deep knowledge of satellite systems engineering, including all satellite subsystems
  • Guidance, Navigation, and Control; Electrical Power; Thermal Control; Telemetry, Tracking, and Command; Propulsion; etc.
• Experience with Spacecraft Command & Control software systems
• Experience with iterative and agile processes
• Knowledge of orbital dynamics, maneuver planning, and orbit determination techniques
• Experience designing fault detection and response, as well as designing space vehicle autonomy
• Familiarity with software and scripting tools such as MATLAB, Python, C/C++, Java, etc.
• High level of organization, self-motivation, and an ability to manage many projects in parallel

Please note that the salary information shown below is a general guideline only of what is reasonably expected to be paid for the position. Salaries are based upon candidate experience and qualifications, as well as market and business considerations.

Summary Pay-Range

• Level 3: $104,550 - $153,750
• Level 4: $128,350 - $188,750