AstroTalentSpace Jobs

Senior Mission Operations Engineer Verified today

Lux Aeterna · Denver, CO · Space Systems · first seen 2026-10-16
Apply at Lux Aeterna →

The Role

You will take end-to-end ownership of Lux Aeterna's Delphi-1 spacecraft, running it on orbit and bringing it home. This role spans mission operations leadership through commissioning, on-orbit, deorbit, reentry, and recovery. You will be a critical member of the Mission Operations team: building the concept of operations, running rehearsals, and ultimately commanding the vehicle in flight.

Your Responsibilities

  • Author the Concept of Operations, console procedures, flight rules, anomaly playbooks, and mission timeline in partnership with GNC, FSW, GSW, and Avionics teams
  • Stand up the Mission Operations Center, lead rehearsals, and drive Flight Readiness and Mission Readiness Reviews
  • Hire, train, and certify the mission operations team (internal or external): console operators, flight directors, payload operators. Define the on-call rotation that supports flight
  • Serve as Mission Manager and Flight Director from pre-launch through on-orbit operations. Own the call to proceed, hold, or abort, and run real-time coordination with KSAT, SpaceX, the range, customers, and recovery partners
  • Lead the post-flight debrief and feed lessons learned into Delphi block upgrades and follow-on missions

Required Qualifications

  • BS in Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical, Systems Engineering, or equivalent technical field (or equivalent practical experience)
  • 5+ years in aerospace, including 2+ years as a Lead or Senior Mission Operations Engineer, or equivalent role in other high-stakes hardware programs
  • Direct experience in a mission operations, flight test, or launch environment including console time, procedure authorship, or flight-director-style real-time decision making in aerospace programs
  • Hands-on with ground-segment and MCC tooling including commanding, telemetry, mission planning, pass scheduling, and KSAT or equivalent ground-network experience
  • Strong technical fluency. Comfortable reading ICDs, requirements, and engineering analyses, and pushing back when the plan and the physics disagree
  • Excellent written communication for procedures, flight rules, status, and executive-level reporting that people trust
  • High composure under pressure and sound judgment with incomplete information
  • Comfort with ambiguity and bias toward action over analysis paralysis
  • Ability to operate effectively in fast build-test-iterate environments with high ownership and minimal supervision

Desired Experience

  • Experience standing up a mission ops organization from zero: hiring, training, certifying operators, building the MOC
  • Familiarity with reentry, recovery, or asset-return operations (capsule, glider, booster, or experimental vehicle)
  • Working knowledge of FAA Part 450, range safety, and human-spaceflight-adjacent safety standards (SSCMAN 91-710, AFSPCMAN, NASA STD)
  • Familiarity with RF, CCSDS, telemetry decom, and ground station segment integration
  • Early-stage startup or new-program experience, especially in hardware or deep-tech companies
  • Comfort building lightweight systems and processes that scale, without over-engineering them
  • Military aviation, test, or operations background welcome in place of or alongside an engineering degree

Location and Work Environment

Based in Denver, CO. Onsite 5 days per week by default, flexible when life requires it. This role includes travel to vendor sites, partner facilities, the launch site, and the recovery zone in the run-up to and during flight.

Access to export-controlled technical data may require U.S. person status under 22 C.F.R. section 120.62.

Compensation

Base salary range: $135,000-$225,000 per year, determined by experience, qualifications, skills, and job-related responsibilities. Eligible for equity compensation. Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance; paid time off; company holidays; and a 401(k) retirement plan.