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Senior Mission Operations Manager Verified today

Lux Aeterna · Denver, CO · Space Systems · first seen 2026-07-16
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The Opportunity

Lux Aeterna is seeking a Senior Mission Operations Manager to take end-to-end ownership of the Delphi-1 spacecraft. You will run it on orbit and bring it home, spanning mission operations leadership through commissioning, on-orbit operations, deorbit, reentry, and recovery.

You are the single accountable owner for whether the mission flies, executes, and comes home as planned. You will start in the program manager seat and transition into Mission Manager/Flight Director as the vehicle approaches launch.

What You Will Own

  • 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: console operators, flight directors, payload operators. Define the on-call rotation that supports flight
  • Serve as Mission Manager/Flight Director from pre-launch through on-orbit operations. Own the call to proceed, hold, or abort. Run real-time coordination with KSAT, SpaceX, the range, customers, and recovery partners
  • Lead post-flight debrief and feed lessons learned into Delphi block upgrades and follow-on missions
  • Build Lux Aeterna's mission operations function from zero: CONOPs, procedures, flight rules, and the team that flies the vehicle
  • Grow into the mission operations leader for the Delphi platform and follow-on programs

Required Qualifications

  • BS in Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical, Systems Engineering, or equivalent technical field (or equivalent practical experience)
  • 7+ years in aerospace or other high-stakes hardware programs, with a mix of program/project management and operations experience
  • 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
  • Strong technical fluency. Comfortable reading ICDs, requirements, and engineering analyses, and pushing back when the plan and the physics disagree
  • Track record of running cross-functional teams without formal authority and getting senior engineers to commit and deliver
  • Excellent written communication: procedures, flight rules, status, and exec-level reporting that people actually 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

  • Prior tour as a Flight Director, Mission Manager, Mission Director, or Lead Mission Operator on an orbital or reentry program
  • 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)
  • Hands-on with ground-segment/MCC tooling like commanding, telemetry, mission planning, pass scheduling including KSAT or equivalent ground-network experience
  • Familiarity with CCSDS, telemetry decom, and ground-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, with flexibility when life requires it. This role will include travel to vendor sites, partner facilities, the launch site, and the recovery zone in the run-up to and during flight.

Compensation and Benefits

Base salary range: $150,000 to $225,000 per year. Actual compensation determined based on experience, qualifications, skills, and job-related responsibilities. This position is eligible for equity compensation. Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance; paid time off and company holidays; and a 401(k) retirement plan.

Export Control Notice

Certain roles may involve access to export-controlled technical data. To comply with U.S. export-control laws, access may be limited to individuals who qualify as a U.S. person under 22 C.F.R. 120.62 or who otherwise may lawfully receive such access.