(Senior) Mission Operations Engineer

Key Responsibilities

• Mission Preparation and Planning
• Develop and refine operational products, including mission timelines, procedures, and contingency plans, to support lunar surface and cruise operations.
• Design and conduct mission readiness simulations, validation exercises, and risk assessments in collaboration with global ispace teams for operators' certification campaigns.

• Lead the definition and implementation of operational workflows for the mission control center, ensuring readiness for launch, cruise, lunar landing, and surface activities.
• Interface with cross-functional teams, including systems engineering, ground systems, and software engineering, to develop integrated mission operations plans.

• Real-Time Operations
• Serve as the console operator during active mission phases, overseeing telemetry monitoring, system performance, and critical event coordination.
• Manage anomaly detection, troubleshooting, and resolution, ensuring mission continuity and safety.
• Coordinate across engineering, science, and flight operations teams to respond dynamically to evolving mission requirements.

• Post-Mission Analysis and Improvement
• Analyze mission performance data, identifying lessons learned and opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Prepare comprehensive mission reports, presenting findings and recommendations to leadership, customers, and other relevant stakeholders.
• Drive the evolution of operational processes, leveraging data-driven insights to optimize future mission performance.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering, Systems Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical discipline from an accredited institution.
• 5+ years of professional experience in mission operations within the aerospace, defense, or other high-reliability engineering sectors.
• Knowledge of spacecraft subsystems, including power systems, propulsion, thermal management, and avionics.
• Knowledge of software coding or scripting languages (e.g., Python, MATLAB, C++) to support automation and data analysis in mission operations.
• Experience in developing and testing standard operating procedures (SOPs), checklists, and applicable products for mission control.
• Understanding and dexterity with space industry standards (e.g., NTSS, ECSS, ISO, or MIL-STD).
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to present complex ideas clearly to technical and non-technical audiences.

Preferred Qualifications

• A master’s degree in a relevant field such as Space Systems Engineering, Computer Science, Astrodynamics, or Systems Design.
• Industry-recognized certifications, such as NASA or ESA Mission Operations Trainings, or equivalent certification related to mission planning and coordination are considered an asset.
• Experience conducting hands-on, real-time console operations during active mission phases, including nominal and contingency situations, specifically for lunar, planetary, or deep-space missions would be an asset.
• Familiarity with mission control software suites and ground segment tools used for command and telemetry monitoring (e.g. Yamcs, Grafana).
• Practical knowledge of lunar surface operations, such as payload integration, terrain navigation, and scientific drivers.
• Experience with design reviews, mission readiness assessments, and post-mission evaluations/closeout activities.
• Familiarity with ground station operations (e.g. ESA Estrack, NASA DSN), spacecraft tracking systems, and communications protocols (e.g., CCSDS standards).
• Proven ability to coordinate multi-disciplinary teams in mission-critical scenarios.
• Demonstrated leadership in fast-paced, high-stakes environments.
• #LI-FG1