Astranis Space Technologies · 4 hours ago
Payload Operations Engineer
San Francisco, CA
Full-time
Onsite
New Grad, Entry, Mid, Senior Level
$115K/yr - $150K/yr
0+ years expAstranis Space Technologies builds advanced satellites for high orbits, aiming to expand humanity’s reach into the solar system. The Payload Operations Engineer will be responsible for planning, executing, and optimizing in-orbit operations of communications payloads, ensuring performance and reliability throughout mission life.
AerospaceInternetSatellite CommunicationTelecommunications
No H1B
U.S. Citizen Only
Responsibilities
Lead daily and long-term payload operations, including performance monitoring, anomaly resolution, and optimization of on-orbit communications systems
Support mission design and execution, including link budget validation, mission configuration, and payload commissioning
Develop and maintain software tools and dashboards for payload telemetry, trending, and health monitoring
Define and implement telemetry and telecommand (TT&C) strategies to ensure safe and reliable operations
Coordinate cross-functionally between mission operations, ground software, and RF hardware teams to ensure seamless command and control
Perform data analysis of our payload and TTC performance across the fleet to ensure consistent performance and health of our satellites
Participate in mission rehearsals and payload readiness reviews, contributing to mission planning and operations documentation
Assist in defining and developing automation strategies for on-orbit payload control and fault detection
Qualification
Required
B.S. or M.S. in Electrical Engineering or related technical field
0–7 years of experience in satellite operations, mission engineering, or RF systems engineering
Proficiency in Python and comfort developing telemetry visualization or automation tools
Experience with telemetry databases, command systems, or mission control software
Ability to diagnose and resolve complex system-level issues across hardware and software boundaries
Solid understanding of RF systems, modulation/demodulation, and link budgets
On call support for payload and TTC systems, up to one week per month
Willing and able to obtain a security clearance
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a collaborative mindset
U.S. Citizenship, Lawful Permanent Residency, Or Refugee/Asylee Status Required
Preferred
Experience in geostationary satellite payload operations
Familiarity with ground system architectures and RF test instrumentation
Experience with software development tools such as Git
Knowledge of embedded systems or spacecraft flight software interfaces
Experience with automation frameworks or machine learning applied to telemetry analysis
Benefits
Equity in the form of incentive stock options
High quality company-subsidized healthcare
Disability and life insurance benefits
Flexible PTO
401(K) retirement
Free on-site catered meals
Company
Astranis Space Technologies
Astranis builds low-cost satellites for high orbits. Our first product, MicroGEO, offers the world’s lowest-cost satellite broadband.
201-500 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
$753.5MKey Investors
Andreessen HorowitzBlackRockVenrock
2024-07-24Series D· $200M
2023-04-14Series Unknown· $200M
2023-04-14Debt Financing
Leadership Team
Mark Mesler
Chief Financial Officer
Ryan McLinko
Cofounder
Recent News
2025-11-07
2025-11-05
Company data provided by crunchbase