Mission Control Engineer

Job description

Our Mission

At constellr were harnessing the power of space to solve one of Earths greatest challenges: climate resilience & security in a changing world. Our thermal satellite constellation delivers the most accurate land surface temperature data on the market equipping commercial players governments defence agencies and global institutions with the thermal intelligence they need to make strategic decisions from national security and infrastructure to agriculture and climate resilience.

As a fast-scaling company with offices in Brussels Freiburg Munich Washington and Toulouse our multidisciplinary team of engineers scientists and strategists is building the future of space-based Earth observation

Location: Remote - Germany
Team & Reporting Line: Flight Operations - Reporting to Lead Satellite Systems

Your Role

As a Mission Control Engineer you will be central to operating and scaling our Earth Observation satellite constellation. You will monitor control and optimise spacecraft performance while working closely with the Flight Operations team and collaborating with Flight Dynamics Payload Software Data and Product teams across the company.

This role offers the opportunity to build and operate mission control systems from the ground up in a fast-paced startup environment with direct impact on the reliability availability and quality of the data we deliver to customers.

At constellr you will help shape how our constellation and operations scale owning critical operational capabilities influencing system design and seeing the immediate real-world impact of your work. The role also provides a clear growth path into hands-on satellite operations with opportunities to take on real-time spacecraft commanding and monitoring responsibilities and contribute directly to mission success in orbit.

Job requirements

Key responsibilities

Core Role

• Build core mission planning services and algorithms that power mission planning applications for a growing satellite constellation

• Shape the architecture and design of mission planning systems to ensure scalability reliability and long-term operability

• Run monitor and maintain mission planning systems in live production environments

• Define engineering standards for reliability CI/CD infrastructure-as-code observability safety and operational compliance

• Collaborate across Flight Operations Flight Dynamics Payload Satellite Operations and Product leadership to turn mission needs into technical direction and system design

• Drive adoption of CI/CD pipelines infrastructure-as-code and robust deployment practices across mission-critical systems

• Translate mission requests into executable satellite telecommands including interaction with the telecommand database

• Align mission plans with onboard scheduling and execution constraints to ensure feasible satellite operations

Optional (If you have this experience) - Involvement in satellite operations your role will also include:

• Monitor and control spacecraft operations ensuring the nominal health safety and performance of the satellite constellation

• Execute real-time spacecraft commanding telemetry monitoring and analysis responding promptly to off-nominal conditions.

• Develop validate and maintain operational procedures for both routine activities and contingency scenarios.

• Collaborate closely with Flight Dynamics and Mission Planning teams to execute mission timelines and scheduling activities.

• Support the commissioning and early operations phases of newly launched satellites.

• Investigate anomalies perform root cause analysis and implement corrective and preventive actions.

• Ensure high availability and smooth operation of the ground segment participating in on-call rotations as required.

• Interface with Payload and Data teams to support successful data acquisition downlink and processing operations.

• Participate in simulations rehearsals and operational readiness reviews to ensure mission preparedness.

About You

Essential Experience:

• Bachelors or Masters degree in Aerospace Engineering Computer Science or a related technical field.

• 23 years of experience in satellite/spacecraft operations or in ground segment / Mission Control System development either on the operations or software side.

• Solid understanding of spacecraft subsystems (e.g. AOCS power thermal communications).

• Experience with telemetry analysis command systems and operational procedures.

• Proven ability to troubleshoot anomalies under time pressure using structured and methodical problem-solving approaches.

• Strong software engineering background with experience in a systems programming language (ideally Rust but C C or similar are acceptable; support will be provided to develop Rust expertise).

• Experience developing reliable software for operational environments with a strong focus on correctness robustness and safety.

• Familiarity with Linux systems and server administration.

• Knowledge of space industry standards such as CCSDS ECSS or PUS (deep expertise not required; familiarity with the ecosystem is sufficient).

• Strong communication skills and a collaborative mindset; ability to work closely with operations teams and the broader Mission Control organisation.

• Willingness to work in an operational environment including shifts or on-call duties when required.

• Experience with monitoring and data infrastructure tools such as Grafana (including IRM) InfluxDB and PostgreSQL.

• Genuine interest in working at the intersection of spacecraft operations and modern systems software with a willingness to deepen expertise in either domain.

• Ability to develop reliable production-grade software for 24/7 operational environments with a strong focus on correctness robustness and safety.

Nice to have:

• Experience with LEO Earth Observation missions.

• Knowledge of mission planning systems and ground station networks.

• Experience with SCOS-2000 and Mission Information Base (MIB) configuration.

• Background in Launch and Early Orbit Phase (LEOP) or in-orbit commissioning.

• Experience working in a startup or fast-scaling environment.

• Familiarity with cloud-based infrastructure distributed systems or data pipelines.

• Understanding of satellite systems engineering principles.

• Exposure to or experience with AI-assisted development tools or workflows.

Why Join constellr

• Be part of an ambitious mission to launch the worlds first commercial thermal infrared constellation

• Play a defining role in scaling a company at the intersection of space climate and security

• Flexible work setup with remote and hybrid options

• Competitive compensation including Virtual Share Option Plan (VSOP) for permanent employees

• Join a team committed to diversity inclusion scientific excellence and real-world impact

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Required Experience:

IC

Employment Type : Full-Time
Experience: years
Vacancy: 1