Orbital Sidekick
Posted 2y ago

Space Operations Engineer (Embedded Software)

Orbital Sidekick
San Francisco, California, United States
$100k-$160k/yrOnsiteFull Time
Responsibilities
  • Model tasking
  • Trade studies
  • Interface operations
Requirements
  • Space Operations Engineer with 3+ years in aerospace/space
  • Proficient in C/C++, Python
  • Experience with spacecraft operations and onboard software interfaces
Technical tools mentioned
CC++LinuxARMPython

Job description

Orbital Sidekick (OSK) is revolutionizing how the world understands and interacts with our planet. We are the leading hyperspectral satellite data and analytics company building the most advanced space-based infrastructure and proprietary "Spectral Intelligence™" platform. Our constellation of Global Hyperspectral Observation Satellites (GHOSt™) delivers unparalleled, persistent monitoring capabilities, capturing an unparalleled 500 bands of light to reveal the chemical fingerprints of targets on Earth. We provide actionable insights to critical sectors including Energy, Mining, Agriculture & Forestry, Environmental & Emergency Monitoring, and Defense & Security, helping our clients optimize sustainable operations, mitigate risk, and enhance situational awareness globally.

As a Space Operations Engineer (Embedded) in our Payload Engineering Team, you will be working on creating the services to control our Satellites. Reporting directly to our VP of Payload Engineering and working closely with our Analytics, Software and Product Teams, you will help build out the tools, processes and products critical to our customers' success.



As a Space Operations Engineer (Embedded) in our Payload Engineering Team, you will be working on creating the services to control our Satellites. Reporting directly to our VP of Payload Engineering and working closely with our Analytics, Software and Product Teams, you will help build out the tools, processes and products critical to our customers' success.



Orbital Sidekick's compensation packages are determined based on multiple factors including business requirements, experience and location.


What you'll do
  • Model tasking scenarios for a constellation of hyperspectral satellites
  • Perform trade studies on orbit positioning and maneuvers to maximize satellite coverage
  • Interface with the operations and software team to successfully execute targeted tasking with multiple space-based sensors
  • Test operations plans on ground hardware testbeds, and improving ground software test processes
  • Work with the OSK product team to deliver high fidelity constellation tasking plans
  • Verify and Validate tasking plans and spacecraft health and status
  • Troubleshoot and resolve payload on-orbit anomalies and findings
  • Optimize camera and optical systems to extract critical insights
  • Develop detailed understanding of onboard flight software hardware and software interfaces
  • Work with OSK’s algorithm team to implement onboard algorithms to high-bandwidth data-streams
  • Develop OSK’s data ingestion and processing capabilities for satellite as well as aerial hyperspectral images 
  • Work with GPU cores to implement on-the-fly data corrections using a neural network
  • Incorporate payload and spacecraft bus command and control schemes


  • What you’ll have
  • BS in Aerospace/Mechanical/Astronautical engineering or Computer Science
  • 3+ years of experience in the Aerospace/Space industry
  • Strong skills in C, C++, Linux Operating System on ARM
  • Spacecraft operations experience, downloading and uploading spacecraft control parameters
  • Ability to code in python for scripting, automation and algorithm integration purposes
  • Experience using software APIs to receive and send telemetry data
  • Knowledge of embedded communication protocols to control hardware sensors
  • Strong skills in data processing pipelines and algorithm runtime optimization


  • You'll stand out as a candidate if you have
  • MS in Aerospace/Astronautical Engineering or Computer Science
  • Familiarity with scalable software solutions
  • Health and Status monitoring of software systems
  • Firm understanding of optics, optical alignment, and spacecraft control
  • Experience with remote sensing data
  • Expertise in python and C++ software development


  • Orbital Sidekick is committed to building a community where everyone belongs and we invite people from all backgrounds to apply. We are an equal opportunity employer committed to providing employment opportunities regardless of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, age, military or veteran status, or any other protected classification, in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.

    About Orbital Sidekick

    Provides hyperspectral satellite imagery and analytics for earth observation.

    Year founded
    2016
    Employees
    40
    Organization type
    Private
    Latest investment
    Raised $3.50M Series A (2025) — led by Temasek, Energy Innovation Capital
    Headquarters
    US