Space Operations Engineer - Tech lead

At Dark, we passionately believe that space represents not only a cornerstone of the modern world but also a catalyst for shaping our future. Our mission is clear: to safeguard this invaluable realm by pioneering spacecraft and mission designs for the protection of vital orbits and assets.

That is why we are gathering a team of bright minds to tackle crucial challenges through advanced engineering. Our focus? Velocity. We are kicking in technologies that will enable faster-than-ever orbital missions, ushering in a new era defined by unprecedented agility and boundless opportunity.

Joining the mission operations department, you will be overseeing all the activities related to space segment operations, from iteration on the CONOPS to mission authorisation obtention, going through the redaction of operational procedures and the extraction of specifications for the ground segment. Supported by the Chief Mission Engineer, you will ensure that all mission objectives, LOS requirements, and safety standards are met.

First Missions

• Getting up to speed on the mission CONOPS and past developments
• Participating on the ground segment initial architecture and specification
• Building up the operational database and schedule

Responsibilities

• Ensuring all mission operations adhere to applicable safety, quality, and LOS standards
• Refining the space segment CONOPS
• Redacting the operations handbook
• Extracting applicable requirements related to ground segment functions and spacecraft commandability and reliability
• Participating in the definition of the telecommand and telemetry data to be transmitted
• Collaborating with the risks and quality teams to assess and mitigate mission risks and feared events
• Contributing to the definition of internal space operations standards, processes, and tools
• Leading the space operations team during the mission preparation and execution
• Mentoring and training other team members

Requirements

• 7+ years of experience in a similar position, including participation to space operations (launches and/or spacecraft control)
• Ideal background from the Defense / Aerospace industry (e.g. MBDA, Thales, Dassault, Safran, etc.)
• Expertise in orbital mechanics, flight dynamics, and mission operations
• High-level knowledge of systems engineering, spacecraft systems, and spacecraft performance
• Hands-on experience in satellite operations is a plus
• Ability to synthetize and structure in clear documentations
• As we have an international team, knowledge of technical English is required. Fluency in French is a plus

Culture

We recognize that extraordinary work ethics turn mere achievements into triumphs. Hence, we hold each team member accountable for enhancing collaborative performance within Dark by embodying the following skillset:

• Methodology – Your ability to clearly define and articulate the steps required to achieve a desired outcome
• Relevancy – Your capacity to discern and select the most appropriate course of action based on the prevailing context and circumstances
• Results – Consistently obtaining and updating the necessary resources and information to drive towards the intended outcome effectively

Furthermore, your leadership capabilities will be assessed against the following criteria, mirroring the expectations of your peers:

• Timing – Your adeptness in structuring workflows to meet deadlines
• Judgement – Your capacity to make sound decisions, especially in ambiguous or uncertain situations, showcasing strategic thinking and discernment
• Decisions – Utilizing the aforementioned criteria to manage the workload effectively

Benefits

• Join - our core team, poised to expand into a company with hundreds.
• Engage - in a deeply technical project with high level systems trade-off and long term industrial vision.
• Learn - every day in an environment driven by continuous improvement.
• Enjoy - a team rewarding autonomy and uphold high standard at work.

Salary package ranging from 59 K€ to 80 K€ gross, additional performance bonuses and project-based bonuses.