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Senior Software Engineer, Mission Optimization

Planet Labs · San Francisco, CA

hybridsenior$162,600–$162,600Posted Sep 30, 2026PythonDockerGitGitLabCI/CDLinuxDatadogSentry

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About this role

**Senior Software Engineer, Mission Optimization** **About the Role:** The Mission Optimization team improves operations and productivity of the world's largest Earth observation satellite constellation. You'll own optimization initiatives end-to-end: framing operational problems with data, designing solutions, and driving them to production. Work closely with spacecraft, systems engineering, software, operations, and product teams. *Full-time, hybrid role (3 days/week in San Francisco office)* **Impact You'll Own:** • Own significant optimization initiatives end-to-end—problem definition, data analysis, solution design, implementation, and measurement • Design, develop, and maintain mission-critical software for satellite constellation scheduling and optimization • Define concepts of operations for current and future fleets with spacecraft and systems engineering teams • Analyze operational data to surface inefficiencies and drive improvements • Mentor earlier-career engineers and act as technical advisor • Represent technical positions with stakeholders across engineering, operations, and product **What You Bring:** • 6+ years professional software engineering experience • Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or related technical field • Deep proficiency in Python or comparable language • Ability to drive ambiguous problems to measurable outcomes with minimal direction • Data-driven approach with statistical analysis skills • Strong written and verbal communication • Experience mentoring or technically leading engineers **What Makes You Stand Out:** • Satellite engineering, orbital mechanics, or space operations experience • Hands-on spacecraft or autonomous systems operations • Concepts of operations definition for complex systems • Optimization, scheduling, or operations research background • DevOps experience (Git, Docker, CI/CD, Linux, monitoring tools) • Open-source contributions **Compensation:** San Francisco: $162,600–$203,200 USD (plus discretionary bonus and equity) **Benefits:** Comprehensive medical/dental/vision, HSA, generous PTO, 16 weeks parental leave, wellness program, home office reimbursement, tuition reimbursement, equity, and more. **Note:** EAR/ITAR export control compliance required. Planet welcomes applicants from all backgrounds and is committed to equal opportunity employment.

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