{"id":1744957,"url":"https://alion.io/job/heo-rd-engineer","title":"R&D Engineer","company":{"id":2201620,"name":"HEO","domain":"heospace.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/heospace","size_band":"11-50","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Breezy","truth_index":null},"role":"Industrial Engineering","role_family":"Industrial Engineering","seniority":"staff","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Arlington, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":null,"salary_estimate":{"min_usd":108000,"max_usd":217000,"period":"year","method":"role_seniority_country_remote_cell","sample_n":1026},"experience_years_min":10,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":true,"technologies":[{"name":"Agile","optional":false},{"name":"Python","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-09-29T06:40:14Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-09-29","last_verified_at":"2026-10-06T00:11:55Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":6,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":6},"description":"We are a rapidly growing, US-based space startup revolutionizing satellite imaging using advanced in-orbit capabilities. Specifically, our expertise lies in leveraging in-space assets for Space Domain Awareness (SDA) and Non-Earth Imaging (NEI). As an international company, we navigate a unique landscape while delivering critical services to our clients. Having recently secured several significant contracts, we are expanding our team to meet the exciting demands of our growth.\nTo support this next phase, we’re building a high-performing, interdisciplinary team capable of pushing the boundaries of space technology. We’re looking for talented, passionate people who value collaboration, growth, and learning to join us.\nHEO is a post Series-B company backed by high profile venture funds including Airtree, Y Combinator, In-Q-Tel and Beaten Zone Venture Partners. We are headquartered in Sydney with offices in London, Tokyo, Washington DC and France\nThe Opportunity\nWe are seeking a Principal R&D Solutions Engineer to serve as the primary technical authority for our major US Government (USG) programs. This is a high-level technical leadership role responsible for architecting and delivering bespoke solutions for national security stakeholders. You will be the technical bridge for HEO USA, responsible for delivering non-recurring engineering (NRE) solutions and driving the development of experimental features based on specific USG mission needs.\nAs the first Solutions Engineer hire in the USA, you will be a foundational leader responsible for building and scaling our domestic engineering capabilities. While you will initially act as a high-level individual contributor, you will have the ability to lead and grow the R&D arm of our US Delivery Team, establishing the technical standards and pipelines required to support a growing portfolio. Our established Australia-based engineering team will provide technical support and guidance to ensure your success.\nKey Responsibilities\nPrimary Technical POC: Serve as the lead technical interface for major USG projects, translating complex HEO system capabilities into mission-ready solutions for government stakeholders.\n Ad Hoc to Automation: Lead the “R&D to Ops” pipeline by designing and executing plans for the successful collection of NEI and other critical SDA data under challenging circumstances. Develop novel approaches to extract SDA insights, and implement Python software to operationalize these capabilities for the Space Imagery Analyst (SIA) team. \n Advanced Mission Modeling: Utilize Systems Tool Kit (STK), and Python-based libraries to model complex satellite encounters, optimize sensor tasking, and validate orbital dynamics for GEO and LEO mission expansion.\nAdvanced SDA Development: Research and implement novel analysis techniques and data visualization methods to enhance the HEO Inspect platform for national security users.\nMission Framework Expansion: Direct the technical development and expansion of our GEO mission frameworks while scaling and optimizing our LEO operational capabilities.\nMVP Development: Rapidly ideate and develop minimum viable products and experimental features to test directly with USG customers for rapid feedback.\nSubcontractor Technical Vetting: Lead the technical evaluation of potential subcontractors to ensure their capabilities align with the high standards of our USG contracts.\nQualifications\n Experience: 10+ years of significant industry experience in space mission analysis, orbital mechanics, or satellite operations, with or in support of the US Intelligence Community (IC) or DoD.\nNRE Expertise: Demonstrated experience in non-recurring engineering and the ability to build custom technical solutions for complex space domain challenges.\nTechnical Proficiencies: Advanced proficiency in Python for data analysis; expert-level experience with STK or similar high-fidelity orbital modeling software for mission modeling and orbital mechanics.\nLeadership: Strong technical leadership skills with the ability to manage high-stakes customer relationships and grow an engineering discipline within a startup environment.\nDomain Focus: Deep background in LEO/GEO mission operations and/or development of mission operations and ground segment software.\nEducation: Bachelor’s Degree or higher in Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, or a related field.\nSecurity Requirement: Active Top Secret clearance preferred; must have the ability to obtain or maintain a US government Top Secret security clearance.\nRewards & Benefits\nWe understand that a competitive offer extends beyond base salary. As a rapidly growing startup, we're committed to building a highly motivated team and believe in sharing our success. We offer a comprehensive total rewards package designed to attract and retain top talent:\nCompetitive Base Salary: We offer a strong base salary commensurate with your experience and the significant impact you'll have on our growth. \n Employee Stock Option Plan (ESOP): As an early-stage employee, you'll receive a meaningful grant of employee stock options. This provides you with an ownership stake in our company and the opportunity to share directly in our future success. We believe in aligning your contributions with our collective growth, offering substantial upside potential as we achieve our ambitious milestones. \n Company-sponsored 401(k): Matching contributions vested immediately. \nComprehensive Healthcare: Your well-being is a priority. We provide a robust employer-sponsored healthcare plan to ensure you and your family have access to quality medical care. \n Generous Paid Time Off: We value work-life balance and offer annual Paid Time Off (PTO) plus additional dedicated sick days. \nPaid Federal Holidays: Enjoy all federal holidays throughout the year, allowing you to recharge and spend time with loved ones. \nWhat We Value:\nYou’ll love being on our team if you are someone who:\nThrives in an ambiguous, semi-structured and dynamic environment. \nUpholds the highest level of integrity. \nIs proactive and takes initiative. \nIsn’t afraid to pitch in where the team needs you most. \nCan be depended on to do what they say and uphold their end of the teamwork. \nIs innovative, agile and flexible. \nFully believe if you’re not having fun doing what you do, you are in the wrong place. \nHEO USA is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE).\nWe are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, sex stereotyping, transgender status, and gender identity), national origin, age (40 or older), marital status, sexual orientation, disability, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.\nAs a federal contractor, we are committed to affirmative action for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. We strive to create a diverse and inclusive workforce where all employees feel valued, respected, and have the opportunity to contribute to their fullest potential.\nWe provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and religious beliefs, practices, or observances, unless doing so would cause undue hardship. If you require an accommodation to participate in the application or interview process, please reach out.","description_format":"text","description_chars":7430,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":10,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":true,"languages":[]},"benefits":["Stock options"],"hiring_locations":[{"name":"United States","iso":"US","kind":"country"}],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Space & Aerospace","Machine Learning","Earth Observation"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-10-03T05:16:28Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":86,"band":"hot","label":"Hiring now","p_open":1,"p_active":0.86,"p_room":1,"age_days":5,"expected_fill_days":29,"reasons":["conf:0","win:early"],"computed_at":"2026-10-05T05:45:15Z"},"pay":null,"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/heo-rd-engineer","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/heo-rd-engineer.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-06T02:21:40Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":3537,"day_limit":5000,"remaining_today":1463,"minute_limit":60,"resets_at":"2026-10-07T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":2201620},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=2201620"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fheo-rd-engineer"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fheo-rd-engineer"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fheo-rd-engineer"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/heo-rd-engineer\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fheo-rd-engineer"}]}