Mission Operations Engineer
Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Oct 17, 2026. First seen by Alion on Aug 19, 2026. Reflect Orbital scores A on the Alion truth index.
At Reflect, you will be expected to move fast, have a lot of ownership and, most importantly, be able to effect change. If this excites you, we are interested in hearing about your best work and accomplishments across any domain and from any points in your life.
About the Role
As a Mission Operations Engineer, you'll own both the day-to-day operation of our spacecraft and the development of the operational infrastructure that makes it all work. This is a high-ownership role on a small, collaborative mission operations team. You won't just execute procedures, you'll write them, improve them, and help define how we operate as a company.
You'll monitor spacecraft health, investigate anomalies, plan maneuvers, and coordinate ground station passes. You'll also build and refine the tools, scripts, and processes that keep our future fleet running smoothly. As our constellation grows, you'll help shape operational strategies, maintain and update mission requirements, and drive continuous improvement across our satellite and ground segment.
Responsibilities
Monitor real-time telemetry and spacecraft subsystem health
Triage and investigate on-orbit anomalies end-to-end and document findings and lessons learned to improve fleet reliability
Perform long-term telemetry trending and performance analysis to detect subsystem degradation, refine alarm limits, and inform operational and design decisions
Plan and execute spacecraft maneuvers, station-keeping, and orbital adjustments
Coordinate ground station passes and scheduling
Support LEOP, bus and payload commissioning, and orbit-raising campaigns for new satellites, executing procedures and contributing to in-orbit test and checkout
Develop, validate, and maintain operational procedures and command sequences
Build automation for telemetry monitoring and alerting, pass scheduling, routine commanding, and anomaly detection and response
Collaborate with spacecraft engineering teams to define CONOPS, fault management, and spacecraft procedures
Support deployment and testing of ground software updates and infrastructure changes
Validate procedures, command sequences, and automation against simulation and hardware-in-the-loop environments prior to on-orbit execution
Define, validate, and maintain onboard FDIR and fault management responses
Plan and execute operational readiness activities, including simulations and dress rehearsals
Participate in 24/7 rotating shift work to meet mission needs
Qualifications
Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related STEM field
3+ years of experience in satellite mission operations or a related field
Solid understanding of spacecraft systems and subsystem interactions
Proficiency with mission control software (e.g. OpenC3 COSMOS, Kratos EPOCH, L3Harris InControl, or similar)
Strong programming and scripting skills (Python, C++ preferred)
Familiarity with Linux environments and command-line tools
Experience with DevOps tools and practices (Git, Docker, CI/CD)
Familiarity with RF systems, ground station operations, or link budgets
Experience developing operational requirements or CONOPS documentation
Strong troubleshooting skills, with experience using data analysis to diagnose complex systems
Clear written and verbal communication skills
Sound judgment and composure in real-time, high-pressure operational environments
Experience operating multi-satellite constellations or fleets is a plus
Even if you don’t meet 100% of the above qualifications, we are likely still interested in hearing from you. Hiring exceptional individuals is our #1 priority, and we believe that exceptional people often have highly unusual backgrounds.
We are also interested in carving out unique roles for unconventional people that we are excited about working with.
Benefits
Reflect Orbital’s success will hinge on our team, which is why our compensation and benefits plan is designed to reward our employees and support their families as generously as we’re able.
Broad choice of medical/dental/vision coverage, Reflect covers 100% of each base-policy
Access to HSA, FSA, and 401K
Unlimited paid time off
Healthy lunches provided daily
Equal Opportunity
Reflect Orbital is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Reflect Orbital is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.
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