Senior Ground Station Engineer, Compute and Network

Summary

Join Planet as a Senior Ground Station Engineer and become part of an Operations and Development team ensuring >99% uptime of a globally distributed Ground Station network. You will act as a subject matter expert for Ground Station Compute and Network Engineering, owning hardware selection and system design. Responsibilities include capacity planning and analysis, overseeing the global ground station IP network, and collaborating with various teams across Planet. This full-time, remote position, based in the US, requires expertise in IT management, Linux/UNIX administration, networking protocols, and programming languages like Python or similar. The role involves travel up to 25% of the time and the ability to lift up to 50 pounds. Planet offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, paid parental leave, and more.

Requirements

• Minimum 4 year degree or equivalent technical certification in Computer Science, Information Technology or other Natural Sciences; or minimum 6 years experience in an equivalent role
• 4+ years working in an IT environment managing a large or complex environment
• 2+ years programming experience with Bash, Python, Perl, Rust, Go, C/C++ or equivalents
• 4+ years of Linux or UNIX administration experience in a production environment
• 4+ years working with BGP, IPSec, TCP, UDP and IP protocols in a production environment
• Willingness to travel up to 25% of the time
• Ability to foster a collaborative environment and mentor team members
• Ability to work with little or no supervision
• Ability to lift 50 pounds (22 kgs) without assistance
• Hold a valid Passport and can travel internationally to Planet's Ground Station Locations
• Hold a valid Drivers License

Responsibilities

• Act as a subject matter expert for Ground Station Compute and Network Engineering owning hardware selection and system design responsibilities
• Perform capacity planning and analysis optimizing the network to meet mission requirements
• Oversee the global ground station IP network, compute and storage facilities and 24/7 monitoring infrastructure
• Partner and collaborate with various teams with Planet, ranging from Mission Operations to Spacecraft design, to ensure the Ground Station Network meets all of the needs to achieve Planet’s missions

Preferred Qualifications

• Understanding of RF communication and satellite communication protocols
• Prior experience leading a team in a technical leadership capacity
• 2+ years experience in an Operations environment with an on-call schedule
• 2+ years experience with antenna system calibration, diagnostics and monitoring experience
• 2+ years experience with telemetry, tracking and control systems
• 2-4 years project management and logistics experience
• Radar and/or comms experience

Benefits

• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision plans
• Health Savings Account (HSA) with a company contribution
• Generous Paid Time Off in addition to holidays and company-wide days off
• 16 Weeks of Paid Parental Leave
• Wellness Program and Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Home Office Reimbursement
• Monthly Phone and Internet Reimbursement
• Tuition Reimbursement and access to LinkedIn Learning
• Equity
• Commuter Benefits (if local to an office)
• Volunteering Paid Time Off