Senior Mission Operations Engineer

The Senior Mission Operations Engineer will be responsible for leading the development integration and execution of mission operations across the spacecraft lifecycle. This role serves as a primary operational integrator between engineering ground software and flight teams ensuring that operational constraints procedures risk mitigations and readiness activities are thoroughly defined validated and aligned with mission objectives. It involves driving cross‑team coordination supporting real‑time operations shaping operational architecture and elevating operator capability through mentorship and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide senior‑level technical and operational expertise across all mission operations activities serving as a subject‑matter expert during testing rehearsals anomalies and on‑call operations.

• Plan and coordinate cross‑team project and mission execution activities ensuring alignment between operations systems engineering GNC software and ground teams.

• Define evaluate document and validate operational constraints across mission phases drive updates when requirements risks or design changes dictate.

• Lead development improvement and validation of operational procedures flight rules and operator workflows to ensure accurate consistent and reliable execution.

• Conduct and contribute to mission risk assessments supporting identification of hazards proposing mitigations and ensuring risks influence design and operational decisions.

• Support tactical operational execution with minimal oversight including command sequencing real‑time decision‑making and interface with cross‑disciplinary technical teams.

• Maintain mission readiness by identifying prep risks early coordinating closures validating tools and processes and ensuring teams are prepared for rehearsals and flight.

• Drive closure of operational gaps such as constraint updates procedure improvements workflow issues and readiness blockers.

• Coordinate interfaces with adjacent teams ensuring operational implications are captured in system interfaces requirements and mission planning products.

• Contribute to operator training certification processes onboarding materials and continuous improvement initiatives.

• Mentor Mission Operations Engineers providing guidance technical development and constructive feedback to elevate the broader operations team.

Success in This Role Looks Like

• Senior MOEs consistently understand their highest‑priority tasks and deliver high‑quality operational products on schedule.

• Operational constraints are clearly defined validated well‑documented and understood by both engineering and operations.

• Risk assessments drive actionable mitigations that meaningfully influence design choices mission planning and operational decisions.

• Procedures and flight rules are accurate current and easy for any certified operator to execute reliably.

• Missions rehearsals and on‑call support run smoothly due to strong preparation robust procedures and proactive coordination.

• Junior engineers receive meaningful mentorship and demonstrate clear growth in capability and confidence.

• Adjacent teams view Senior MOEs as reliable thoughtful technical partners who understand both spacecraft design needs and operational realities.

• Operational readiness remains consistently high with risks surfaced early and mitigated effectively.

   

Minimum Qualifications:

• 3+ years' experience in mission operations spacecraft operations engineering or related aerospace operations roles.

• Deep understanding of mission operations concepts including constraints procedures ground systems anomalies and test‑to‑flight workflows.

• Strong cross‑disciplinary communication skills with the ability to interface effectively between engineering and operations teams.

• Demonstrated ability to work autonomously and solve complex technical and operational issues.

• Experience leading operational activities rehearsals or real‑time operations.

• Ability to obtain a TS/SCI clearance.

Preferred Skills and Experience:

• Experience across the full lifecycle of a space mission (design → integration → testing → rehearsals → commissioning → operations).

• Bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering or related field or equivalent work experience.

• Hands‑on experience with mission operations systems ground software or operations simulation environments.

• Experience contributing to or developing procedures flight rules or constraints.

• Familiarity with mission risk frameworks (hazards FMEA fault trees) or readiness assessments.

• Scripting experience (Python MATLAB) for operations automation analysis or workflow improvements.

• Experience with mission planning console operations or operations process development.

• Enthusiasm for working on small fast‑paced teams in rapidly evolving mission environments.

Senior Mission Operations Engineer: $140000-$190000

ITAR Requirements:

This position may include access to technology and/or software source code that is subject to U.S. export controls. To conform to U.S. Government export regulations applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national (ii) U.S. lawful permanent resident (aka green card holder) (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157 or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158 or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.
Benefits:
We offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits package designed to support the well-being and professional growth of our employees. In addition to a competitive base salary and company stock determined by factors such as job-related knowledge education skills experience and market demand full-time employees are eligible for:

• Equity: Receive equity in Turion Space letting you benefit from the company's success

• Health Insurance: Comprehensive medical dental and vision coverage for employees and their dependents.

• Retirement Plans: Access to a 401(k) plan with a 3% Employer Direct Contribution to help you plan for your future.

• Paid Time Off: Generous vacation days personal days sick days and holidays to ensure you have time to recharge.

• Parental Leave: Paid parental leave following the birth of a newborn or adoption.

• Emotional Wellbeing: A no-cost Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to support you and your household’s emotional health and wellbeing.

• Professional Development: Opportunities for ongoing internal training workshops and courses to advance your skills and career growth.

• Team Building Activities: Regular social events team outings and company-sponsored activities to foster a positive work environment.

We are dedicated to providing a supportive and enriching environment for our team members recognizing that our collective success is built upon the well-being and satisfaction of each individual.

Turion Space is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Turion Space 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.

What We Do

Turion Space is building the infrastructure to secure and sustain the future of space. Founded to address the growing need for space domain awareness in-space servicing and debris mitigation Turion designs builds and operates spacecraft with real-world operational capability. Our vehicles are built for national security and commercial missions that require speed autonomy and resilience. We believe the next chapter of space operations will be defined by who can act not just observe. That’s why we’re focused on building platforms that move fast adapt in orbit and solve problems ranging from satellite servicing to tactical intelligence gathering. We successfully launched our DROID.001 satellite in June 2023 and DROID.002 in March 2025. DROID.003 is scheduled for launch in 2026.

Why Work With Us

Turion Space is where startup grit meets real space missions. We build and fly spacecraft for defense servicing and domain awareness. No red tape no sidelines just hands-on work that matters.

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