About us: What you'll do:

We are seeking an experienced and capable Lead Spacecraft Operations Engineer to take ownership of our low-Earth orbit (LEO) mission operations! In this role, you will lead and assume responsibility for the commanding, telemetry, and overall health of our Maxwell satellite platform.

The day-to-day:

• Operations Leadership: Assume full ownership of the LEO satellite platform's health, safety, and mission scheduling. Lead anomaly resolution efforts and interface directly with system architects and collaborators.
• Mission Management: Provide oversight and help refine the scheduling of operations using Viasat’s mission planning environment using proven expertise and past experience for LEO space missions.
• Network & Comm Utilization: Model and simulate operations for high-throughput Direct-to-Earth (DTE) ground station networks and GEO relay communication links into our planning framework.
• HIL/SIL Validation & Testing: Oversee Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) and Software-in-the-Loop (SIL) test campaigns to validate mission planning software, flight code updates, and telemetry processing methods.
• Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs): Author, maintain, and enforce comprehensive operational procedures, contingency plans, and automation guardrails for the flight operations team.

What you'll need:

• Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field, or demonstrated equivalent experience.
• Experience: 10+ years of direct experience in satellite mission operations, integration and test (I&T), or systems engineering, with a proven track record supporting active LEO missions.
• Technical Mastery: Practical knowledge of spacecraft subsystems (EPS, ADCS, Thermal, and Comm) and how they interact in a highly dynamic LEO environment.
• Testing & Infrastructure: Familiarity with HIL/SIL testbeds to validate flight software and operational procedures before upload.
• Leadership Traits: Strong technical leadership, excellent communication skills, and the ability to make calm, analytical decisions under pressure during live orbital anomalies.
• Must be able to work out of our Carlsbad, CA or Logan, UT office coming in 3 days per week
• US Citizenship is required.

What will help you on the job:

• Proficiency in MATLAB, or similar coding language, for developing operations tools, automating telemetry analysis, and scripting data-processing pipelines.
• Experience designing, deploying, or operating autonomous mission planning systems or automated ground networks.
• Familiarity with configuration management tools (e.g., Git).
• Background in RF engineering, ground station operation, or link budget optimization for LEO constellations.

Salary range: $180,500.00 - $285,000.00 / annually. For specific work locations within San Jose, the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, the base pay range for this role is $224,500.00- $336,500.00/ annually : At Viasat, we consider many factors when it comes to compensation, including the scope of the position as well as your background and experience. Base pay may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Additional cash or stock incentives may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to a range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the position offered. Learn more about Viasat’s comprehensive benefit offerings that are focused on your holistic health and wellness at https://careers.viasat.com/benefits. EEO statement: