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Orbit Operations Engineer

Reflect Orbital
Hawthorne, CA Full Time
POSTED ON 6/5/2026 CLOSED ON 6/17/2026

What are the responsibilities and job description for the Orbit Operations Engineer position at Reflect Orbital?

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 an Orbit 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, identifying and responding to anomalies early
  • Plan and execute spacecraft maneuvers, station-keeping, and orbital adjustments
  • Coordinate ground station passes, command uplink, and data downlink schedules
  • Support launch campaigns and in-orbit testing for new satellites
  • Develop, validate, and maintain operational procedures and command sequences
  • Collaborate with spacecraft engineering teams to define CONOPS, fault management, and spacecraft procedures
  • Support deployment and testing of ground software updates and infrastructure changes
  • Plan and execute operational readiness activities, including simulations and dress rehearsals
  • Participate in on-call rotation to support 24/7 mission needs


Ideal Qualifications

  • 4–6 years of professional experience in satellite mission operations, spacecraft control, or a related field
  • Solid understanding of spacecraft systems and subsystem interactions
  • Proficiency with mission control software (e.g., COSMOS, EPOCH, InControl, Intermission or similar)
  • Strong programming and scripting skills (Python, FlightJAS, 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
  • Clear written and verbal communication skills


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, two-weeks per year encouraged
  • 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.


This role requires access to ITAR-controlled technical data. Applicants must be U.S. persons (U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, or otherwise eligible under ITAR). We are unable to sponsor visas for this position.

Salary : $90,000 - $180,000

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