Staff Engineer, Communications
TrueMLFull Time
Expert & Leadership (9+ years)
Candidates must possess a minimum 4-year degree or equivalent technical certification in Computer Science, Information Technology, or other Natural Sciences, or a minimum of 6 years of experience in an equivalent role. A minimum of 4 years of experience in an IT environment managing a large or complex environment is required, along with 2+ years of programming experience in Bash, Python, Perl, Rust, Go, C/C++, or equivalents. Additionally, 4+ years of Linux or UNIX administration experience in a production environment and 4+ years working with BGP, IPSec, TCP, UDP, and IP protocols in a production environment are necessary. The role also requires a willingness to travel up to 25% of the time, the ability to foster a collaborative environment and mentor team members, the ability to work with little or no supervision, the ability to lift 50 pounds without assistance, a valid Passport for international travel, and a valid Driver's License. Experience with RF communication, satellite communication protocols, leading a team in a technical leadership capacity, and operations environments with on-call schedules are considered advantageous.
As a Senior Ground Station Engineer, you will be a subject matter expert for Ground Station Compute and Network Engineering, owning hardware selection and system design responsibilities. You will perform capacity planning and analysis to optimize the network for mission requirements. Additionally, you will oversee the global ground station IP network, compute and storage facilities, and 24/7 monitoring infrastructure. You will partner and collaborate with various teams at Planet, including Mission Operations and Spacecraft design, to ensure the Ground Station Network meets all mission needs. An essential element of this position requires the ability to climb, and lift/push/pull equipment up to 50 pounds.
High-resolution satellite imagery subscription service
Planet captures high-resolution satellite images of the Earth using a fleet of small satellites called Doves. These satellites provide near-daily, detailed imagery across eight different bands, allowing clients to monitor environmental changes, manage resources, plan urban developments, and respond to disasters. The company operates on a subscription-based model, giving clients access to a vast library of images and data analytics tools. This approach ensures consistent revenue as clients require ongoing updates. Planet differentiates itself by offering customized solutions and educational resources through Planet School, helping users effectively utilize their platform. The goal of Planet is to be a leader in the geospatial intelligence market, providing valuable insights through frequent and detailed Earth observation.