Tech Lead, System Validation

Welcome to Planet. We believe in using space to help life on Earth. Planet designs, builds, and operates the largest constellation of imaging satellites in history. This constellation delivers an unprecedented dataset of empirical information via a revolutionary cloud-based platform to authoritative figures in commercial, environmental, and humanitarian sectors. We are both a space company and data company all rolled into one. Customers and users across the globe use Planet's data to develop new technologies, drive revenue, power research, and solve our world’s toughest obstacles. As we control every component of hardware design, manufacturing, data processing, and software engineering, our office is a truly inspiring mix of experts from a variety of domains. We have a people-centric approach toward culture and community and we strive to iterate in a way that puts our team members first and prepares our company for growth. Join Planet and be a part of our mission to change the way people see the world. Planet is a global company with employees working remotely world wide and joining us from offices in San Francisco, Washington DC, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, and The Netherlands. About the Role: As the System Validation Tech Lead, you are a critical member of the Space Operations team, responsible for the utility and scaling of our multi-mission system validation (“Sysval”) testbeds. In this role, you will sit at the intersection of satellite operations and software engineering, driving the infrastructure that keeps our fleet performing reliably. You will own the end-to-end testbed buildup, maintenance, and tooling necessary to ensure it meets the rigorous needs of engineering. By identifying the largest impactors to testbed uptime, you will define the priorities and roadmap for testbed improvements and automation. You will establish resourcing needs and deliver through a network of mission- and discipline-specific POCs rather than through direct reports. Ultimately, your work directly ensures that new software and firmware updates are validated safely before reaching our active satellites in orbit. This is a full-time, in-office position based in our San Francisco office 5 days per week. Impact You'll Own: Defines and executes the roadmap for the buildout and maintenance of all systems validation testbeds Drives stakeholder engagement, prioritization of stakeholder feature requests, and resourcing needed to execute Designs and develops tooling to ensure testbed users can effectively test their software and firmware updates Manages testbed hardware and software configuration Maximizes uptime of the multi-mission testbed by triaging and resolving testbed anomalies with support of subject matter experts What You Bring: Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related technical field relevant discipline 4–6 years of relevant testbed or network engineering experience Experience with Bash, Python or other scripting or object-oriented languages Experience with Linux or UNIX servers, IP Networks , Docker 1 Excellent written and verbal communication and facilitation skills Excellent problem-solving, organizational, and analytical skills, with the ability to make data-driven decisions Demonstrating a customer-centric mindset Working independently with minimal supervision What Makes You Stand Out: Experience with scaling systems on satellite manufacturing and/or testing Experience in project management with a cross-functional team Experience in preparing training material or directly training team on new responsibilities Application Deadline: 11:45p / 23:45 PT on the date stated below. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. This posting may be removed earlier than projected if a suitable pool of applications has been received. For this reason, we recommend applying as soon as you are able to. EAR/ITAR Requirements: This position requires access to export-controlled information, and as such, employment (or hiring of a contractor) is contingent upon the candidate’s ability to access all applicable export-controlled information without additional export licensing being required by the Bureau of Industry and Security and/or the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls. Benefits While Working at Planet: These offerings are dependent on employment type and geographical location, based upon applicable law or company policy. 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 Compensation: The US base salary range for this full-time position at the commencement of employment is listed below. Additionally, this role might be eligible for discretionary short-term and long-term incentives (bonus and equity). The final salary range is determined by job related experience, skills and location. The range displays our typical hiring range for new hire salaries in US locations only. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process. San Francisco Salary Range $144,500—$180,600 USD San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. 2 Why we care so much about Belonging. We’re dedicated to helping the whole Planet, and to do that we must strive to represent all of it within each of our offices and on all of our teams. That’s why Planet is guided by an ultimate north star of Belonging—dreaming big as we approach our ongoing work. If this job intrigues you, but you’re thinking you might not have all the qualifications, please... do apply! At Planet, we are looking for well-rounded people from around the world who can contribute to more ways than just what is listed in this job description. We don’t just fill positions, we aspire to fulfill people’s careers, most excited about folks who are motivated by our underlying humanitarian efforts. We are a few orbits around the sun before we get to where we want to be, so we hope you’re excited to come along for the ride.