Senior Space Mission Operations Engineer

One team. Global challenges. Infinite opportunities. At Viasat, we’re on a mission to deliver connections with the capacity to change the world. For more than 35 years, Viasat has helped shape how consumers, businesses, governments and militaries around the globe communicate. We’re looking for people who think big, act fearlessly, and create an inclusive environment that drives positive impact to join our team.

As a Senior Space Mission Operations Engineer, you will bridge the gap between spacecraft design and mission execution. You bring deep expertise in spacecraft operations, systems engineering, and mission architecture, and are motivated by solving complex operational challenges across both space and ground systems.

The Space Mission Operations & Engineering team will serve as the authority for mission CONOPS development, transforming mission objectives into operational architectures, system requirements, and flight software constraints. The team will lead end-to-end operational design and readiness activities, ensuring seamless integration of mission operations concepts from initial mission planning through spacecraft commissioning and routine on-orbit operations.

In this role, you will act as the primary technical authority for spacecraft operations, owning mission execution strategies while collaborating closely with spacecraft subsystems, flight software, satellite operations, and ground systems teams.

You will be responsible for leading and directly contributing to the technical execution of mission concepts and operations. In this role, you will:

• Lead development of end-to-end spacecraft CONOPS, including mission timelines, operational scenarios, and contingency strategies across all mission phases (launch, commissioning, nominal operations, and end-of-life)
• Own spacecraft operational strategy, including commanding approaches, telemetry monitoring, signatures & constraints, turn-on procedures, fleet automation strategies, and fault detection, isolation, & anomaly response
• Translate mission objectives and stakeholder constraints into actionable system and subsystem-level requirements
• Lead cross-functional coordination between spacecraft subsystems (GNC, propulsion, EPS, thermal, communications), flight software, satellite operations, and ground systems teams as well as senior leadership/executives
• Lead the architecture and development of mission operations automation, command products, and operational workflows, that enable efficient multi-mission execution, reduce operational risk, and support rapid anomaly detection, diagnosis, and recovery across the spacecraft lifecycle
• Oversee Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) and Software-in-the-Loop (SIL) testing to validate CONOPS, flight software updates, and operational procedures
• Plan, develop, and execute a repeatable in-orbit test (IOT) playbook to validate performance, functionality, and mission readiness. Analyze test results, identify and resolve anomalies, and produce comprehensive technical reports documenting findings, recommendations, and operational impacts.
• Author and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs), state of health (SOH) procedures, and contingency plans for mission operations
• Maintain daily trending of spacecraft state of health post-handover to predict future failures or out-of-limit conditions
• Lead mission simulations and rehearsals to ensure operational readiness and risk mitigation
• Present technical content and lead discussions at major program milestones (SRR, PDR, CDR)
• Serve as the primary technical authority during on-orbit operations and anomaly scenarios 24/7 for the life of the vehicle
• Mentor and train engineering and operations teams, ensuring they remain confident, prepared, and aligned during mission-critical events

• Experience spanning spacecraft development, integration & test, launch preparation, commissioning, and on-orbit operations
• Proven experience developing spacecraft CONOPS and supporting mission operations for LEO or similar missions
• Strong understanding of spacecraft subsystems (EPS, ADCS, thermal, communications, payload) and their operational interactions
• Demonstrated ability to translate mission objectives into operational concepts, requirements, and executable procedures
• Experience leading cross-functional engineering efforts across spacecraft, software, and ground teams
• Proficiency in scripting or data analysis tools such as Python or MATLAB
• Strong communication skills with…