Senior Mission Operations Engineer

Space is the infrastructure layer for humanity’s next industrial revolution. While reusable rockets have opened the door, true economic transformation requires orbital logistics that are as accessible and reliable as commercial aviation. At Lux Aeterna, we’re building that future by developing the first fully reusable satellite platform built for reliable reentry, recovery, and rapid redeployment, transforming space from a one-way street into a two-way highway for innovation and commerce.

We are seeking an exceptional Senior Mission Operations Engineer to take end-to-end ownership of Lux Aeterna’s Delphi-1 spacecraft, running it on orbit and bringing it home. This role spans mission operations leadership through commissioning, on-orbit, deorbit, reentry, and recovery.

You will be a critical member of the Mission Operations team: building the concept of operations, running rehearsals, and ultimately commanding the vehicle in flight.

This is the seat for someone who wants real ownership early and who wants to grow into the person responsible for our missions in flight.

This is a unique opportunity to:

• Own mission operations for a fully reusable spacecraft: on-orbit, reentry, recovery, and refurbishment hand-off
• Build Lux Aeterna’s mission operations function from zero: CONOPs, procedures, flight rules, and the team that flies the vehicle
• Serve as Mission Manager / Flight Director on console for first-of-kind reusable-satellite flights
• Work directly with the founders and technical leadership to shape how Lux Aeterna executes and flies missions
• Grow into the mission operations leader for the Delphi platform and follow-on programs

• Pioneering Technology: We’re developing the first reusable satellite platform with controlled return capability, fundamentally transforming space from a one-way journey to a two-way highway
• Real Impact: Your work will enable new industries in space manufacturing, research, and logistics while pioneering sustainable space infrastructure
• Speed & Autonomy: We maintain parallel hardware development streams and empower engineers to innovate rapidly while upholding rigorous aerospace standards
• World-Class Team: Work alongside experts from leading aerospace companies and research institutions, building technology that will reshape humanity’s access to space

• Author the Concept of Operations, console procedures, flight rules, anomaly playbooks, and mission timeline — partnering with GNC, FSW, GSW, and Avionics
• Stand up the Mission Operations Center, lead rehearsals, and drive the Flight Readiness and Mission Readiness Reviews
• Hire, train, and certify the mission operations team (internal or external): console operators, flight directors, payload operators. Define the on-call rotation that supports flight
• Serve as Mission Manager / Flight Director from pre-launch through on-orbit and own the call to proceed, hold, or abort, and run real-time coordination with KSAT, SpaceX, the range, customers, and recovery partners
• Lead the post-flight debrief; feed lessons learned into Delphi block upgrades and follow-on missions

• BS in Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical, Systems Engineering, or equivalent technical field (or equivalent practical experience)
• 5+ years in aerospace, including 2+ years as a Lead/Senior Mission Operations Engineer, or equivalent role in other high-stakes hardware programs
• Direct experience in a mission operations, flight test, or launch environment including console time, procedure authorship, or flight-director-style real-time decision making in aerospace programs.
• Hands-on with ground-segment / MCC tooling like commanding, telemetry, mission planning, pass scheduling including KSAT or equivalent…