Mission Manager

About Ephemeris Net

We are extending the internet to space. Ephemeris Net is a pre‑seed space networking company on a mission to provide space connectivity for all through collaborative engineering of commercial space networking solutions. We are creating the infrastructure that will enable the space internet beyond bent pipe—starting with foundational networking infrastructure that will define how data moves through space.

We are supported by our parent incubator SOE, preparing to launch our first payload that will demonstrate a space‑based router in Q1 2027. While our work will be incremental, we believe that now is the chance to build foundational infrastructure for how the internet will work in space within the next 5 years.

We are looking for a Mission Manager to own program execution at Ephemeris Net. Our programs serve both internal objectives and external customers under contract. You will be responsible for ensuring every program delivers on time, on budget, and in full compliance with customer and partner commitments while also staying aligned with our company’s north star.

As the mission manager, you are the connective tissue between all internal teams and the mission’s customers. You will maintain the mission schedule, source launch rides, track supplier deliverables, and proactively identify and resolve risks before they become blockers. In many ways, you are the heartbeat of the launch cycle, and therefore the company. You need the technical depth to understand the systems and to hold meaningful conversations with engineers, partners, and customers.

Most importantly you need to be able to communicate with and coordinate a diverse stakeholder set.

As the mission manager, you will gather input broadly from those with relevant expertise, but the final call on mission decisions and accountability rests with you.

This role will report to the CTO and founder, Nicolas Brown.

• Serve as the primary programmatic interface between customers, partners, and internal product stakeholders
• Translate customer needs into internal objectives and hold the engineering team accountable to delivering against them
• Run customer reviews, technical interchange meetings, and status updates
• Plan and execute customer site visits, demonstrations, and technical exchanges

• Own and maintain the mission schedule across all active programs
• Manage contract milestones, payment schedules, and supplier deliverables. Identify risks early and drive resolution before they become blockers
• Coordinate interface control documentation between Ephemeris systems and supplier hardware
• Define and verify programmatic prerequisites for mission milestones (PDR, CDR, FRR); coordinate qualification and test schedules
• Source and secure launch rides: manage rideshare procurement, launch service agreements, and integration schedules
• Drive launch campaign planning and execution
• Ensure all customer and regulatory documentation is complete and approved

• Build program management at Ephemeris Net from scratch. We are a written culture: decisions, rationale, and status get documented. You’ll create the frameworks we run on.
• Document lessons learned and establish playbooks for future missions

• Bachelor’s degree in a technical or organization field (or equivalent experience)
• 4+ years of program or mission management experience in the space industry
• Direct experience as a mission manager or equivalent role on at least one space mission that reached launch
• Strong technical understanding of spacecraft systems, launch vehicles, or space networking/communications hardware
• Ability to obtain and maintain a US security clearance

• Direct experience managing supplier relationships and deliverables
• Mission scheduling experience
• Active security clearance

• Salary: $190,000 – $250,000, based on experience
• Generous equity package (early hire equity)
• Comprehensive health care coverage
• Unlimited PTO (we expect you to take at least 4 weeks per year, and leadership…