Systems Engineer, Spacecraft Operations

Anduril Industries

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Quick summary

Work type
On-site
Location
Colorado Springs, COCosta Mesa, CA
Salary
$126,000–$167,000 / yr
Posted
8 days ago
Freshness
Confirmed live today

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Salary context

Competitive pay

How this pay compares to similar roles

Similar $162k
This role $146k
$118k most similar roles pay here $201k

This role pays less than 65% of similar roles. Most pay $132,000–$193,000 — the shaded band above. At the midpoint, this role pays about $146k versus about $162k for comparable roles.

Based on 240 similar postings.

Employer

About Anduril Industries

Anduril Industries is a defense technology company that builds advanced hardware and software systems for national security, including autonomous drones, surveillance systems, and the Lattice AI command platform.

Anduril Industries currently has 919 open roles on FindRole.

Listed pay typically runs $166,000–$220,000 across 889 roles with salary data.

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At a glance

TL;DR · Systems Engineer, Spacecraft Operations

Systems Engineer, Spacecraft Operations (RPO) joins the Space team to manage how spacecraft plan, rehearse, and fly in close proximity to other objects. This role involves designing mission plans including relative motion, delta-V budgets, and safety protocols while authoring flight rules for go/no-go gates and abort criteria. The engineer will drive pre-launch campaigns by running day-in-the-life simulations, validating procedures on flatsats and hardware-in-the-loop testbeds, and feeding operational constraints back into GNC, flight software, and ground systems. Key responsibilities include triaging anomalies, training mission crews, and ensuring regulatory compliance for proximity operations. The role requires expertise in orbit determination, maneuver reconstruction, and conjunction assessment. Preferred technical skills include Python, Linux, MATLAB, Simulink, and tools like STK/Astrogator to solve complex problems within the domain of space domain awareness and orbital maneuvers.

What does a Systems Engineer earn in California?

Median $187850 from 91 postings across 18 companies.

See salary data

What you'll do

  • Design RPO mission plans including relative motion, approach sequencing, delta-V budgets, and communication timelines.
  • Build passive safety into every approach to prevent collision trajectories during off-nominal states.
  • Author flight rules and procedures for close approaches, including keep-out volumes and go/no-go gates.
  • Manage mission operations plans across all phases, including LEOP, commissioning, and on-orbit checkout.
  • Execute pre-launch campaigns by running day-in-the-life simulations and translating findings into design changes.
  • Validate procedures and command sequences on flatsats and hardware-in-the-loop testbeds before flight.
  • Feed operational constraints back into GNC, flight software, ground software, and communication designs.
  • Triage anomalies and root cause failures under time pressure while training mission crews on RPO execution.

What we're looking for

  • Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Top Secret security clearance.
  • Strong engineering background in fields such as Aerospace Engineering, Astrodynamics, or Computer Science.
  • 4+ years of professional experience in spacecraft operations, mission planning, or flight dynamics.
  • Direct RPO experience on a flown or near-flight mission involving relative orbit design, trajectory planning, or maneuver execution.
  • Experience leading spacecraft through pre-launch operational readiness including AI&T support and mission rehearsals.
  • Ability to solve complex technical problems with little oversight while communicating clearly in writing.
  • Experience in on-orbit servicing, inspection, docking, refueling, or autonomous relative navigation (preferred).
  • Proficiency with tools such as STK/Astrogator, ODTK, MATLAB, Simulink, Python, or Linux systems (preferred).

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