Spacecraft Operator

Spacecraft Operator

Permanent • Full time • Hybrid (Lomazzo, Italy)

Engineering - Flight Operations

Are you ready to take your career to new heights? At D-Orbit, we're pioneering the future of space logistics and transportation. Established in 2011, our company is leading the way in helping businesses profitably and sustainably unlock the full potential of the final frontier. As a member of our team, you'll have the opportunity to work alongside a diverse group of highly skilled individuals, all driven by a shared passion for innovation and excellence. Join us in our global mission to push the boundaries of what's possible and take your ambition to new heights. Apply now and join us in shaping the future of space.

D-Orbit is looking for new colleagues to join our Flight Operations Team

As Spacecraft Operator, you will be tasked with commanding and controlling D-Orbit's Fleet of Carriers, Reconnaissance, and Servicing Vessels. From D-Orbit's mission control centre, you will conduct end-to-end mission operations, from launch to final deorbiting. Activities such as satellite tasking, telemetry dumping and post-processing, contingency and ground operations, failure detection and recovery, operations planning and scheduling, and flight dynamics will be part of the D-Orbit Flight Operations team's duties.

This role is also open to consideration for our office in Lisbon, Portugal.

Tasks

• Command and control the company's proprietary satellites and their payloads
• On-board anomaly identification and resolution
• Orbital and attitude maneuvers execution
• Flight and Ground Operations Procedures development and validation
• On-Board Control Procedures development and validation on the Engineering Model
• Flight Operations activities planning, scheduling and execution throughout the missions
• Interfacing with all subsystems and the software team to investigate and solve anomalies
• Interface with Flight Operations Segment developers to define user stories and requirements
• Support for ground systems and integration with the space segment
• Authoring of Technical documents

Qualifications and Requirements

• Knowledge of System Engineering, Orbital and Attitude Dynamics
• Experience of Spaceflight Operations and/or AIV processes
• Experience with scripting languages (Python)
• Experience with code versioning tools (Git)
• Knowledge of flight dynamics tools (Orekit, GMAT, etc.)
• Knowledge of Ground Segment architectures
• Availability to work outside normal office working hours
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Proactive attitude and ability to work in a team and individually
• Knowledge of spaceflight dynamics and manoeuvre planning
• Experience with Operations Procedures writing and testing is a strong plus
• Deep knowledge of AI/ML concepts and their application

Education

University degree (Master's degree or equivalent), preferably in Aerospace/Space Engineering

Language

Full professional proficiency in the English language is mandatory

Additional

Availability to work by shifts is necessary

Hiring Process

Here’s how our hiring process works—simple and straightforward:

• Application review: We go through all applications, but we'll only reach out to candidates who closely match what we're looking for.
• If you don’t hear from us, it means we’re not moving forward with your application at this time, but we may consider your profile for more aligned openings in the future!
• First chat: Selected candidates will have an informal meeting with us to get to know each other and talk through mutual expectations and goals.
• Technical interviews: Next, you’ll have one or two technical interviews, focused on your skills and how you approach challenges relevant to the role.
• Offer: If all goes well, we’ll send you an offer!

Sometimes this stage can take a bit of time, as we like to carefully consider each candidate and ensure a good team fit. If you have questions, reach out to us!

Extra-UE applicants: This is NOT a full remote job, so you need VISA to work in Italy. We can currently consider only applicants with an existing right to work in the country. Some activities must be carried out in our facilities, many others are location-independent, and they can be performed effectively even remotely. We don’t measure performance by hours in the office—only by outcomes. D-Orbit values diversity and inclusivity and strives to create an environment where everyone can bring their authentic selves to work.