Earth Stations Operations Engineer at Astranis

<div class="content-intro"><p>Astranis builds advanced satellites for high orbits, expanding humanity’s reach into the solar system. Today, Astranis satellites provide dedicated, secure networks to highly-sophisticated customers across the globe— large enterprises, sovereign governments, and the US military. With five satellites on orbit and many more set to launch soon, the company is servicing a backlog of more than $1 billion of commercial contracts.<br><br>Astranis is the preferred satellite communications partner for buyers with stringent requirements for uptime, data security, network visibility, and customization. Astranis has raised over $750 million from some of the world’s best investors, from Andreessen Horowitz to Blackrock and Fidelity, and employs a team of 450 engineers and entrepreneurs. Astranis designs, builds, and operates its satellites out of its 153,000 sq. ft. headquarters in Northern California, USA.</p></div><h4><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Earth Station Engineer&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></h4> <p>As an Earth Station Operations Engineer, you will play a key role in the operation, monitoring,&nbsp;and maintenance of satellite earth stations and supporting infrastructure. Leveraging your&nbsp;technical expertise and operational experience, you will ensure reliable, safe, and compliant&nbsp;satellite communications. This includes supporting 24/7 global operations, diagnosing and&nbsp;resolving issues, and coordinating closely with internal teams, vendors, and external partners.&nbsp;</p> <p>If you enjoy cross-functional collaboration, solving complex problems, and operating in a fast-paced, mission-critical environment, this role is a strong fit.</p> <h4><strong>Role&nbsp;</strong></h4> <ul> <li>Provide end-to-end technical oversight and operational support for earth stations,&nbsp;including RF/IF chains, antenna systems, tracking, and environmental systems</li> <li>Monitor operations, perform station bring-ups, execute link activations, implement&nbsp;configuration changes, and drive performance optimization</li> <li>Troubleshoot and resolve anomalies; lead fault isolation across ground, mission, space,&nbsp;and network segments through resolution and closure</li> <li>Plan and execute preventive and corrective maintenance, including fieldwork, remote support, and vendor coordination</li> <li>Collaborate cross-functionally with satellite operations, engineering, IT, network, payload, software, and program teams across both nominal and anomaly conditions</li> <li>Develop and maintain SOPs, MOPs, contingency procedures, and operational&nbsp;documentation; ensure configuration control and system accuracy</li> <li>Build and maintain tools and dashboards for telemetry, trending, and system health&nbsp;monitoring</li> <li>Document incidents, root cause analyses, corrective actions, and lessons learned;&nbsp;communicate status, risks, and escalations to stakeholders</li> <li>Support testing, commissioning, and acceptance of new stations, upgrades, and system&nbsp;changes; participate in shift and on-call rotations</li> <li>Ensure compliance with regulatory, safety, and customer requirements while driving&nbsp;improvements in reliability, automation, efficiency, and scalability</li> </ul> <h4><strong>Requirements&nbsp;</strong></h4> <ul> <li>Bachelor’s degree in engineering (or related field), or 3+ years of relevant experience in&nbsp;earth station operations</li> <li>Experience with earth station systems, including antennas, link budgets, and RF&nbsp;front-/back-end equipment</li> <li>Hands-on experience with antenna operations, calibration, diagnostics, and monitoring</li> <li>Proficiency with RF test equipment (e.g., spectrum analyzers, signal generators) and RF&nbsp;troubleshooting</li> <li>Experience working in 24/7 or on-call environments; strong organizational skills,&nbsp;attention to detail, and sense of urgency</li> <li>Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to operate effectively in fast-paced environments</li> <li>Willingness to travel (~20%) and ability to obtain a security clearance</li> <li>Physically capable of fieldwork (lifting, climbing, standing, bending, etc.)</li> </ul> <h4><strong>Bonus</strong></h4> <ul> <li>Experience working in an Earth Station Operations Center</li> <li>Hands-on experience with ground systems (e.g., CPI, Kratos), including antenna control&nbsp;and tracking systems</li> <li>Working knowledge of networking (Ethernet, IP, TCP) and regulatory frameworks (FCC,&nbsp;ITU, local authorities)</li> <li>Experience with scripting or software tools for automation and monitoring</li> </ul><div class="content-pay-transparency"><div class="pay-input"><div class="description"><div><strong>What we offer:&nbsp;</strong></div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>All our positions offer a compensation package that includes equity and robust benefits.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div> <p data-path-to-node="3">Base pay is just one component of Astranis’s total rewards package. Your compensation also includes a significant equity package via incentive stock options, high-quality company-subsidized healthcare, disability and life insurance, 401(k) retirement planning, flexible PTO, and free on-site catered meals.</p> </div> <div>Astranis pay ranges are informed and defined through professional-grade salary surveys and compensation data sources. The actual base salary offered to a successful candidate will additionally be influenced by a variety of factors including experience, credentials &amp; certifications, educational attainment, skill level requirements, and the level and scope of the position.</div></div><div class="title">Base Salary</div><div class="pay-range"><span>$125,000</span><span class="divider">&mdash;</span><span>$160,000 USD</span></div></div></div><div class="content-conclusion"><div><strong>U.S. Citizenship, Lawful Permanent Residency, or Refugee/Asylee Status Required</strong></div> <div>(To comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the United States, or other protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3))</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>Our mission and our products are meant to connect the world and everyone in it, regardless of gender, race, creed, or any other distinction. We believe in a diverse and inclusive workplace, and we encourage all people to join our team and bring their unique perspective to help make us stronger.</div></div>