Senior Mission Operations Engineer at Turion Space in Irvine, CA

The Senior Mission Operations Engineer will be responsible for leading the development, integration, and execution of mission operations across the spacecraft lifecycle. This role serves as a primary operational integrator between engineering, ground software, and flight teams, ensuring that operational constraints, procedures, risk mitigations, and readiness activities are thoroughly defined, validated, and aligned with mission objectives. It involves driving cross‑team coordination, supporting real‑time operations, shaping operational architecture, and elevating operator capability through mentorship and continuous improvement. Key Responsibilities - Provide senior‑level technical and operational expertise across all mission operations activities, serving as a subject‑matter expert during testing, rehearsals, anomalies, and on‑call operations. - Plan and coordinate cross‑team project and mission execution activities, ensuring alignment between operations, systems engineering, GNC, software, and ground teams. - Define, evaluate, document, and validate operational constraints across mission phases, drive updates when requirements, risks, or design changes dictate. - Lead development, improvement, and validation of operational procedures, flight rules, and operator workflows to ensure accurate, consistent, and reliable execution. - Conduct and contribute to mission risk assessments, supporting identification of hazards, proposing mitigations, and ensuring risks influence design and operational decisions. - Support tactical operational execution with minimal oversight, including command sequencing, real‑time decision‑making, and interface with cross‑disciplinary technical teams. - Maintain mission readiness by identifying prep risks early, coordinating closures, validating tools and processes, and ensuring teams are prepared for rehearsals and flight. - Drive closure of operational gaps such as constraint updates, procedure improvements, workflow issues, and readiness blockers. - Coordinate interfaces with adjacent teams, ensuring operational implications are captured in system interfaces, requirements, and mission planning products. - Contribute to operator training, certification processes, onboarding materials, and continuous improvement initiatives. - Mentor Mission Operations Engineers, providing guidance, technical development, and constructive feedback to elevate the broader operations team. Success in This Role Looks Like - Senior MOEs consistently understand their highest‑priority tasks and deliver high‑quality operational products on schedule. - Operational constraints are clearly defined, validated, well‑documented, and understood by both engineering and operations. - Risk assessments drive actionable mitigations that meaningfully influence design choices, mission planning, and operational decisions. - Procedures and flight rules are accurate, current, and easy for any certified operator to execute reliably. - Missions, rehearsals, and on‑call support run smoothly due to strong preparation, robust procedures, and proactive coordination. - Junior engineers receive meaningful mentorship and demonstrate clear growth in capability and confidence. - Adjacent teams view Senior MOEs as reliable, thoughtful technical partners who understand both spacecraft design needs and operational realities. - Operational readiness remains consistently high, with risks surfaced early and mitigated effectively. Minimum Qualifications: - 3+ years' experience in mission operations, spacecraft operations engineering, or related aerospace operations roles. - Deep understanding of mission operations concepts including constraints, procedures, ground systems, anomalies, and test‑to‑flight workflows. - Strong cross‑disciplinary communication skills with the ability to interface effectively between engineering and operations teams. - Demonstrated ability to work autonomously and solve complex technical and operational issues. - Experience leading operational activities, rehearsals, or real‑time operations. - Ability to obtain a TS/SCI clearance. Preferred Skills and Experience: - Experience across the full lifecycle of a space mission (design → integration → testing → rehearsals → commissioning → operations). - Bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering or related field, or equivalent work experience. - Hands‑on experience with mission operations systems, ground software, or operations simulation environments. - Experience contributing to or developing procedures, flight rules, or constraints. - Familiarity with mission risk frameworks (hazards, FMEA, fault trees) or readiness assessments. - Prior experience operating in GEO and or RPO/RPOD experience. - Scripting experience (Python, MATLAB) for operations automation, analysis, or workflow improvements. - Experience with mission planning, console operations, or operations process development. - Enthusiasm for working on small, fast‑paced teams in rapidly evolving mission environments. Senior Mission Operations Engineer: $140,000-$190,000 ITAR Requirements: This position may include access to technology and/or software source code that is subject to U.S. export controls. To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Benefits: We offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits package designed to support the well-being and professional growth of our employees. In addition to a competitive base salary and company stock, determined by factors such as job-related knowledge, education, skills, experience, and market demand, full-time employees are eligible for: - Equity: Receive equity in Turion Space, letting you benefit from the company's success - Health Insurance: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and their dependents. - Retirement Plans: Access to a 401(k) plan to help you plan for your future. - Paid Time Off: Generous vacation days, personal days, sick days, and holidays to ensure you have time to recharge. - Professional Development: Opportunities for ongoing training, workshops, and courses to advance your skills and career growth. - Team Building Activities: Regular social events, team outings, and company-sponsored activities to foster a positive work environment. We are dedicated to providing a supportive and enriching environment for our team members, recognizing that our collective success is built upon the well-being and satisfaction of each individual. Turion Space is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Turion Space is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.