Senior Flight Operations Engineer

Senior Flight Operations Engineer

The Exploration Company

Bordeaux, France

Key Responsibilities

• Develop concept of operations for all flight phases (launch, rendezvous and proximity operations, docked operations, undock and departure, deorbit, entry, descent and landing, as well as recovery).
• Develop real-time operational products such as ground/crew procedures as well as flight rules in coordination with subsystem owners and external partners.
• Support pre-flight mission planning as the operations lead, ensuring all the operational constraints, timelines, and procedures are defined and integrated into the mission plan.
• Support operations coordination with our technical and programmatic partners (ESA, NASA, and CNES, etc.).
• Develop operational training curriculum and simulation scenarios as well as the flight controller certification process.
• Train for and operate Nyx missions as a flight controller/director (real-time on-console shift work).

What we would love to see from you

The ideal candidate will have:

• Master’s degree in an engineering or science discipline.
• Technical knowledge of spacecraft systems and operations (e.g., communications, orbital mechanics, avionics, propulsion, thermal control, life support systems).
• Real time operations experience on a system that requires risk management and has high consequences in the event of failure (aircraft pilot, flight test engineer, search and rescue, etc.). Experience at a non-professional level is also considered relevant (mountaineering expeditions, offshore sailing, etc.).
• Previous experience in one or more of the following fields:
  • Avionics and software systems.
  • Fluid systems and fluid dynamics.
  • Communication systems.
  • Orbit and attitude dynamics.
• Strong written and verbal communication of technical information.
• Able to effectively manage projects and tasks while meeting aggressive deadlines.
• Thrives under pressure and is resilient in the face of technical challenges.
• Excellent organizational and interpersonal skills.

Bonus qualifications:

• 2+ years of experience in engineering test, integration, or flight operations (industry internships and project teams qualify).
• Hands-on software development experience (e.g., Python, C++, Java, MATLAB).
• Previous experience in a customer-facing role working through design requirements, test acceptance, and verification (especially with a government customer such as ESA/NASA).
• Previous experience working with interdisciplinary teams to solve complex problems.