Senior Mission Operations Preparation Engineer

A pioneering space organisation in the UK is looking for a Senior Mission Operations Preparation Engineer to join their fast-growing team. This is an exceptional opportunity to play a critical role in designing and preparing operations for some of the most advanced missions tackling the issue of space debris and orbital sustainability. As a senior figure within the operations team, you’ll be shaping mission concepts, guiding development and testing, and ensuring that complex spacecraft operations are fully mission-ready. The ideal candidate will bring hands-on experience in spacecraft operations preparation, systems engineering, and testing, along with the vision to drive innovation in operational workflows and tools. (Relocation support & visa sponsorship can be provided if required) Key Responsibilities: - Develop mission operations concepts for individual satellites and multi-spacecraft fleets - Define and refine operational workflows and ingest operability requirements into technical specifications - Support execution of mission phases during peak activity - Influence fault detection, isolation and recovery (FDIR) design for improved observability and configurability - Guide flight software development for ECSS PUS and operability needs - Collaborate with system and subsystem engineers to ensure operational effectiveness is built into mission design - Support creation and validation of mission documentation (user manuals, procedures, databases, telemetry definitions) - Contribute to system validation testing and flight-segment level simulation campaigns - Support ground segment tool development (dashboards, trending tools, context management utilities, etc.) - Provide operational input to proposals and new mission bids  Essential Skills & Experience: - Degree in engineering, physics, or a related discipline - Several years of hands-on experience in real-time spacecraft operations and/or spacecraft operations preparation - Solid understanding of space standards (ECSS, CCSDS, ISO) - Familiarity with mission control systems such as SCOS-2000 - Experience with systems engineering processes, flight procedure development, and AIT/system testing - Proactive, self-managed approach with strong technical ownership  Desirable: - Familiarity with MOIS or other scripting-based operations preparation tools - Experience with real-time spacecraft operations (routine and critical) - Understanding of configuration management processes What’s on Offer: - Flexible working around core hours & optional 9/75 working pattern - Hybrid work model - 25 days annual leave (increasing with service) & 8 UK Bank Holidays - Private healthcare, life insurance & long-term sick pay - Relocation support and visa sponsorship - Modern office and cleanroom facilities - Friendly, inclusive, and international team with regular social events - Career-defining opportunity in a sector addressing one of space’s biggest challenges If you’re ready to help shape the future of sustainable space operations and want to play a key role in mission preparation for cutting-edge orbital missions, we’d love to hear from you.