Satellite Operations Center Director

Job description

**This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Satellite Operations Center Director based in the United States.** We are seeking a skilled Satellite Operations Center Director to lead the daily operations of a mission-critical satellite operations center supporting complex space missions. In this leadership role, you will oversee operational scheduling, mission execution, staffing, operator training, and certification across multiple missions and spacecraft. You will ensure continuous operational readiness, reliable ground infrastructure performance, and effective coordination between technical teams and mission partners. The role combines hands-on satellite operations expertise with people leadership, operational planning, and a strong commitment to safety and process excellence. You will establish robust procedures, manage operational incidents, and drive continuous improvements to strengthen mission reliability and efficiency. Working in a fast-paced, high-responsibility environment, you will help shape operational culture and develop the systems and capabilities needed for mission success. This opportunity is ideal for an experienced operations leader who thrives under pressure and holds an active TS/SCI security clearance. ### Accountabilities - Direct daily satellite operations center activities, ensuring safe, reliable, and efficient execution of mission requirements. - Manage shift schedules, staffing plans, operator assignments, and workload distribution across multiple missions, payloads, and spacecraft. - Establish, implement, and maintain standard operating procedures, operational checklists, escalation protocols, and response processes. - Serve as the primary operational authority during routine activities and off-nominal events, making timely decisions to protect mission objectives and operational continuity. - Oversee mission scheduling, satellite pass planning, payload tasking coordination, and allocation of operational resources. - Coordinate with systems engineering teams, payload specialists, mission controllers, and external partners to align operational plans with mission priorities. - Ensure operational readiness for new satellites, payloads, mission phases, and changes to existing operational requirements. - Develop and manage operator training programs, certification standards, qualification requirements, and recurring proficiency assessments. - Lead simulation exercises, operational rehearsals, and readiness reviews to ensure personnel can respond effectively to routine and contingency scenarios. - Maintain accurate training documentation, certification records, operational procedures, and audit-ready records. - Oversee the operation and maintenance of ground infrastructure, including antenna farms, radio frequency (RF) chains, networking equipment, power systems, and monitoring platforms. - Coordinate preventive maintenance, calibration, system upgrades, and anomaly resolution with RF engineers, technicians, vendors, and other technical stakeholders. - Monitor operational performance, establish key metrics, prepare reports, and implement continuous improvement initiatives. - Lead incident response, root-cause investigations, and corrective actions to prevent recurrence and strengthen operational resilience. - Ensure compliance with applicable safety, security, and regulatory requirements. - Support operational audits, mission readiness assessments, and reviews to maintain high standards of reliability and accountability. ## Requirements - Bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent experience managing or operating a mission-critical operations center. - Demonstrated experience in satellite operations, spacecraft mission operations, or satellite ground systems environments. - Previous experience leading or supervising technical teams, with the ability to establish clear expectations and promote accountability. - Experience managing shift-based operations, on-call rotations, or 24/7 operational teams. - Strong understanding of mission planning, scheduling, execution workflows, and operational resource coordination. - Familiarity with operator training programs, certification frameworks, qualification tracking, and readiness metrics. - Active Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) security clearance required. - Strong leadership, communication, organizational, and decision-making skills, particularly in time-sensitive or high-pressure situations. - Ability to establish and enforce operational procedures while balancing mission requirements, personnel readiness, and infrastructure availability. - Experience coordinating across engineering, operations, technical support, and external stakeholder groups. - Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities, including incident management, root-cause analysis, and corrective action implementation. - Excellent attention to detail and a disciplined approach to safety, security, documentation, and regulatory compliance. - Experience operating spacecraft constellations or managing multi-mission operations centers is preferred. - Background in antenna farm operations, RF ground infrastructure, or network operations centers (NOCs) is an advantage. - Experience establishing or scaling an operations center from initial operations to steady-state execution is desirable. - Previous experience supporting government or commercial mission partners is preferred. - Ability to work in a demanding operational environment where mission continuity, readiness, and reliability are critical. ## Benefits - Competitive compensation: Salary and benefits aligned with the role's responsibilities and experience. - Mission-critical leadership: Direct influence over satellite operations, mission execution, and overall operational success. - Operational ownership: Opportunity to shape procedures, workflows, staffing models, and operational standards. - Training and development: Opportunity to establish and improve operator training, certification, and mission-readiness programs. - Technical collaboration: Work alongside experienced satellite operations professionals, engineers, technicians, and mission partners. - Professional growth: Build leadership experience across satellite operations, ground infrastructure, and complex mission environments. - High-impact work: Contribute to reliable and secure satellite operations in a technically challenging, fast-paced environment. - Competitive benefits package: Access to benefits offered for the position, with specific details provided during the hiring process.