Space Surveillance Technical Lead

We are looking for a Space Surveillance Technical Lead who thrives at the intersection of technology, people leadership, and customer success. In this hybrid technical + management role, you will lead a small engineering team, manage key customer projects, and contribute directly to the development of advanced space systems across flight dynamics, SSA/SST, and mission operations.

You'll act as both a hands-on engineer and a strategic project leader, guiding software development, steering technical discussions with satellite operators, and ensuring customer satisfaction across commercial and institutional missions.

This is a high-impact role with broad ownership. You'll contribute to technical delivery, customer success, and strategic initiatives, including proposals and projects for space sustainability, SSA/SST, and mission operations.

Your tasks and responsibilities

Technical Leadership (50%)

• Lead the design, development, and operation of space systems, including:

• Orbit determination and propagation
• Maneuver planning and trajectory optimization
• SSA/SST processing, catalog maintenance, and sensor data integration

• Architect, implement, and review production-grade software using:

• Python, Java, FORTRAN
• Orekit, or similar orbit mechanics libraries

• Conduct verification and validation (V&V) with real mission datasets.

Project & Team Leadership (50%)

• Lead a high-performing engineering team (2-6 people), including mentoring, coordinating workloads, and guiding technical decisions.
• Drive end-to-end project delivery, ensuring technical quality, timelines, and customer success.
• Work directly with satellite operators and institutional partners to:

• Capture and refine mission requirements
• Lead high-level technical discussions
• Translate operational needs into actionable system features

• Serve as the primary technical point of contact for key accounts, building long-term customer relationships.
• Coordinate cross-functional efforts for proposals, strategic initiatives, and roadmap development., * With a lean hierarchy and small working groups, you define your own way of work including flexible work hours.
• Work on groundbreaking space sustainability challenges with a team of top-tier engineers and scientists.
• Enjoy technical freedom. Influence system architecture, research methodologies, and data integration approaches.
• Grow continuously with access to training budgets, industry conferences, and networking opportunities.
• Be part of a strong engineering culture, with regular knowledge-sharing sessions, technical deep dives, and innovation sprints.
• Great team spirit, with company-wide events such as monthly all-hands lunches, and social activities like laser tag, dinners, and team-building outings.

Do you have experience in Software development?, Do you have a Master's degree?, M.Sc. or higher in Aerospace/Space Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, or another relevant technical field.

• Approx. 5 years of experience in the space engineering domain, including proven experience in coordinating or leading technical projects in the space domain (flight dynamics, SSA/SST, mission operations, or ground segment software).
• Proven ability to drive full lifecycle software development:

• Requirements analysis and refinement
• Architecture definition
• System and algorithm design
• Implementation planning
• Testing, integration, V&V
• Deployment and operational follow-up

• Strong background in technical project management, including:

• Prioritization and backlog management
• Cross-team coordination (engineering, product, operations)
• Tracking deliverables, risks, and milestones
• Efficient communication with technical and non-technical stakeholders

• Hands-on experience with software engineering in Python, Fortran, Java, or similar, and familiarity with modern development practices (CI/CD, testing, DevOps workflows).
• Ability to work directly with customers to:

• Lead technical discussions
• Clarify mission requirements
• Ensure delivery quality and operational readiness

• Experience providing guidance to small engineering teams, including mentoring and task coordination.
• Professional experience in international, distributed teams and valid EU work authorization.

Nice-to-have:

• Knowledge of cloud-native architectures and deployment frameworks (Docker, Kubernetes, AWS/Azure/GCP).
• Familiarity with:

• Orbit determination libraries (Orekit, GMAT, or similar)
• SSA/SST processing pipelines
• Sensor fusion workflows or catalog maintenance

• Experience in proposal writing, project scoping, or supporting business development efforts with technical input.
• Background collaborating with space agencies (ESA, DLR, etc.) or institutional missions.
• Awareness of ground segment operations, automated mission planning, or mission control workflows.

OKAPI:Orbits is at the forefront of space sustainability, addressing some of the most pressing challenges of the space industry: the growing problem of crowded orbital regimes, and the need for more efficient satellite operations. We're providing end-to-end solutions that help various space industry players cover their Space Situation Awareness (SSA), and Space Traffic Management and Coordination (STM & STC) needs. We are committed to safeguarding space missions and access to space for all humanity. Join us on our mission. Last but not least, we would like to share with you that research shows that women are less likely to apply for a position unless they meet 100% of the listed requirements. Please know that if it's your case - but you are passionate about space technology, building reliable software, and contributing to a more sustainable space environment - we strongly encourage you to apply. OKAPI:Orbits already brings together a highly diverse team, and we actively continue to strengthen this diversity which allows us to achieve higher performance and drive innovation.     If you require alternative methods of application or screening, you must approach the employer directly to request this as Indeed is not responsible for the employer's application process.