Launch Operations Engineer

About the role

You will join the launch operations team of a space company responsible for getting the vehicle off the pad safely. The team owns launch site integration, countdown operations, and range coordination from vehicle arrival through liftoff. This role matters because launch is the most visible and least forgiving phase of any space program: your procedures, checkouts, and go/no-go judgment determine whether years of engineering end in orbit or in a mishap investigation. You will thrive in the disciplined intensity of launch campaigns, where procedures are law, checklists are sacred, and the team's calm professionalism under pressure makes the impossible routine. Your preparation will be exhaustive: every contingency rehearsed, every console position trained, every range interface verified long before countdown begins. You will build deep familiarity with ground systems, knowing their failure modes and workarounds the way a pilot knows an aircraft. Between campaigns your focus shifts to relentless improvement, turning every lesson from the last launch into a procedure update, a training scenario, or a hardware fix for the next one.

What you will achieve

• Deliver launch campaigns executed on schedule with countdown procedures validated through rehearsals and zero procedural escapes
• Cut launch scrubs caused by ground systems by 30 percent through preventive maintenance and pre-launch checkout discipline
• Own vehicle-to-ground interfaces at the pad: umbilicals, GSE, propellant loading, and communications checkouts
• Drive range safety compliance: flight termination system testing, hazard analyses, and range documentation approved ahead of each campaign
• Ship post-flight data reviews with anomalies dispositioned and corrective actions tracked into the next vehicle
• Improve launch availability by implementing predictive maintenance on ground support equipment based on trend analysis of checkout data

What you will bring

Must-haves

• 2 to 5 years of experience in launch operations, test operations, or high-reliability field engineering roles
• Strong understanding of launch vehicle systems: propulsion, avionics, structures, and ground interfaces
• Experience with hazardous operations: propellants, high pressure, ordnance, and associated safety protocols
• Ability to write and execute detailed procedures under time pressure with zero tolerance for deviation
• Working knowledge of range safety requirements: AFSPCMAN 91-710, flight termination, and public safety criteria
• Familiarity with telemetry systems and real-time data monitoring during operations
• Calm, decisive judgment in countdown environments with clear go/no-go communication

Nice-to-haves

• Experience with reusable vehicle recovery and refurbishment operations
• Knowledge of launch licensing: FAA Part 450 compliance
• Exposure to multiple launch sites and range-specific processes
• Background in mission control or console operations
• Experience with automated countdown sequencing and fault response systems