Mission Planning Operations Engineer

CLC Space GmbH specialises in providing technical, engineering, scientific, and administrative services for the Space Industry. We are currently looking for an experienced Mission Planning Operations Engineer to join our team and deliver critical support to one of Europe’s leading satellite operators in Darmstadt.

Role Description

The Mission Planning Operations Engineer will be responsible for planning and scheduling satellite operations, troubleshooting system issues, ensuring smooth mission execution, and collaborating with clients to address their operational needs. You will contribute to the routine operations of the current satellite fleet as well as the development and operations preparation of next-generation missions, specifically supporting Sentinel-3 (S3), Sentinel-6 (S6), and MTG (Meteosat Third Generation).

Your Responsibilities:

• Manage and perform routine Mission Planning operations, including activity scheduling, database maintenance, support for recurrent launches, anomaly tracking & resolution, operational configuration updates, and process improvements.
• Develop and maintain operational documentation and provide training to personnel.
• Work closely with Flight Dynamics, Spacecraft Operations, Mission Control Systems, and Data Processing teams to capture and implement all Space and Ground segment needs into Mission Planning systems and processes.
• Contribute to the evolution of Mission Planning systems, software, and processes — from requirements definition through verification, validation, and acceptance.
• Liaise with the in-house software maintenance team and external contractors during system upgrades.
• Support the procurement and operations preparation of Mission Planning systems and tools for current and future missions (Sentinel-3, Sentinel-6, and Meteosat Third Generation).

Qualifications

• University degree (or equivalent) in engineering, physics, or a relevant scientific discipline.
• Some experience in Mission Planning or in a related subsystem for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and/or Geostationary (GEO) satellite missions, gained in operations and/or system development.
• Experience in mission planning system specification, development, procurement, and Assembly, Integration & Validation (AIV) activities (including test procedure generation, test campaign support, requirements tracking, verification and validation).
• Ability to work proactively in a clear, structured manner with minimal supervision within a small team.
• Excellent communication skills — ability to synthesise complex technical concepts into clear documents and verbal presentations.
• Full professional proficiency in English (working language); some knowledge of French is an advantage.

Advantageous Skills:

• Programming experience in C++, Java or similar (Linux and Windows environments).
• Experience producing and maintaining mission planning operational rules using a Business Rules Management System (e.g., JBoss Drools or ILOG Rules).
• Solid knowledge of Linux, relational databases (Oracle, MariaDB/MySQL), SQL, XML (including schema validation with tools like Oxygen/XMLSpy), and version control with Git/GitLab.
• Experience interfacing with international partner agencies and organisations