Director of Mission Management & Systems Engineering

Mission Management & Technical Leadership

• Overall program/project management for satellite and aerial remote sensing systems from concept through operations, ensuring alignment with Carbon Mapper's mission and stakeholder requirements.
• Lead cross-functional systems engineering efforts including requirements definition synthesis, architecture development, interface control, risk management, verification and validation, and configuration management.
• Guide trade studies, cost and schedule analyses, and program reviews to optimize technical performance, mission success, and cost-effectiveness.
• Support negotiations and technical coordination with key external partners and vendors.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Carbon Mapper leadership to integrate remote sensing systems capabilities with Science, Product & Engineering, and Impact teams.
• Serve as the organization's subject matter expert for satellite and aerial systems engineering.

Mentorship & Knowledge Development

• Mentor and train staff in program/project management and systems engineering best practices.
• Build organizational capacity for technical program/project execution and risk-informed decision making.

Proposal & Mission Formulation

• Contribute to early-stage mission concept development and proposal efforts, including technical writing and planning.
• Partner with the CEO and the Director of Development to secure new programmatic opportunities and funding.

This role drives technical program/project execution across partnerships and initiatives as well as developing and integrating next-generation remote sensing technology to advance Carbon Mapper's mission of detecting and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions.

Must-Have Skills & Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in aerospace, electrical, mechanical, or computer engineering; physics; or applied mathematics.
• 15+ years of experience in project management and systems engineering working with partner organizations to implement satellite systems.
• 10+ years of direct management experience leading multi-disciplinary teams, with proven ability to oversee complex aerospace projects, manage contractors and vendors, and coordinate across engineering, science, data system, and mission operations teams.
• 5+ years of direct experience working with Earth observing systems, including space and ground segment design, development, integration, test/verification, and mission operations.
• Demonstrated expertise in risk management, requirements synthesis and interface control, verification and validation, configuration management, and budget and schedule management.

Nice-to-Have Skills:

• Master's or PhD in a relevant engineering or scientific field.
• 10+ years experience with satellite and aerial imaging and/or spectroscopy, including calibration, validation, field campaigns, data analysis, and error budgets.
• Experience with mission formulation and proposal development, including securing successful awards.
• Experience working with smaller start-up programs and 'agile aerospace'.

The total compensation for this opportunity includes a base salary range of $185,000 - 220,000/year. As a Carbon Mapper employee, you will have access to a wide range of benefits including affordable health coverage (medical, dental, vision), a generous time-off policy, professional development, and more.

Carbon Mapper is a non-profit organization based in Pasadena, CA with the mission to drive greenhouse gas emission reductions by making methane and carbon dioxide data accessible and actionable. We leverage remote sensing technology to detect, pinpoint, and quantify methane and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions at the scale of individual facilities.