Engineering Program Manager

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Engineering Program Manager

role at

Planet .

Welcome to Planet. We believe in using space to help life on Earth. Planet designs, builds, and operates the largest constellation of imaging satellites in history. This constellation delivers an unprecedented dataset of empirical information via a revolutionary cloud‑based platform to authoritative figures in commercial, environmental, and humanitarian sectors. We are both a space company and a data company all rolled into one.

Customers and users across the globe use Planet's data to develop new technologies, drive revenue, power research, and solve our world’s toughest obstacles.

As we control every component of hardware design, manufacturing, data processing, and software engineering, our office is a truly inspiring mix of experts from a variety of domains.

We have a people‑centric approach toward culture and community and we strive to iterate in a way that puts our team members first and prepares our company for growth. Join Planet and be a part of our mission to change the way people see the world.

Planet is a global company with employees working remotely worldwide and joining us from offices in San Francisco, Washington DC, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, and The Netherlands.

The Role

The Engineering Program Manager at Planet will be a fearless organizer and an excellent cross‑functional leader, working with multiple teams both inside Planet and with external partners. A successful candidate will help set strategy, actively drive hands‑on problem‑solving efforts, personally dive deep to eliminate technical and logistical roadblocks, and ruthlessly execute on aggressive schedules. You will be responsible for managing and communicating status and issues along the way.

This is a tactical, “in‑the‑weeds” role that demands broad technical strength, hands‑on experience in multiple areas of spacecraft design and manufacturing, and an obsession with meeting milestones.

This is a full‑time, in‑office position based in our San Francisco office five days a week.

Impact You Own

Lead satellite development programs from planning and requirements definition through critical design, build, test, and launch under tight, mission‑critical deadlines.

Ensure efficient execution of all program phases, including MCR, SRR, PDR, CDR, IRR, SRR, and LRR.

Develop and meticulously maintain project schedules and budgets, tracking performance daily and course‑correcting in real time.

Actively manage the execution of technical plans at all levels, both internally and with external suppliers, including project definition and budgeting.

Collaborate and coordinate with external stakeholders, including suppliers, partners, vendors, and customers, to manage deliverables, technical plans, and program milestones.

Be the first point of contact for technical fires; actively triage, prioritize, and drive issues to closure.

Work shoulder‑to‑shoulder with multiple engineering teams and cross‑functional stakeholders to drive productivity and progress on concurrent projects.

Aggressively manage program risks and develop mitigation plans to keep the program on its uncompromising timeline.

Drive root‑cause problem‑solving, identify, and eliminate blocking issues.

What You Bring

Bachelor’s degree in a technically relevant field : Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Aerospace.

6+ years of relevant experience in Engineering Program Management or Engineering Management.

A “roll‑up‑your‑sleeves” mentality; you are not afraid to live in the lab or on the factory floor to solve problems.

Experience managing concurrent, fast‑paced hardware projects with non‑negotiable deadlines.

A strong bias for action and enthusiasm, with proven creative and critical thinking capabilities.

Experience in an engineering project management role for the development of hardware systems in a cross‑functional, cross‑organizational context.

Experience working with and managing external partners, suppliers, vendors, and customers to drive program success.

Excellent written and verbal communication and facilitation skills, especially in high‑stakes technical trade‑off discussions.

Exceptional ability to stay organized and prioritize in a high‑pressure, ambiguous, and rapidly changing environment.

What Makes You Stand Out

Experience managing spacecraft hardware and software build and release cycles.

Experience with scaling systems on satellite manufacturing.

Experience applying agile hardware development practices and managing rapid prototype cycles.

Ability to work on assignments that require data evaluation, recommendation development, and decision‑making.

Excellent problem‑solving, organizational, and analytical skills.

Deep technical fluency in at least one spacecraft specialization (e.g., optics, operations, avionics, software) allowing you to engage credibly with engineers on complex trade‑offs.

A track record of successfully delivering complex hardware projects against all odds.

Application Deadline

March 10, 2026 at 11 : 59 pm PT

EAR / ITAR Requirements

This position requires access to export‑controlled information, and as such, employment (or hiring of a contractor) is contingent upon the candidate’s ability to access all applicable export‑controlled information without additional export licensing being required by the Bureau of Industry and Security and / or the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls.

Benefits While Working At Planet

Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision plans

Health Savings Account (HSA) with a company contribution

Generous Paid Time Off in addition to holidays and company‑wide days off

16 weeks of Paid Parental Leave

Wellness Program and Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Home Office Reimbursement

Monthly Phone and Internet Reimbursement

Tuition Reimbursement and access to LinkedIn Learning

Equity

Commuter Benefits (if local to an office)

Volunteering Paid Time Off

Compensation

The US base salary range for this full‑time position at the commencement of employment is

$162,600 – $203,200 USD

for San Francisco. This role might also be eligible for discretionary short‑term and long‑term incentives (bonus and equity). The final salary range is determined by job‑related experience, skills and location. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process.

Why We Care So Much About Belonging

We’re dedicated to helping the whole Planet, and to do that we must strive to represent all of it within each of our offices and on all of our teams. That’s why Planet is guided by an ultimate north star of belonging—dreaming big as we approach our ongoing work. If this job intrigues you, but you’re thinking you might not have all the qualifications, please… do apply! At Planet, we are looking for well‑rounded people from around the world who can contribute to more ways than just what is listed in this job description. We don’t just fill positions, we aspire to fulfill people’s careers, most excited about folks who are motivated by our underlying humanitarian efforts. We are a few orbits around the sun before we get to where we want to be, so we hope you’re excited to come along for the ride.

EEO Statement

Planet is committed to building a community where everyone belongs and we invite people from all backgrounds to apply. Planet is an equal‑opportunity employer, and is committed to providing employment opportunities regardless of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding, age, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other protected classification, in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Know Your Rights.

Accommodations

Planet is an inclusive community and we know that everyone has their own needs. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation during the hiring process, please reach out to accommodations@planet.com or contact your recruiter with your request. Your message will be confidential and we will be happy to assist you.

Privacy Policy

By clicking “Apply Now” at the top of this job posting, I acknowledge that I have read the Planet Data Privacy Notice for California Staff Members and Applicants, and hereby consent to the collection, processing, use, and storage of my personal information as described therein.

European Applicants Privacy Notice

By clicking “Apply Now” at the top of this job posting, I acknowledge that I have read the Candidate Privacy Notice GDPR Planet Labs Europe, and hereby consent to the collection, processing, use, and storage of my personal information as described therein.

AI in Our Interviewing Process

Planet is committed to providing an exceptional interview experience for all candidates. We are currently exploring AI interviewing technologies to better focus on candidates and less on trying to capture notes. With the candidate’s consent, select interviews may be recorded and include a Planet AI Notetaker for transcription and summarization purposes. Should an interview involve use of AI interview technologies, the candidate will receive notification and have the ability to opt out both in advance and / or real‑time. Opting out will not affect one’s candidacy.

Candidate AI Policy

Planet embraces Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, and we encourage its responsible use. We understand that candidates may use various resources, including AI tools, to

prepare

for interviews and assessments. However,

during any live interview stage or when actively completing assessments for this position, the use of AI tools—e.g. Large Language Models (LLMs), deep fake technology, etc.—is strictly prohibited unless explicitly prompted by an interviewer or assessment instructions . If you are unsure about acceptable use, please contact your recruiter for clarification. If an AI tool or similar technology is desired as an accommodation, please contact accommodations@planet.com with your request for assistance. Your message will be confidential, and we will be happy to assist you. Violation of this policy may result in disqualification of your application.

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