About the Role:The Engineering Program Manager (EPM) at Planet will be a fearless organizer and an excellent cross-functional leader, working with multiple teams inside Planet, and with our external customers and manufacturing partners. A successful candidate will help set strategy, drive problem-solving efforts, eliminate roadblocks, execute on schedule, and be responsible for managing and communicating status and issues along the way. The position demands broad technical strength and experience in multiple areas of spacecraft design and manufacturing.
This is a full-time, hybrid role which will require you to work from our San Francisco office 3 days per week. Travel to Europe is also expected.
Impact You'll Own:- Lead satellite development programs from planning and requirements definition through critical design, build, test, and launch.
- Ensure efficient execution of all program phases, including MCR, SRR, PDR, CDR, IRR, SRR, and LRR.
- Develop project schedules and budgets and track performance across all project phases.
- Oversee execution of technical plans at all levels, both internally and with external suppliers, including project definition, budgeting, and long-term strategic planning.
- Collaborate and coordinate with external stakeholders, including suppliers, partners, vendors, and customers, to manage deliverables, technical plans, and program milestones.
- Coordinate schedules, priorities, and status updates with engineering, manufacturing, teams, stakeholders, and management.
- Work directly with multiple engineering teams and cross-functional stakeholders to drive productivity and progress on concurrent projects.
- Develop tools and processes to measure and improve engineering productivity.
- Drive root cause problem-solving, identify, and eliminate blocking issues.
- Work directly with Program Management, Manufacturing Operations, Supply Chain, Compliance, Facilities teams to drive progress on concurrent manufacturing lines and initiatives
- Lead manufacturing ramp programs from early factory engagement and readiness through key build phases into production.
- Drive root cause analysis for complex engineering and manufacturing issues, identify and eliminate blocking problems, and implement robust corrective actions.
What You Bring:- A BA/BS degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related technical field.
- 6+ years of relevant experience of program management in aerospace, manufacturing or similar industry.
- Excellent written and verbal communication and facilitation skills, including externally to customers.
- Experience in an engineering program management role for the development and ramp of hardware systems in a cross-functional context.
- Ability to be self-motivated and enthusiastic with creative and critical thinking capabilities.
- Experience working with and managing external contract manufacturers (CMs), suppliers, and vendors to drive program success.
- Excellent written and verbal communication and facilitation skills, with the ability to present complex technical information clearly to diverse audiences.
- Ability to travel internationally, specifically to Europe.
What Makes You Stand Out:- Experience with scaling systems on satellite manufacturing
- Experience successfully delivering hardware products through the entire New Product Introduction (NPI) lifecycle.
- Excellent problem-solving, organizational, and analytical skills, with the ability to drive strategy based on data.
- Professional fluency in Swedish or German.
Application Deadline:April 10, 2026 at 11:59pm 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:These offerings are dependent on employment type and geographical location, based upon applicable law or company policy.
- 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 listed below. Additionally, this role might 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. The range displays our typical hiring range for new hire salaries in US locations only. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process.
San Francisco Salary Range
$162,600-$203,200 USD
San Francisco Fair Chance OrdinancePursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
