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Space Surveillance Technical Lead

Posted Oct 12, 2026

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OKAPI:Orbits GmbH

Germany (Brunswick)

EnglishLeadNo German needed

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€50,000 to €69,000

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We are looking for a Space Surveillance Technical Lead who thrives at the intersection of technology, people leadership, and customer success. In this hybrid technical + management role, you will lead a small engineering team, manage key customer projects, and contribute directly to the development of advanced space systems across flight dynamics, SSA/SST, and mission operations .

You’ll act as both a hands-on engineer and a strategic project leader, guiding software development, steering technical discussions with satellite operators, and ensuring customer satisfaction across commercial and institutional missions.

This is a high-impact role with broad ownership. You’ll contribute to technical delivery, customer success, and strategic initiatives, including proposals and projects for space sustainability, SSA/SST, and mission operations.

Your tasks and responsibilities

Technical Leadership (50%)

Lead the design, development, and operation of space systems, including:
Orbit determination and propagation
Maneuver planning and trajectory optimization
SSA/SST processing, catalog maintenance, and sensor data integration
Architect, implement, and review production-grade software using:
Python, Java, FORTRAN
Orekit, or similar orbit mechanics libraries
Conduct verification and validation (V&V) with real mission datasets.

Project & Team Leadership (50%)

Lead a high-performing engineering team (2–6 people) , including mentoring, coordinating workloads, and guiding technical decisions.
Drive end-to-end project delivery , ensuring technical quality, timelines, and customer success.

M.Sc. or higher in Aerospace/Space Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, or another relevant technical field.
Approx. 5 years of experience in the space engineering domain, including proven experience in coordinating or leading technical projects in the space domain (flight dynamics, SSA/SST, mission operations, or ground segment software).
Proven ability to drive full lifecycle software development :
Requirements analysis and refinement
Architecture definition
System and algorithm design
Implementation planning
Testing, integration, V&V
Deployment and operational follow-up
Strong background in technical project management , including:
Prioritization and backlog management
Cross-team coordination (engineering, product, operations)
Tracking deliverables, risks, and milestones
Efficient communication with technical and non-technical stakeholders
Hands-on experience with software engineering in Python, Fortran, Java, or similar, and familiarity with modern development practices (CI/CD, testing, DevOps workflows).
Ability to work directly with customers to:
Lead technical discussions
Clarify mission requirements
Ensure delivery quality and operational readiness
Experience providing guidance to small engineering teams, including mentoring and task coordination.
Professional experience in international, distributed teams and valid EU work authorization.

Knowledge of cloud-native architectures and deployment frameworks (Docker, Kubernetes, AWS/Azure/GCP).
Familiarity with:
Orbit determination libraries (Orekit, GMAT, or similar)
SSA/SST processing pipelines
Sensor fusion workflows or catalog maintenance
Experience in proposal writing, project scoping, or supporting business development efforts with technical input.
Background collaborating with space agencies (ESA, DLR, etc.) or institutional missions.
Awareness of ground segment operations, automated mission planning, or mission control workflows.

With a lean hierarchy and small working groups, you define your own way of work including flexible work hours.
Work on groundbreaking space sustainability challenges with a team of top-tier engineers and scientists.
Enjoy technical freedom. Influence system architecture, research methodologies, and data integration approaches.
Grow continuously with access to training budgets, industry conferences, and networking opportunities.
Be part of a strong engineering culture, with regular knowledge-sharing sessions, technical deep dives, and innovation sprints.
Great team spirit, with company-wide events such as monthly all-hands lunches, and social activities like laser tag, dinners, and team-building outings.

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Space Surveillance Technical Lead

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