--- title: 'Staff Mission Solutions Engineer at BlackSky' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/staff-mission-solutions-engineer-blacksky-united-states-seattle-wa-herndon-va-k5zm4683n413' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-10-13' --- # Staff Mission Solutions Engineer at BlackSky - **Company:** BlackSky - **Location:** United States / Seattle, WA / Herndon, VA - **Work type:** remote - **Posted:** 2026-10-08 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-13 - **Apply:** https://boards.greenhouse.io/blacksky/jobs/8869170002?gh_jid=8869170002 ## Job description Staff Mission Solutions Engineer About Us: BlackSky is a real-time intelligence company. We own and operate the world's most advanced space-based intelligence platform and provide customers satellite imagery, automated analytics and high-frequency monitoring of strategic locations, economic assets and events from around the globe. BlackSky is trusted by the most demanding allied military and intelligence organizations and commercial companies to deliver foresight into critical matters that affect national security and the economy. BlackSky's data enables governments and businesses to see, understand and anticipate change as it happens, giving them the ultimate strategic advantage so they can act quickly. Our global team works with cutting-edge technology to make a difference around the world and prides itself on being people-first, customer-focused and fun. We are seeking a Mission Solutions Engineer to drive technical sales for our electro-optical (EO) satellite sales portfolio, with a primary focus on international defense, and intelligence (D&I) customers. This is a field-facing, revenue-critical role that bridges deep remote sensing and satellite expertise with consultative selling — translating complex space imaging hardware, software, and communications network capabilities into sovereign mission value for customers outside the United States. You will partner directly with Regional Business Development, Systems Engineering and Account Management leads to scope requirements, design technical solutions, deliver compelling demonstrations, and support the full sales cycle from initial qualification through contract award. This remote role reports to the Senior Director of Solutions Engineering and will have travel expectations of approximately 50%, primarily international. We may be open to a strong international candidate in or near Abu Dhabi, London, or Singapore. Responsibilities: Technical Sales Engagement - Serve as the lead technical advisor throughout the satellite sales cycle, partnering with BD Leads on international defense, intelligence, and government accounts. - Translate customer mission requirements (ISR, imaging constellation performance, satellite specifications, communications and latency requirements, ground software, collection planning,) into tailored proposals for procurement of satellite constellations based in BlackSky’s existing and future designs. - Deliver technical presentations, product demonstrations, and proof-of-concept exercises to senior military, intelligence, and government stakeholders. - Respond to RFIs/RFPs with technical narratives, satellite specifications, and ground software architecture inputs. Solution Design & Scoping - Work to understand procurement model, involvement in operations, and integration requirements for both ground and space segments. - Advise on integration of satellite systems into customer GEOINT/ISR systems, ground stations, and analytic tool chains. - Partner with Product Management and Engineering to relay field requirements and competitive intelligence from international markets. Customer & Market Engagement - Build and maintain trusted technical relationships with defense ministries, intelligence services, and allied government agencies outside the US. - Represent the company at international defense/space trade shows, industry days, and government briefings. - Navigate export control data sovereignty, regional offset requirements, and foreign disclosure considerations relevant to each market. Cross-Functional Collaboration - Coordinate with Contracts, Legal, and Export Compliance on deal structuring for international government sales. - Capture and document lessons learned, win/loss technical feedback, and competitive positioning. - Other job-related duties as assigned. Required Qualifications: - Minimum of eight (8) years of experience in solutions engineering, sales engineering, or technical account management within the commercial remote sensing, satellite imaging, or broader space industry. - Working knowledge of electro-optical (EO) satellite imaging systems — satellite hardware, collection planning, tasking, resolution/revisit tradeoffs, and imagery product types, ground architecture, and satellite command and control. - Demonstrated experience selling or supporting sales to international defense, intelligence, or government customers. - Understanding of (or willingness to quickly learn) regional and customer nuance as it relates to offset, export control, IP transfer, etc. - Familiarity with GEOINT/ISR workflows and how imagery integrates into customer analytic and operational systems. - Strong presentation and communication skills, with experience briefing senior military, government, or intelligence stakeholders. - Bachelor's degree in a relevant technical field (geography, GIS, remote sensing, engineering, or related) or equivalent professional experience. - Willingness and ability to travel internationally approximately 50% of the time. - Fluency in English required; additional regional languages a plus depending on territory. Preferred Qualifications: - Prior military, intelligence community, or government service, especially in a role involving imagery intelligence (IMINT), targeting, or ISR operations. - Direct experience with a commercial satellite operator or satellite services provider. - Existing professional network among defense ministries, intelligence services, or systems integrators in the Gulf, Europe, or Asia-Pacific. - Advanced degree in engineering, geography, remote sensing, space systems, or a related technical field. - Experience with SAR or multi-sensor fusion in addition to EO imagery. - Familiarity with CRM and sales engineering tools (Salesforce, technical proposal platforms). - Existing security clearance or eligibility for one, where applicable to the assigned territory. Life at BlackSky for full-time benefits eligible employees in the US includes: - Medical, dental, vision, disability, group term life and AD&D, voluntary life and AD&D insurance - BlackSky pays 100% of employee-only premiums for medical, dental and vision and contributes $100/month for out-of-pocket expenses! - 15 days of PTO, 11 Company holidays, four Floating Holidays (pro-rated based on hire date), one day of paid volunteerism leave per year, parental leave and more - 401(k) pre-tax and Roth deferral options with employer match - Flexible Spending Accounts - Employee Stock Purchase Program - Employee Assistance and Travel Assistance Programs - Employer matching donations - Professional development - Mac or PC? Your choice! - Awesome swag The anticipated salary range for candidates in Seattle, WA is $165,000-205,000 per year. The final compensation package offered to a successful candidate will be dependent on specific background and education. BlackSky is a multi-state employer, and this pay scale may not reflect salary ranges in other states or locations outside of Seattle, WA. BlackSky is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law. To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. #LI-Remote EEO/Pay Transparency Statements: https://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf https://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/OFCCP_EEO_Supplement_Final_JRF_QA_508c.pdf ## About BlackSky ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: BlackSky is a real-time, space-based intelligence company that delivers on-demand, high-frequency satellite imagery, analytics, and monitoring of critical global locations, assets, and events. - **Entity Type**: Public (NYSE: BKSY) - **Headquarters**: Herndon, Virginia, USA (with a satellite manufacturing facility in Tukwila, Washington) - **Founded**: 2013 (as BlackSky Global, a spin-off from Spaceflight Industries) - **Founders**: Brian E. Bjelde, Nick Merski, and Jordan Tate ## Core Business - **Primary industry**: Earth Observation / Space-based Intelligence / Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT) - **Target customers**: B2B, primarily serving government defense and intelligence agencies (US and international), along with commercial enterprises in sectors like maritime, energy, and infrastructure. - **Mission or purpose statement**: To dramatically accelerate Earth observation from space for real-time monitoring. BlackSky enables customers to see, understand, and anticipate change for a decisive strategic advantage. ## Products & Services - **BlackSky Spectra®**: The company’s core software platform. It is a purpose-built, space-based intelligence platform for dynamic monitoring. It integrates tasking, collection, and AI-driven analytics to deliver actionable insights (e.g., object detection, change monitoring) in under 90 minutes on average. *Type*: SaaS / Analytics Platform. - **Satellite Constellation (Gen-2 & Gen-3)**: BlackSky owns and operates a proprietary fleet of high-resolution satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO). The Gen-3 constellation, launched in 2025, is designed to be the world’s largest very high-resolution constellation by end of 2026. This provides high-revisit, low-latency tasking and data collection. *Type*: Hardware (Spacecraft) / Data Service. - **BlackSky Assured**: A subscription-based service offering dedicated, prioritized access to satellite tasking and data for persistent monitoring of specific areas of interest. *Type*: Service / Subscription. - **BlackSky On-Demand**: A flexible, worldwide tasking service for ad-hoc intelligence needs. *Type*: Service. - **Third-party Data Integration**: Through Spectra, users can access and analyze data from third-party satellite partners, creating a “virtual constellation.” *Type*: Platform Feature. ## Market Standing - **Valuation/Market Cap**: Market cap is approximately $350–$400 million (as of mid-2026, subject to market fluctuations). *Source*: Public market data. - **Key Metric**: As a public company, annual revenue is reported. For 2025, BlackSky reported revenue of approximately $107 million (a year-over-year increase of 35%). *Source*: BlackSky 2025 Annual Report (SEC 10-K). - **Notable Investors/Partners**: Key institutional investors include entities like Neuberger Berman and AWM Investment Company. Strategic partners include government clients (e.g., U.S. National Reconnaissance Office, U.S. Space Force, international defense ministries) and commercial platform partners. - **Growth Signals**: - **Gen-3 Constellation Deployment**: Rapidly scaling its next-generation satellite fleet, with four Gen-3 satellites already operational. - **International Expansion**: Signed a new eight-figure international contract in March 2026 for “accelerated delivery of Gen-3 sovereign space-based intelligence solution.” - **Revenue Growth**: 35% revenue growth in 2025, demonstrating strong market demand. - **New Contract Wins**: Multiple seven-figure contracts announced in early 2026 for “Assured” services with international defense customers. ## Competitive Advantages - **Vertically Integrated Model**: BlackSky designs, manufactures, and operates its own satellites (in Tukwila, WA) and owns its software platform (Spectra). This end-to-end control allows for rapid iteration, cost optimization, and a tightly integrated hardware-software system. - **Speed & Low Latency**: The company is built on a culture of speed. Its platform delivers imagery and analytics in under 90 minutes on average, a key differentiator for time-sensitive defense and intelligence missions. - **AI-Powered Analytics**: BlackSky Spectra incorporates automated detection and classification models for vessels, aircraft, and vehicles, turning raw imagery into actionable intelligence at scale, freeing human analysts for higher-level tasks. - **First-of-its-Kind Platform**: BlackSky is recognized as the only purpose-built, real-time space-based intelligence platform that seamlessly combines tasking, collection, and analytics. ## Strategic Focus - **Scaling the Gen-3 Constellation**: The primary strategic focus is on deploying the Gen-3 satellite fleet to achieve the world’s largest very high-resolution constellation, dramatically increasing capacity, revisit rates, and image quality. - **Deepening Government & Defense Relationships**: Targeting larger, multi-year contracts with both U.S. and allied international defense and intelligence agencies, particularly for the “Assured” subscription model which provides predictable recurring revenue. - **Expanding Commercial Vertical Markets**: Growing adoption in commercial sectors (e.g., supply chain monitoring, infrastructure security, insurance) by demonstrating the value of time-sensitive, AI-driven intelligence. - **AI & Automation Leadership**: Continuing to invest heavily in AI and machine learning capabilities within Spectra to automate more of the intelligence workflow and maintain a technological edge. ## Why Work Here - **Mission-Driven Impact**: Employees directly contribute to global security and situational awareness. The company states its work provides “global impact” by supporting real-world operations for national security and disaster response. - **Rapid Growth & Professional Development**: As a fast-growing, public company scaling its satellite constellation, BlackSky offers significant opportunities for advancement and responsibility, particularly in engineering, operations, and data science. - **Culture of Speed & Innovation**: The company emphasizes a lean, innovative culture where employees work alongside “bright and passionate people” on cutting-edge space technology challenges. The culture is described as one of tremendous professional growth. - **Work-Life Balance**: Employee testimonials on the careers page specifically highlight “healthy work-life balance” as a key reason they enjoy working at BlackSky. - **Workplace Policy**: The company is headquartered in Herndon, VA, with its satellite manufacturing facility in Tukwila, WA. Many roles (especially engineering) appear to be hybrid or on-site given the nature of the hardware and operations work. The careers page lists roles like Staff Engineer, Constellation Systems; Manager, People & Culture; and UX Designer, suggesting a mix of technical and corporate functions. *Source*: [BlackSky Careers Page](https://blacksky.com/company/careers/). ## Sources 1. [BlackSky Official Website](https://blacksky.com/) 2. [BlackSky Company Page](https://blacksky.com/company/) 3. [BlackSky Technology Page](https://blacksky.com/technology/) 4. [BlackSky Investor Relations](https://ir.blacksky.com/overview/default.aspx) 5. 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