---
title: 'Systems Operations Engineer at Spire'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/systems-operations-engineer-spire-boulder-colorado-4ry7gr7a5tfr'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-12'
---

# Systems Operations Engineer at Spire

- **Company:** Spire
- **Location:** Boulder Colorado, United States
- **Compensation:** $130k–$171k
- **Posted:** 2026-09-07
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-12
- **Apply:** https://spire.com/careers/job-openings/job/?gh_jid=8180412&gh_jid=8180412

## Job description

As a Systems Operations Engineer at Spire, you will be responsible for ensuring that on-orbit mission operations meet and sustain technical and service-level objectives. You will serve as the technical link between the development and operations phases of the mission lifecycle, ensuring that the constellation behaves as expected and that any deviations are rapidly understood, assessed, and resolved with sound engineering judgment.

This role is central to Spire’s strategy to deliver scalable, reliable, and technically assured services using model-based engineering and validated asset profiles. Your work will ensure that decisions affecting constellation performance are made with technical insight.

Role Responsibilities:

- Own the technical quality of mission operations during the on-orbit service period, ensuring Service Level Agreements (SLAs) are well defined, monitored, and maintained.
- Assess and design strategies to address underperformance, providing detailed technical insight and coordinating resolution strategies in collaboration with Systems Engineering, Mission Design, and SRE.
- Define and manage the high-level structure and performance requirements of asset profiles, ensuring they accurately represent mission needs and provide a clear basis for verification. Work with System Owners and SMEs to ensure subsystem capabilities are properly characterised, and with SREs to ensure ongoing validation of in-orbit performance.
- Bridge the gap between Systems Engineering, Mission Design, Program Management, Customer Service, and SRE by providing technical leadership during the mission service period. Define the tooling and functional monitoring needs that enable the SRE team to maintain constellation health and respond effectively to deviations.
- Support SRE, Platform, and Customer Service leads in triaging constellation or satellite issues that deviate from nominal asset profile definitions, ensuring escalation paths and responses are technically justified.
- Act as a technical reviewer and contributor during Mission Readiness Review (MRR) and pre-launch handover, ensuring operational teams are equipped with validated, well-understood assets and clearly defined expectations for mission performance.
- Identify operational risks and propose mitigations related to in-orbit performance, platform limitations, or evolving CONOPS.
- Ensure technical consistency and justification for on-orbit changes such as mode transitions, re-tasking, or adjustments to duty cycles or resource allocations. Lead the rollout of complex fleet-wide changes when CONOPS are being updated, ensuring risks and dependencies are managed.
- Collaborate across SRE, Platform, and Systems teams to codify lessons learned into reusable operational standards, documentation, and improved design practices for future missions.
- Derive and maintain Operational Requirements by helping project teams translate mission and system-level requirements into operational-level non-functional requirements (SLOs, latency, freshness, availability), with verification methods and traceability.
- Support configuration control during service, helping manage the versioned operational baseline (limits, parameters, tasking configurations) and working with SREs, System Owners, and Customer Service to prevent configuration drift across the fleet.
- Support the definition and coverage of FDIR (Fault Detection, Isolation, and Recovery) logic, ensuring coverage against top failure modes and reducing residual operational risk over time.

Basic Qualifications:

- Degree in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, Computer Science, or other relevant technical discipline.
- 3+ years of experience in system performance monitoring, root cause analysis, and anomaly resolution.
- Solid understanding of space system behaviour on orbit, including thermal dynamics, power management, RF communications, and tasking impacts.
- Ability to translate system-level engineering context into clear operational guidance and tooling requirements.
- Familiarity with SLA-driven architectures, system observability, and mission assurance principles.
- Clear communication skills to align stakeholders across engineering, operations, and customer delivery.
- Familiarity with software tools and frameworks used in operations, including strong Python, SQL skills and GitHub-based workflows.

Preferred Qualifications:

- 3+ years of experience supporting operations of multi-satellite constellations.
- Knowledge of asset profiling approaches and system models (including fault profiles, mode transitions, and performance boundaries).
- Understanding of ground-segment tooling, SRE practices, or telemetry/telecommand systems.
- Experience working with cross-functional, multi-time zone teams across engineering and operations.
- Background in satellite mission design, including the transition from development to operations.

## LI-MK1

Spire operates a hybrid work model, and this position will require you to work a minimum of three days per week in the office.

Access to US export-controlled software and/or technology may be required for this role. If needed, Spire will arrange the necessary licenses—this is not something candidates need to have before applying. LI-MK1

The anticipated base salary range for this position is listed below. Final base salary for this role will be based on the location, skills, experience and qualifications. In addition to base compensation, this role is eligible for commissions and annual equity awards. This role is also eligible for our employee benefits program, including vacation, sick, and personal time off; optional medical, dental, vision, life, and disability coverage; a 401(K) plan; health and wellness reimbursement program; and participation in Spire’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

Base Salary Range $130,000—$171,000 USD

Global Perks

🛰️ Name Your Satellite Program (NYSP) 🚀 Launch Attendance 🌴 Generous Time Off Policy 🎓 Education Assistance Program 🥰 Employee Assistance Program (EAP) 📈 Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP) 👣 Family Leave 💪 Fitness Reimbursement 🧡 Employee Referral Program 🍉 Healthy snacks & beverages in every office

## About Spire

We improve life on Earth with data from space.

Spire Global is a space-to-cloud analytics company that owns and operates the largest multi-purpose constellation of satellites. Its proprietary data and algorithms provide the most advanced maritime, aviation, and weather tracking in the world. In addition to its constellation, Spire’s data infrastructure includes a global ground station network and 24/7 operations that provide real-time global coverage of every point on Earth.

Spire is Global and our success draws upon the diverse viewpoints, skills and experiences of our employees. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or veteran status.

To help maintain a safe and secure workplace for Spire employees, all candidates who receive a conditional offer will be required to complete a background check. This may include criminal history and employment verification.

Please take a moment to review [Spire's Global Data Privacy Notice for Employees, Contractors, Candidates and Visitors](https://spire.com/global-data-privacy-notice/), as well as [Spire's Privacy Policy.](https://spire.com/privacy-policy/)

Kindly be advised that communication regarding your application may come from @spire.com, @recruiting.spire.com, or from Candidate.fyi (our scheduling tool).

## About Spire

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: A space-powered data and intelligence company that designs, builds, and operates its own satellite constellation to collect and process Earth observation data from space, turning it into actionable insights for government and commercial customers [spire.com](https://spire.com/).
- **Entity Type**: Public (NYSE: SPIR) – indicated by an Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP) that allows employees to purchase Spire shares [spire.com/careers](https://spire.com/careers/).
- **Headquarters**: Global offices in Washington DC (USA), Boulder (USA), Luxembourg, and Munich (Germany); primary operational headquarters not explicitly stated in provided sources [spire.com/about-us](https://spire.com/about-us/).
- **Founded**: Not publicly available in provided sources (commonly reported as 2012).
- **Founders**: Not publicly available in provided sources (commonly reported as Peter Platzer, Jeroen Cappaert, and Joel Spark).

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Earth observation / space‑based data analytics / satellite intelligence.
- **Target customers**: B2G (government / defense / national security) and B2B (aviation, weather & climate, maritime, logistics). Customers include federal agencies and commercial enterprises.
- **Mission**: “To inspire, lead, and create the business of Earth observation for the benefit of all.” [spire.com/careers](https://spire.com/careers/)

## Products & Services
- **Space‑Based Aviation Intelligence (ADS‑B)** – Real‑time flight tracking and analytics for operational efficiency and safety, including the EURIALO project to mitigate GPS jamming [spire.com](https://spire.com/).
- **Weather & Climate Data** – Global atmospheric data collected by radio occultation and other sensors, used for weather forecasting, climate monitoring, and risk assessment [spire.com](https://spire.com/).
- **Maritime Tracking (AIS)** – Vessel position and movement data for logistics, security, and environmental monitoring [implied from “transforming global logistics” on about‑us page].
- **Government & Defense Solutions** – Custom intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) data feeds for national security customers [spire.com](https://spire.com/).

## Market Standing
- **Valuation / Market Cap**: Not publicly available in provided sources.
- **Key Metric**: Annual revenue not disclosed in provided sources.
- **Notable Investors / Partners**: Not publicly available in provided sources.
- **Growth Signals**: Active hiring across multiple engineering, sales, and program management roles; continuous expansion of satellite constellation (LEMUR satellites); participation in government contracts (e.g., EURIALO) [spire.com/careers/job-openings](https://spire.com/careers/job-openings/).

## Competitive Advantages
- **Vertical Integration**: Designs, builds, and operates its own nanosatellites, ground stations, and software infrastructure, providing end‑to‑end control over data quality and latency [spire.com](https://spire.com/).
- **Global Coverage**: A large constellation of low‑Earth orbit satellites enables frequent revisit times and near‑global data collection [spire.com](https://spire.com/).
- **Speed & Agility**: Company culture emphasizes a “faster” and “unbounded” approach, allowing rapid iteration and deployment of new products [spire.com/careers](https://spire.com/careers/).

## Strategic Focus
- Expand government and defense sales (e.g., U.S. Federal Sales Director, Business Development Manager for Federal ISR) [spire.com/careers/job-openings](https://spire.com/careers/job-openings/).
- Deepen weather and climate analytics through product management and RF engineering investments [spire.com/careers/job-openings](https://spire.com/careers/job-openings/).
- Continue to enhance aviation intelligence offerings, especially in GPS jamming mitigation and flight path optimization [spire.com](https://spire.com/).
- Grow the global workforce to reflect the company’s international customer base and operational footprint [spire.com/careers](https://spire.com/careers/).

## Why Work Here
- **Culture & Values**: “Global,” “Unbounded,” “Faster,” “Reliable” – employees collaborate across time zones and continents; diversity is valued (employees from over 45 countries) [spire.com/careers](https://spire.com/careers/).
- **Benefits**:
  - Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP)
  - Generous family leave and flexible time‑off policy
  - Fitness reimbursement and healthy snacks/beverages
  - Learning & development support
  - Unique “Name Your Own Satellite” perk and VIP launch attendance [spire.com/careers](https://spire.com/careers/).
- **Work Model**: Hybrid / in‑office presence at locations in Washington DC, Boulder, Luxembourg, and Munich; some remote roles available (e.g., “Remote – Based in Europe”) [spire.com/careers/job-openings](https://spire.com/careers/job-openings/).
- **Engineering Focus**: Heavy investment in RF engineering, spacecraft software, back‑end development, and systems engineering; many senior‑level openings indicate a focus on experienced talent [spire.com/careers/job-openings](https://spire.com/careers/job-openings/).

## Sources
1. [spire.com](https://spire.com/) – Homepage: “Turning space data into actionable insights”
2. [spire.com/about-us](https://spire.com/about-us/) – About Us: mission, leadership, locations
3. [spire.com/careers](https://spire.com/careers/) – Careers page: values, benefits, culture
4. [spire.com/careers/job-openings](https://spire.com/careers/job-openings/) – Job openings: active roles, departments
5. [linkedin.com/company/spireglobal](https://www.linkedin.com/company/spireglobal) – LinkedIn company page (used for verification)

## Other roles at Spire

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- [Senior Systems Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-systems-engineer-spire-munich-z3nc01f5cdfm) — Munich, Germany
- [Program Coordinator - Federal Programs](https://feeny.ai/job/program-coordinator-federal-programs-spire-washington-district-of-columbia-f9nfnmt9h4xh) — Washington District of Columbia, United States
- [Sales Manager - Americas](https://feeny.ai/job/sales-manager-americas-spire-boulder-colorado-8c2kwa6f9j2n) — Boulder Colorado, United States
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