Planet Labs Careers in 2026: Earth Observation, Defense Contracts, and 77 Open Roles
Planet Labs careers in 2026: Earth observation, defense contracts, and 77 open roles
Planet Labs operates the largest commercial constellation of Earth observation satellites — over 150 spacecraft imaging every landmass on the planet every day. The company went through two rounds of layoffs in 2023-2024 that cut roughly 25% of the workforce, but the stock has gone from $3 to $25 in the past year on the back of accelerating defense contracts. With 77 open positions and a $734 million revenue backlog, Planet is hiring again.
Here's what Planet Labs careers actually look like now — the recovery from layoffs, the defense pivot, the compensation (which is higher than you'd expect), and whether the company has stabilized enough to join.
What Planet Labs builds
Planet builds and operates three satellite constellations:
PlanetScope (SuperDove) — 150+ satellites capturing 3-meter resolution imagery of Earth's entire landmass daily. These are small satellites (~5 kg each) that Planet manufactures and launches in batches. The daily global coverage is what makes Planet unique — no other commercial provider images the entire planet every day.
SkySat — Sub-meter (0.5m) resolution satellites for on-demand tasking. Point a satellite at a specific location and get high-resolution images. Used primarily by defense and intelligence customers.
Pelican — Next-generation constellation succeeding SkySat with higher resolution and up to 10 revisits per day globally. This is where the defense money is going — a EUR 240 million deal with the German government for dedicated Pelican capacity for European security, plus a $230 million multi-year deal with an Asia-Pacific partner.
Tanager — Hyperspectral imaging satellites for methane detection, mineral mapping, and environmental monitoring. A newer addition that taps into the growing demand for emissions monitoring.
Planet's Defense & Intelligence revenue segment is growing 72% year-over-year and is now a major business driver. The German government deal, Swedish Armed Forces contract (low nine figures), and expanding NGA/DoD relationships are transforming Planet from a climate-focused Earth observation company into a dual-use defense and environmental monitoring platform.
The layoffs and recovery
Let's address this directly because it matters for anyone considering joining:
August 2023: Planet laid off 117 employees (10% of workforce)
June 2024: Planet laid off ~180 employees (17% of workforce)
Combined, these cuts reduced headcount from approximately 1,180 to 970 employees — a 25% reduction over 11 months. The stated reasons: focus on highest-ROI opportunities and path to profitability.
The recovery case: Q3 FY2026 revenue hit $81.3 million (+33% YoY, a record), the backlog has grown to $734.5 million (+216%), and the stock has appreciated roughly 9x from its lows. Planet is hiring 77 positions across engineering, sales, and operations. The new Berlin manufacturing facility (announced September 2025) is designed to double Pelican production capacity.
The risk: Planet is still unprofitable, net losses are widening, and stock-based compensation runs high (~$39M/quarter), creating dilution. Two layoff rounds in 11 months damaged trust and morale according to Glassdoor reviews.
Compensation
Planet's total compensation is higher than the base salary suggests because of significant equity grants — equity that has appreciated dramatically.
The company median total compensation is approximately $195,000 across all roles, with an average base of ~$115K plus ~$15K bonus plus significant equity. The standard vesting schedule is 4 years with a 25% cliff at year 1. Given the stock's recent appreciation from ~$3 to ~$25, existing employees with vested shares have seen substantial gains.
From our database, Planet Labs has 73 active job listings with an average salary range of $135,000–$168,000 — positioning it as one of the higher-paying space companies.
Locations and remote work
Planet Labs is headquartered in San Francisco with offices in:
| Location | Focus | Open Roles |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | HQ, engineering, satellite manufacturing | ~30 |
| Berlin, Germany | European HQ, Pelican manufacturing | ~15 |
| Arlington, VA | Government/defense sales | ~10 |
| Remote (US/Europe) | Sales, marketing, some engineering | ~20 |
Planet offers flexible remote and hybrid work options — a meaningful differentiator from most space hardware companies that require on-site presence. Sales, marketing, and some engineering positions are available as fully remote across the US and Europe. Hardware and manufacturing roles require on-site work in San Francisco or Berlin.
Additional employees work from Austria, Slovenia, Netherlands, UK, France, Japan, and other Asia-Pacific locations. This geographic distribution supports Planet's international customer base, particularly the growing European defense business.
Culture and work-life balance
Glassdoor rates Planet at 3.3/5 overall (234 reviews), with 60% of employees recommending it to a friend.
What works: Strong mission-driven identity (daily Earth imaging for environmental and humanitarian benefit), smart and collaborative colleagues, flexible remote/hybrid options, unlimited PTO, "Flex Friday" (one extra Friday off per month), and soft-closing periods (two weeks per year with minimal work).
What doesn't: The layoffs damaged morale and trust. Career growth paths are unclear. Multiple reviews mention "under-leveling" — employees feeling they're doing work above their title and pay grade. Executive leadership is described as disconnected post-layoffs. Promotion decisions are perceived as political.
Planet is a Public Benefit Corporation (PBC), which means it legally balances profit with positive social impact. This resonates strongly with many employees and is frequently cited as a reason for joining and staying.
Planet offers dog-friendly offices, catered lunches, massage therapy, nap rooms, education reimbursement, and the Flex Friday policy. The benefits package is Silicon Valley-competitive and better than most aerospace companies. If work-life balance and mission alignment matter to you, these perks are real.
Interview process
Planet interviews are rated 2.8/5 difficulty — moderate and straightforward compared to companies like SpaceX (3.3/5) or Blue Origin (3.34/5). The typical process takes 3-4 weeks:
- Recruiter phone screen
- Hiring manager interview
- Take-home technical assessment (for engineering roles)
- Follow-up interview on the assessment
- Cross-functional team interviews (1-2 rounds)
- Culture/values interview
Expect "Why Planet?" questions — mission alignment is genuinely important in hiring decisions. Engineering roles include take-home projects rather than whiteboard-style coding challenges, which many candidates prefer.
Should you join Planet Labs?
Yes, if: You care about Earth observation and climate data, you want competitive total comp with meaningful equity upside, and you value remote work flexibility. The $734M backlog and accelerating defense revenue provide more stability than the company had 18 months ago. The Berlin expansion signals growth, not contraction.
Be cautious if: You were affected by or witnessed the 2023-2024 layoffs. Trust takes time to rebuild, and some reviews suggest the cultural recovery is still in progress. Also weigh the unprofitability — until Planet reaches sustained profitability, another downturn could trigger another round of cuts.
Browse Planet Labs job listings on Zero G Talent. For other Earth observation and satellite companies, see Astranis (GEO satellites, 124 jobs) or browse San Francisco space jobs.
