Senior NPI Engineering Manager

Planet Labs•Berlin, BE 10115, DE• Contract

Posted 1 hour ago• Aerospace Engineering• Manufacturing

Job Description

Welcome to Planet. We believe in using space to help life on Earth.

Planet designs, builds, and operates the largest constellation of imaging satellites in history. This constellation delivers an unprecedented dataset of empirical information via a revolutionary cloud-based platform to authoritative figures in commercial, environmental, and humanitarian sectors. We are both a space company and data company all rolled into one.

Customers and users across the globe use Planet's data to develop new technologies, drive revenue, power research, and solve our world’s toughest obstacles.

As we control every component of hardware design, manufacturing, data processing, and software engineering, our office is a truly inspiring mix of experts from a variety of domains.

We have a people-centric approach toward culture and community and we strive to iterate in a way that puts our team members first and prepares our company for growth. Join Planet and be a part of our mission to change the way people see the world.

Planet is a global company with employees working remotely world wide and joining us from offices in San Francisco, Washington DC, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, and The Netherlands.

About the Role:

As the Senior NPI Engineering Manager, you will be responsible for developing, leading and executing our assembly, integration and test processes for our next generation of satellites. You will apply your manufacturing engineering and leadership skills to establish the overall process and develop and implement the procedures and work instructions for assembling and testing subassemblies, modules and complete spacecraft. You will manage engineering and technician personnel, and work closely with design engineers, test engineers, engineering program management, and supply chain teams to execute and deliver spacecraft. This role will appeal to candidates who enjoy a methodical approach as well as guiding & mentoring others.

This is a full-time, in-office position based in our Berlin office 5 days per week.

Impact You’ll Own:

Manage manufacturing engineering and technician staff
Develop assembly, integration and test processes for PCBAs, subassemblies and full spacecraft
Develop mechanical and electrical equipment and fixtures to aid with assembly, integration and testing
Develop assembly procedures and work instructions
Oversee facilities and capital equipment development for scaling our manufacturing processes to meet our production demand
Develop production schedules in tight collaboration with Supply Chain
Daily task planning and execution to ensure on-time assembly, testing and delivery of fully functioning satellites during the NPI phase of development
Drive non-conformances to resolution and establish actionable process improvements
Collaborate with design engineering to continuously improve Spacecraft Design for Manufacturability
Transform the manufacturing line from R&D to production by developing processes to go from prototype to flight builds
Develop, and execute a technology transfer process to the Sustaining Production Team
Provide DFM / DFA recommendations to design teams. Ideally specific, CAD recommendations

What You Bring:

6+ years of manufacturing development experience
4+ years of management experience
Experience managing complex, interdisciplinary manufacturing processes
Excellent SolidWorks skills to develop tooling & fixturing to interface with spacecraft and to extract useful views for use in work instructions
Experience with inventory management processes
Experience building clear and effective schedules for production planning
Organized approach to project management and task planning & tracking
Hands-on experience with hardware assembly, integration, and test

What Makes You Stand Out:

Ability to learn new engineering concepts quickly
Experience implementing successful continuous improvement processes
5+ years of experience leading and mentoring others

Application Deadline:

June 2, 2026 by 11:59p / 23:59 CET (Central European Time)

Export Control Requirements:

Planet Labs Germany GmbH is authorized to receive U.S. export-controlled information at Planet under an export license issued by the Bureau of Industry and Security. This position requires access to U.S. and German/EU 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 German, EU, or U.S. authorities.

Benefits While Working at Planet:

These offerings are dependent on employment type and geographical location, based upon applicable law or company policy.

Paid time off including vacation, holidays and company-wide days off
Employee Wellness Program
Home Office Reimbursement
Monthly Phone and Internet Reimbursement
Tuition Reimbursement and access to LinkedIn Learning
Equity
Volunteering Paid Time Off

Why we care so much about Belonging.
We’re dedicated to helping the whole Planet, and to do that we must strive to represent all of it within each of our offices and on all of our teams. That’s why Planet is guided by an ultimate north star of Belonging—dreaming big as we approach our ongoing work. If this job intrigues you, but you’re thinking you might not have all the qualifications, please... do apply! At Planet, we are looking for well-rounded people from around the world who can contribute to more ways than just what is listed in this job description. We don’t just fill positions, we aspire to fulfill people’s careers, most excited about folks who are motivated by our underlying humanitarian efforts. We are a few orbits around the sun before we get to where we want to be, so we hope you’re excited to come along for the ride.

EEO statement:
Planet is committed to building a community where everyone belongs and we invite people from all backgrounds to apply. Planet is an equal opportunity employer, and committed to providing employment opportunities regardless of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding, age, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other protected classification, in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Know Your Rights.

Accommodations:
Planet is an inclusive community and we know that everyone has their own needs. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation during the hiring process, please reach out to [email protected] or contact your recruiter with your request. Your message will be confidential and we will be happy to assist you.

Privacy Policy: By clicking "Apply Now" at the top of this job posting, I acknowledge that I have read the Planet Data Privacy Notice for California Staff Members and Applicants, and hereby consent to the collection, processing, use, and storage of my personal information as described therein.

Privacy Policy (European Applicants): By clicking "Apply Now" at the top of this job posting, I acknowledge that I have read the Candidate Privacy Notice GDPR Planet Labs Europe, and hereby consent to the collection, processing, use, and storage of my personal information as described therein.

AI in Our Interviewing Process: Planet is committed to providing an exceptional interview experience for all candidates. We are currently exploring AI interviewing technologies to better focus on candidates and less on trying to capture notes. As such, with the candidate's consent, select interviews may be recorded and include a Planet AI Notetaker for transcription and summarization purposes. Should an interview involve use of AI interview technologies, the candidate will receive notification and have the ability to opt out both in advance and/or real-time. Opting out will not affect one's candidacy.

Candidate AI Policy: Planet embraces Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, and we encourage its responsible use. We understand that candidates may use various resources, including AI tools, to prepare for interviews and assessments. However, during any live interview stage or when actively completing assessments for this position, the use of AI tools—e.g. Large Language Models (LLMs), deep fake technology, etc.—is strictly prohibited unless explicitly prompted by an interviewer or assessment instructions. If you are unsure about acceptable use, please contact your recruiter for clarification. If an AI tool or similar technology is desired as an accommodation, please contact [email protected] with your request for assistance. Your message will be confidential, and we will be happy to assist you. Violation of this policy may result in disqualification of your application.