Intern, Mission Optimization Engineer

Internships at Planet:

Planet’s Summer 2026 internships are full-time, paid 12-week positions located in our San Francisco HQ Office. 

Program Dates:

• June 1 - August 21
• June 22 - September 11

About the Role:

The Mission Optimization team supports all Planet’s missions, working to maximize the productivity of the world's largest Earth Observation satellite constellation. Our team spans North America and Europe. Given the scale of our fleet, automation is at the heart of our operations. You'll develop and maintain critical software that is used to manage and operate our fleet, transforming large datasets into actionable metrics.

As a Mission Optimization Engineer Intern, the main scope of your project will be fleet-wide productivity optimization. You will help identify possible inefficiencies in the automated services we use to operate our satellites, and design and implement solutions to improve the overall productivity of the fleet. We are looking for a data-driven, self-starter engineer with effective communication skills that collaborates well within a technical team and adapts quickly to changing tasks and contexts. You will also work closely with hardware and software experts across teams to provide operational insights that shape our next-generation satellites.

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

Impact You'll Own:

• Develop and maintain real-time, mission-critical software solutions for satellite operations
• Write scripts to aggregate satellite data and generate system monitoring metrics
• Analyze data to identify issues and inefficiencies in the full stack of services and propose solutions to improve productivity
• Identify and drive improvements to fleet capacity and productivity through process enhancements

What You Bring:

• Currently enrolled in a BSc in engineering or computer science
• Proficiency in software development, particularly in Python or equivalent languages
• Data-driven mindset with experience in statistical analysis
• Proactive, self-starter approach to engineering and problem-solving
• Effective interpersonal and collaboration skills within a technical team

What Makes You Stand Out: 

• Experience with agile software development
• Experience with DevOps tools and practices (e.g., Git, GitLab, Docker, Jenkins, Bash, Linux, CI/CD, Sentry, Datadog)
• Familiarity with satellite engineering and/or the space environment and its challenges
• Hands-on experience operating spacecraft or remote systems
• Familiarity with automation and optimization frameworks
• Contributions to open-source software projects

Application Deadline:

April 13, 2026 at 11:59p PT

EAR/ITAR Requirements:

This position requires access to 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 the Bureau of Industry and Security and/or the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls.

Benefits While Working at Planet:

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

• Commuter Benefits
• Paid time off for holidays and company-wide days off
• Internet reimbursement
• Access to LinkedIn Learning

Compensation:

The US hourly rate range for this position at the commencement of employment is $35 - $60. The final salary range is determined by job related experience, skills and location.  The range displays our typical hiring range for new hire salaries in US locations only.  Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process.

Internships at Planet:

Planet’s Summer 2026 internships are full-time, paid 12-week positions located in our San Francisco HQ Office. 

Program Dates:

• June 1 - August 21
• June 22 - September 11

About the Role:

The Mission Optimization team supports all Planet’s missions, working to maximize the productivity of the world's largest Earth Observation satellite constellation. Our team spans North America and Europe. Given the scale of our fleet, automation is at the heart of our operations. You'll develop and maintain critical software that is used to manage and operate our fleet, transforming large datasets into actionable metrics.

As a Mission Optimization Engineer Intern, the main scope of your project will be fleet-wide productivity optimization. You will help identify possible inefficiencies in the automated services we use to operate our satellites, and design and implement solutions to improve the overall productivity of the fleet. We are looking for a data-driven, self-starter engineer with effective communication skills that collaborates well within a technical team and adapts quickly to changing tasks and contexts. You will also work closely with hardware and software experts across teams to provide operational insights that shape our next-generation satellites.

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

Impact You'll Own:

• Develop and maintain real-time, mission-critical software solutions for satellite operations
• Write scripts to aggregate satellite data and generate system monitoring metrics
• Analyze data to identify issues and inefficiencies in the full stack of services and propose solutions to improve productivity
• Identify and drive improvements to fleet capacity and productivity through process enhancements

What You Bring:

• Currently enrolled in a BSc in engineering or computer science
• Proficiency in software development, particularly in Python or equivalent languages
• Data-driven mindset with experience in statistical analysis
• Proactive, self-starter approach to engineering and problem-solving
• Effective interpersonal and collaboration skills within a technical team

What Makes You Stand Out: 

• Experience with agile software development
• Experience with DevOps tools and practices (e.g., Git, GitLab, Docker, Jenkins, Bash, Linux, CI/CD, Sentry, Datadog)
• Familiarity with satellite engineering and/or the space environment and its challenges
• Hands-on experience operating spacecraft or remote systems
• Familiarity with automation and optimization frameworks
• Contributions to open-source software projects

Application Deadline:

April 13, 2026 at 11:59p PT

EAR/ITAR Requirements:

This position requires access to 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 the Bureau of Industry and Security and/or the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls.

Benefits While Working at Planet:

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

• Commuter Benefits
• Paid time off for holidays and company-wide days off
• Internet reimbursement
• Access to LinkedIn Learning

Compensation:

The US hourly rate range for this position at the commencement of employment is $35 - $60. The final salary range is determined by job related experience, skills and location.  The range displays our typical hiring range for new hire salaries in US locations only.  Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process.