Technical Project Manager - Space Domain Software (m/w/d)
We are looking for a Technical Project Manager in Space Domain Software who thrives at the intersection of technology, people leadership, and customer success. In this hybrid technical + management role, you will lead a small engineering team, manage key customer projects, and contribute directly to the development of advanced space systems across flight dynamics, SSA/SST, and mission operations .
About the role
We are looking for a Technical Project Manager in Space Domain Software who thrives at the intersection of technology, people leadership, and customer success. In this hybrid technical + management role, you will lead a small engineering team, manage key customer projects, and contribute directly to the development of advanced space systems across flight dynamics, SSA/SST, and mission operations.
You’ll act as both a hands-on engineer and a strategic project leader, guiding software development, steering technical discussions with satellite operators, and ensuring customer satisfaction across commercial and institutional missions.
This is a high-impact role with broad ownership. You’ll contribute to technical delivery, customer success, and strategic initiatives, including proposals and projects for space sustainability, SSA/SST, and mission operations.
Key responsibilities
- Lead the design, development, and operation of space systems, including:
- Orbit determination and propagation
- Maneuver planning and trajectory optimization
- SSA/SST processing, catalog maintenance, and sensor data integration
- Architect, implement, and review production-grade software using:
- Python, Java, FORTRAN
- Orekit, or similar orbit mechanics libraries
- Conduct verification and validation (V&V) with real mission datasets.
- Lead a high-performing engineering team (2–6 people), including mentoring, coordinating workloads, and guiding technical decisions.
- Drive end-to-end project delivery, ensuring technical quality, timelines, and customer success.
- Work directly with satellite operators and institutional partners to:
- Capture and refine mission requirements
- Lead high-level technical discussions
- Translate operational needs into actionable system features
- Serve as the primary technical point of contact for key accounts, building long-term customer relationships.
- Coordinate cross-functional efforts for proposals, strategic initiatives, and roadmap development.
What you bring
Must have
- M.Sc. or higher in Aerospace/Space Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, or another relevant technical field.
- Approx. 5 years of experience in the space engineering domain, including proven experience in coordinating or leading technical projects in the space domain (flight dynamics, SSA/SST, mission operations, or ground segment software).
- Proven ability to drive full lifecycle software development
- Strong background in technical project management, including:
- Hands-on experience with software engineering in Python, Fortran, Java, or similar, and familiarity with modern development practices (CI/CD, testing, DevOps workflows).
- Ability to work directly with customers
- Experience providing guidance to small engineering teams, including mentoring and task coordination.
- Professional experience in international, distributed teams
- valid EU work authorization.
Nice to have
- Knowledge of cloud-native architectures and deployment frameworks (Docker, Kubernetes, AWS/Azure/GCP).
- Familiarity with:
- Orbit determination libraries (Orekit, GMAT, or similar)
- SSA/SST processing pipelines
- Sensor fusion workflows or catalog maintenance
- Experience in proposal writing, project scoping, or supporting business development efforts with technical input.
- Background collaborating with space agencies (ESA, DLR, etc.) or institutional missions.
- Awareness of ground segment operations, automated mission planning, or mission control workflows.
What we offer
A permanent contract, a real budget to learn, and a team that reviews its own benefits with the people who use them. Flexible core hours, 30 days of holiday, a subsidized pension, Hansefit, a BahnCard, and workation for more than a month a year.
Who you’ll work with
“You will own a slice of the platform end to end. Nobody here hands you a ticket and walks away.”
Engineering
How we work
How we work
- Reality over abstractionReal catalogues, real physics, real orbital data. Demos run on the same engine that flies for customers.
- Clarity over decorationOperational tools earn their place by what they let you decide, not by what they look like at trade shows.
- Audit by defaultEvery decision is stamped, versioned, and exportable. There is no undocumented path.
- No conflict of interestWe do not operate satellites. Our only incentive is the accuracy of the assessment.
- Calm in the roomOperations work is high-stakes. The platform lowers the stress level, not amplifies it.
About OKAPI:Orbits
Space Situational Awareness, built for operations
OKAPI:Orbits is a Braunschweig-based Space Situational Awareness (SSA) company. We build the operational layer that satellite operators, governments, and institutions rely on to keep spacecraft safe in increasingly congested orbits.
More about OKAPI:OrbitsApply for Technical Project Manager - Space Domain Software (m/w/d).
Send us your CV and anything else you want us to read. No cover letter required. You will always know which step of the process you are on and who you will meet next.