59 OPEN
SALARIES · MISSION OPERATIONS ENGINEER
Mission Operations Engineer [YoY +8%]
Median total compensation for mission operations engineer roles in space. Open roles by salary, direct from each employer.
[ SENIOR COMPENSATION · ANNUAL · BASE ]
$170,000 – $215,000USD
§ 01Compensation by level
[ MID ]
$130K
[ SENIOR ]
$170K
[ STAFF ]
$215K
[ PRINCIPAL ]
$270K
§ 02Top-paid open roles
- 01
Mission Operations Product Manager, Group 5 Mission AutonomyAnduril Industries·Washington, District of Columbia, United States$191K–$253K - 02Mission Operations Product Manager, Group 5 Mission AutonomyAnduril Industries·Costa Mesa, California, United States$191K–$253K
- 03
Senior Ground Station Systems EngineerAstranis·San Francisco$180K–$240K - 04VSenior Mission Operations Engineer - Ground SegmentVast·Long Beach, California, United States$137K–$230K
- 05VStaff Mission Operations EngineerVast·Long Beach, California, United States$162K–$230K
- 06RLead Avionics Test Systems Engineer, Ground SystemsRelativity Space·Long Beach, California, United States$151K–$227K
- 07Mission Operations Product Manager, Group 5 Mission AutonomyAnduril Industries·Remote$166K–$220K
- 08Senior Mission Operations Engineer, Strategic DefenseAnduril Industries·Washington, District of Columbia, United States$166K–$220K
- 09Senior Open Architecture Systems Engineer, Ground SystemsAnduril Industries·Costa Mesa, California, United States; Washington, District of Columbia, United States$166K–$220K
- 10Mission Operations Engineer, MaritimeAnduril Industries·Costa Mesa, California, United States$166K–$220K
§ 03Top employers hiring mission operations engineers
| Employer | Open roles | Median comp |
|---|---|---|
| Anduril Industries | 18 | $170K |
| Rocket Lab | 7 | $105K |
| Isar Aerospace | 5 | — |
| Vast | 4 | $175K |
| K2 Space | 4 | $155K |
| Sierra Space | 4 | $156K |
| Astranis | 3 | $173K |
| Loft Orbital | 3 | $165K |
§ 04Top cities hiring mission operations engineers
| Metro | Open roles | Median comp |
|---|---|---|
| Costa Mesa | 7 | $170K |
| Long Beach | 5 | $184K |
| San Francisco | 4 | $169K |
| Los Angeles | 4 | $155K |
| Stennis Space Center | 3 | — |
| Centennial | 3 | $141K |
| Ottobrunn | 3 | — |
| Tokyo | 3 | — |
§ 05FAQ
- How much do mission operations engineers make in the space industry?
- Senior mission operations engineers in the space industry typically earn $170K base salary at top employers. Staff-level roles run $215K and principal-level reach $270K. Numbers are median base salary across 76 data points; total compensation including equity is typically 15-30% higher at private space companies.
- Who is hiring the most mission operations engineers right now?
- Anduril Industries (18 open roles), Rocket Lab (7 open roles), and Isar Aerospace (5 open roles) lead by open-role volume. Browse all 59 open mission operations engineer roles sorted by recency.
- Where are most mission operations engineer jobs located?
- The top space industry hubs for mission operations engineer roles right now are Costa Mesa, Long Beach, and San Francisco. Defense space tends to concentrate in DC/Northern Virginia and Colorado Springs (clearance-required roles), while commercial launch is heaviest in LA basin and Florida's Space Coast.
- Do mission operations engineer roles in space require security clearance?
- Many do. Defense space programs at Anduril, Lockheed Martin Space, Northrop Grumman, Sierra Space, and the US Space Force require Secret or TS/SCI clearance. Commercial-space roles at SpaceX, Rocket Lab, Vast, and Astranis generally do not, though some specific government contracts may. ITAR registration is more common than clearance — most rocket roles require it.
§ 06See all open roles
Browse every mission operations engineer role