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:
Software Engineers on Planet’s Professional Services team play a critical role in transforming customer requirements into scalable software solutions that maximize the value of Planet’s data products. As a Software Engineer, you will work closely with Solution Architects to implement and deploy customized software solutions that help our top accounts drive data-driven decisions at scale. Your contributions will focus on building software architectures, developing toolkits and pipelines, and automating workflows that enhance the overall efficiency of service delivery.
This role requires a technical background, creativity, and the ability to work independently or collaboratively to develop high-quality software solutions that align with customer needs and Planet’s strategic goals.
Impact You’ll Own:
- Collaborate with Solution Architects to bring tailored software solutions to life, from proof of concept to production, ensuring alignment with customers’ business objectives and technical strategies.
- Develop custom software toolkits, APIs, data pipelines, and integrations to automate and streamline data workflows, reducing services delivery time.
- Create lightweight graphical user interfaces (GUIs) or command-line interfaces (CLIs) as necessary to support customer use cases.
- Build and maintain scalable software architectures that enhance the performance and usability of Planet’s products.
- Implement automatic recurring processes and workflows to support large-scale data deliveries and complex geospatial analyses.
- Drive the continuous improvement of internal tools and processes to optimize operational efficiency.
- Support and guide the adoption of Planet’s products through technical contributions, including writing code samples, developing tutorials, and providing technical expertise.
- Assist in scoping new projects and in providing technical feedback on proposals
- Package and support deployment of releases. Prepare reports, manuals, and other documentation on the status, operation, and maintenance of software, as needed
- Analyze and resolve technical and application problems
- Influence the direction of Planet’s products and offerings by gathering insights from customer projects and the user community.
What You Bring:
- 2+ years of experience in a software engineering role, preferably in a geospatial or data-intensive environment.
- Proven programming skills in Python, including experience with building data pipelines, developing APIs, and automating data workflows.
- Familiarity with cloud-based architectures, containerization, and continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) processes.
- Experience with geospatial libraries and tools (e.g., GDAL, QGIS, Esri software) and the ability to manipulate vector and raster data.
- Experience with Linux systems and shell scripting.
- Demonstrated ability to translate technical requirements into scalable software solutions.
- Excellent problem-solving skills and a passion for innovation.
- Experience articulating complex technical concepts to diverse audiences.
- Experience using JIRA or similar issue tracking software
- Degree in GIS, Computer Science, Remote Sensing, Geography or a related field.
What Makes You Stand Out:
- Ability to quickly learn unfamiliar systems & code bases
- Knowledge of machine learning applications is a plus.
- Experience handling stressful situations calmly
- Ideas for new applications and processes that can improve operations
- Excellent communication skills; whether meeting with a customer's commercial leadership or their engineering team, you communicate effectively and clearly
- Experience debugging & triaging complex problems is outstanding
- Experience working both independently and as part of a team
Benefits While Working at Planet:
- Generous time off including vacation, holidays and company global days off
- Comprehensive Leave Policies
- Remote friendly work environment
- Employee Wellness Program
- Home Office Reimbursement
- Monthly benefit to choose from a variety of providers (Urban Sports Club, Groceries, Clothes, Entertainment, Transportation...)*
- Monthly Phone and Internet Reimbursement
- Tuition Reimbursement and access to LinkedIn Learning
- Equity Options*
- Volunteering Benefits
*Benefit, amount, and type are dependent on geographical location, based upon applicable law or company policy
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 with diversity, equity and inclusion. 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 accommodations@planet.com 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.