Sr. Director of Mission Systems & Operations (NASA LTVS Contingent)
Astrolab
Operations
Houston, TX, USA
USD 215k-300k / year + Equity
Posted on Sep 19, 2025
Venturi Astrolab is building the next generation of planetary rovers and mission systems to support human exploration and settlement beyond Earth. Our FLEX rover will deliver unprecedented capability on the lunar surface and pave the way for sustainable off-world operations. We are seeking a seasoned leader to architect and own the mission systems and operations that will bring these vehicles to life.
The Sr. Director of Mission Systems & Operations will be responsible for designing and operating Astrolab’s mission-critical ground infrastructure and leading mission operations strategy. This role will serve as the primary interface with NASA and commercial partners on mission operations, training, and crew readiness, while also establishing Astrolab’s Houston-based operations presence at the Texas Space Institute. The successful candidate will combine vision and hands-on leadership to build a world-class operations function for Astrolab’s lunar missions.
*Employment in this role is contingent on Astrolab being selected as a winner of NASA’s LTVS program, scheduled for announcement on November 15, 2025.
- Department
- Program Management
- Employment Type
- Full Time
- Location
- Houston, TX
- Workplace type
- Onsite
- Compensation
- $215,000 - $300,000 / year
- Reporting To
- Jaret Matthews
What You'll Do:
- Architect mission-critical ground infrastructure, either with providers or in-house
- Lead ground segment coordination, scheduling, and partner integration
- Manage mission operations, training programs, and simulation exercises (including joint sims)
- Own operations infrastructure, including the Astrolab Control Center, comms, and voice loops
- Act as primary interface to NASA on mission ops, ops training, crew training, and ground segment topics
- Provide technical input on rover communications systems
What’s Prepared You:
- BA degree in a STEM field required
- 15+ years of experience in mission operations, ground systems, or related aerospace fields
- Proven success building and operating mission-critical ground infrastructure
- Strong background in mission operations, training, and simulation exercises
- Direct experience interfacing with NASA and commercial partners
- Technical expertise in communications systems and ground segment integration
- Track record of building and leading high-performance teams
What We Offer:
- Join a team of best-in-class engineers building the foundation of planetary surface exploration
- Equity ownership in the company
- Comprehensive health benefits, including medical, dental, vision, and mental health support
- 401(k) plan with company match
- Flexible PTO and parental leave
- Home office set-up reimbursement
- Fully flexible and remote-friendly work environment
- Weekly lunch stipend, plus complimentary snacks and beverages on-site
- Twice a month social hour on-site with food and drinks
About Astrolab
Having a strong, inclusive, and inspired team is essential to accomplishing our bold mission. Employees are our biggest asset, and we are deeply committed to them and our values. At Astrolab we…
Demonstrate and inspire trust. Interactions are direct, honest, and respectful. We are fair and transparent with what we do and why.
Thrive in balance. Balance gives us perspective and keeps us motivated and inspired. We commit to rewarding work and a fulfilling personal life.
Seek diverse perspectives. We ask questions, engage in productive debate and offer alternatives to ensure our solutions and products are robust and a reflection of our collective best.
Move with purpose. Quality and reliability are accomplished through efficient ideation and iteration. We act with a sense of urgency and deliver what we promise, always with the big picture in mind.
Make an impact. We intentionally move our community and industry into the future through our work, practices, and actions.
Our Hiring Process
Stage 1:
Application Review
Stage 2:
Recruiter Phone Interview
Stage 3:
Video Interviews
Stage 4:
On-site Interview
Astrolab is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. We are committed to equal opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, gender, gender identity, parental or pregnancy status, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, or veteran status. If you need assistance and/or reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please send a request to careers@astrolab.space. We strive to remove unconscious and unnecessary barriers to build the best team. While we’ve outlined what an ideal candidate could look like, we know that you may bring something unanticipated and essential to the team. If you’re reading this and can see yourself contributing, please register below.
