Remote New

Staff Software Engineer, Strategic Customer Engagements

Planet Labs PBC
parental leave, paid time off, tuition reimbursement
United States
Jul 08, 2025
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: We are seeking a highly experienced Staff Software Engineer to lead the development of transformative solutions for our most strategic accounts, starting with our Global Defense and Security customers. Unlike traditional engineering roles, you will be embedded with key partners, acting as a technical leader and hands-on builder while collaborating closely with a team of engineers. Your mission will be to tackle complex, mission-critical customer challenges, translating ambiguity into high-impact software solutions. You will have the autonomy to define, design, and build what is needed, often inventing new capabilities in the field that may later become core product features. Your contributions will directly enable us to deliver on critical customer commitments while laying the groundwork for future market expansion. By demonstrating immediate, significant value, you will help secure larger, multi-year contracts and transform promising capabilities into impactful products that exceed customer expectations. This role is ideal for an individual contributor who enjoys dynamic environments and likes taking ownership from concept to delivery while guiding and elevating the team around them. This is a full-time, remote position based in the United States. If located near an office, you are expected to work from that office 3 days per week. Impact You'll Own: Own end-to-end problem-solving with your engineering team: from discovery and decomposition to designing, building, and deploying bespoke solutions for customer challenges. Architect, design, and develop robust, full-stack software, including front-end, back-end, data integration, cloud infrastructure (e.g., AWS), and CI/CD pipelines. Engage directly with customers, conducting technical discovery and translating operational challenges into clear technical requirements and compelling solutions. Embrace rapid iteration to deliver value quickly, adapting to evolving requirements with a bias for action. Provide technical leadership and mentorship within your team, fostering a collaborative, "player/coach" environment. Identify reusable patterns in customer solutions to inform broader platform development. Ensure measurable, real-world outcomes that build trust and secure long-term partnerships. Support pre-sales efforts by engaging in technical discovery and contributing to solution proposals. Deliver critical commitments on time, understanding their direct impact on customer relationships and business objectives. What You Bring: 12+ years of relevant work experience in software engineering or in an equivalent technical role. Expert with geospatial software development and concepts (e.g. Rasterio, Fiona, Shapely, OpenLayers, GDAL) Expert-level full-stack development skills with hands-on experience across languages (e.g., Java, Python, React) and modern cloud environments. Excellent customer engagement skills, capable of communicating complex technical concepts to diverse audiences, including senior executives. Self-motivated with an ability to operate autonomously in high-pressure, ambiguous environments. Experience with fast, iterative, and at times ambiguous development cycles and ability to adapt to shifting requirements. Ability to dedicate full-time focus to this critical project, with occasional early morning or evening engagements to align with US/EU teams and customers. What Makes You Stand Out: Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance. Application Deadline: September 30, 2025 by 11:59 PM PDT Benefits While Working at Planet: These offerings are dependent on employment type and geographical location, based upon applicable law or company policy. Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision plans Health Savings Account (HSA) with a company contribution Generous Paid Time Off in addition to holidays and company-wide days off 16 Weeks of Paid Parental Leave Wellness Program and Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Home Office Reimbursement Monthly Phone and Internet Reimbursement Tuition Reimbursement and access to LinkedIn Learning Equity Commuter Benefits (if local to an office) Volunteering Paid Time Off Compensation: The US base salary range for this full-time position at the commencement of employment is listed below. Additionally, this role might be eligible for discretionary short-term and long-term incentives (bonus and equity). 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. New York City + California Salary Range $193,700 — $242,100 USD San Francisco Salary Range $205,800 — $257,200 USD US National Salary Range $180,700 — $225,900 USD 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. 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.