About Capella Space

Capella Space is a pioneer in Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite technology and space-based signal intelligence. We empower government, commercial, and research organizations around the world with high-resolution, timely Earth insights that drive better decisions - across defense and intelligence, disaster response, infrastructure monitoring, environmental protection, energy, and more.

As a U.S.-based company, Capella designs, builds, and operates an advanced constellation of commercial SAR satellites in orbit today. Our satellites are backed by a fully automated tasking, collection, and delivery platform, delivering fast, reliable insights when and where our customers need them most. As a subsidiary of IonQ, a global leader in quantum computing, Capella is charting the future of Earth observation. Together, we’re on a mission to bring quantum computing to space - unlocking ultra-secure, encrypted uplink and downlink capabilities, reducing latency, and enabling powerful on-orbit analytics. This visionary integration of advanced remote sensing and quantum technology will support customers with the highest level of data fidelity, security, and speed.

Capella was named one of Fast Company’s 10 Most Innovative Companies in Space in 2023 and is a trusted partner of the U.S. Space Force, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, NASA, the National Reconnaissance Office, and allied government agencies worldwide. Built In recognized IonQ on three of its 2025 Best Places to Work lists.

What Makes Capella Unique?

At Capella, we don’t just imagine what’s possible - we build it. We’re a mission-driven team fueled by curiosity, grit, and a shared commitment to redefining the limits of space innovation. Our environment is fast paced, rooted in humble collaboration. Every team member plays a critical role in shaping the future of our technology and our industry. If you're ready to roll up your sleeves and help solve problems that others call impossible—we're the place for you. We believe great ideas can come from anywhere, and we thrive on diverse perspectives that help us move faster, think deeper, and push the boundaries of innovation. Whether you're new to the space industry or a seasoned expert, you'll find a team that values creativity, integrity, and bold thinking. Join us as we build the future of SAR—and take quantum to space.

About the Team
Capella builds the world’s most advanced SAR satellites to unlock global insight, accelerating decisions that protect people, assets, and the planet. The Future Capabilities team pushes the boundaries of what can be measured and delivered. This ranges from building enhanced imagery products such as colorized subaperture imagery, formulating the mission requirements for InSAR and CCD collections, and prototyping new processing pipelines. We collaborate with customers to ensure data meets their needs while developing new missions, systems, and collection modalities that extend Capella’s impact.

Role Summary:
A Signal Processing Engineer at Capella is expected to bring deep expertise in advanced signal processing across SAR, InSAR, and RF domains. This role spans from architecting scalable DevOps pipelines and performing RF signal analysis, to supporting and advancing InSAR capabilities. The engineer will contribute to the development of novel processing methods, ensure data quality at scale, and serve as the technical lead for workflow design and automation. This position requires broad technical mastery and the ability to collaborate across satellite systems, operations, and imagery product teams to deliver groundbreaking capabilities to customers.

Areas of Responsibility:

• Lead design and implementation of scalable ELT pipelines for SAR and metadata products
• Perform advanced RF signal analysis and troubleshooting across payload and ground systems
• Support development and validation of InSAR and SAR data products at scale
• Prototype and evaluate new algorithms for next-generation signal processing capabilities
• Define quality assurance standards and methodologies for signal processing workflows
• Serve as the DevOps technical lead on project teams, ensuring reliable and efficient operations
• Provide senior technical guidance and mentorship within the Future Capabilities team

Requirements:

• 7+ years of professional experience in signal processing (SAR, InSAR, RF systems, or related fields)
• Advanced proficiency in Python, Git, and Linux
• Strong experience with AWS-based development and operations
• Expertise in SQL databases and scalable ELT data pipeline development
• Demonstrated ability to architect and optimize large-scale data workflows
• Excellent communication skills and proven ability to collaborate across multidisciplinary teams
• Master’s degree or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or equivalent technical field, or comparable professional experience

Preferred:

• Experience with project management and collaboration tools (JIRA, Confluence)
• Familiarity with GIS systems, geospatial standards, and remote sensing products
• Proficiency with GPU programming and/or high-performance computing environments
• Track record of innovation in SAR or related remote sensing domains

Compensation

The annual salary range for this role as it is posted is $162,355.00 - $202,944.00. The final job level and annual salary will be determined based on the education, qualification, knowledge, skills, ability, and experience of the final candidate(s), specific office location and calibrated against relevant market data and internal team equity. Benefits listed in this posting may vary depending on the nature of your employment with Capella Space.

Benefits/Perks

In addition to an opportunity to take part in an innovative, collaborative and fast-growing business with a highly motivated and skilled team, we also take pride in taking care of our employees. Here are just a few ways that we show our appreciation:

• We provide extensive medical coverage, including strong vision and dental plans, flexible spending accounts, and additional supplemental health options.
• Paid Flexible Time Off Policy
• 401K Plan to invest in your long-term retirement goals
• Parental Leave program
• Lifestyle Spending Account
• Commuter & Parking Benefits
• Mental Health Resources
• Monthly Phone Stipend
• Furry friends? We’ve got you covered with dog-friendly work environment & them with pet insurance options

Equal Opportunity Statement

Capella Space is an equal opportunity employer, committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace, and upholding equitable hiring practices.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic under federal, state, or local law, including those with a criminal history, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the CA Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance. We actively encourage members of recognized minorities, women, Veterans, and those with disabilities to apply, and we work to create a welcoming and supportive environment for all applicants throughout the interview process. If you need assistance or require an accommodation during the job application process, please notify recruiting@capellaspace.com

To learn more about us, explore our site: https://www.capellaspace.com/ and follow us on X and LinkedIn to see our SAR imagery!