Professional Services Manager, Federal at Planet

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, and The Netherlands.

About the Role:  

The Professional Services Manager is an experienced technologist who works with customers to make them successful users of Planet's product offerings.  As a respected thought leader and manager, the position provides active management and technical oversight for a regional Professional Services team, and leads customer engagements to successful outcomes.  From a technical standpoint they are an exemplary engineer and their efforts are directly visible to customers and stakeholders within Planet.  

Impact You’ll Own:

Manages a team of Professional Services Solutions and Software Engineers

Applies expertise in remote sensing and geospatial technologies to help Planet’s Professional Services customers be successful in their adoption of the Planet Platform

Leads the technical delivery of solutions to Planet’s customers: aligns Professional Services projects to customer business and technology requirements and delivers exceptional customer value

Owns the technical oversight of multiple major projects with high visibility across Planet.  Takes on the work of project management and process oversight as needed.  Leads the technical delivery of projects on time and under budget

Champions processes (scrum, test driven development, source control etc)

Writes technical specifications and identifies risks before starting major projects.  Goes out of the way to reduce complexity.  Identifies problems with project requirements and helps the team course-correct around issues.

Clearly communicates project timelines, scope and risks to the team

Assists in scoping new projects and in technical writing for proposals and project reports

Performs advanced design and implementation of Professional Services software solutions.  Builds software tools, applications and customer demonstrations using Planet’s APIs and analytics endpoints

Owns the customer success lifecycle for Professional Services engagements, from scoping and discovery, to project execution and delivery.  On any day, the Team Lead may find themselves writing requirements documents, applying expertise in data analytics, collaborating with software engineers, leading a training event, or delivering solutions to a client

Champions Planet’s products and offerings in-person and via online assistance by providing training, presenting at conferences, writing technical tutorials, and publishing articles and videos

Leads CRADA efforts in collaboration with the Federal Sales and CSM team

Collaborates with Sales to help close business opportunities, growing Planet’s customer base and usage of Planet data across vertical markets

Influences the direction of Planet’s products and offerings by gathering insights from customer engagements and the user community

Interacts and engages with users in Planet’s Education and Research program to source novel customer applications and unique insights

What You Bring:

10+ years experience working in a technical geospatial or remote sensing role

Relative managing or leading a team of <6

Familiarity and experience working with DOD/IC community as well as CIV Agencies preferred

Have held/ability to or currently hold a TS or TS/SCI Security Clearance

Extensive experience programming with Python to process imagery, manipulating vector data, interacting with APIs and building data processing pipelines

Expertise with QGIS, Esri software, GDAL or other common geospatial software

Familiarity with cloud-based architectures or machine learning

What Makes You Stand Out:

As a Solutions Engineer, you pride yourself on your problem-solving and analytical skills

As a leader, you are comfortable asserting your technical expertise to drive team direction

You have excellent communication skills and convey complex ideas to others in a concise and clear manner

You are comfortable steering customer technical engagements in the right direction

You have the ability to quickly learn unfamiliar systems & code bases

You can handle the most stressful situations calmly

You often suggest ideas for new applications and processes that can improve operations

You're self-motivated

Your ability to debug & triage complex problems is outstanding

You work well independently or as part of a team

Benefits While Working at Planet:

 

Comprehensive Health Plan

Wellness program and onsite massages in specific offices

Flexible Time Off

Recognition Programs

Commuter Benefits

Learning and Tuition Reimbursement

Parental Leave

Offsites and Happy Hours

Volunteering Benefits

Some Press About Us: 

Our CEO, Will Marshall featured on TED and featured in a Planet Blog

“Planet: Bringing Space Back Down to Earth”

Tiny, privately owned satellites are changing how we view the Earth features in NBC News

“Planet And Rocket Lab Create Mission Patch To Honor Women In Aerospace” —Planet Blog

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. 

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 interview process, please call Planet's front office at 669-214-9404 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.

Compensation (only applicable for Colorado applicants):

The base pay range targeted for this position in Colorado is: $156,600 - $243,900. This role is eligible for equity.

The actual offer, including the compensation package, is determined based on multiple factors, including experience, location, and other business considerations.

Planet is registered as an employer in many, but not all, states. If you are not able to work from a state where Planet is registered, you will not be eligible for employment.

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