Mission Operations Engineer - New Grad (Summer 2027)

About the job

About Nominal
Nominal is building the connected test and operations platform powering the world's most advanced hardware systems, from spacecraft and autonomous vehicles to next-generation defense programs. Our platform gives hardware engineering teams a single place to ingest data, analyze performance, automate test execution, and collaborate across every phase of development, so they can move faster without sacrificing safety or precision. We're a fast-moving team that owns problems end-to-end, works across disciplines, and thrives at the intersection of hardware and software.
We serve top-tier commercial and defense customers, from autonomy leaders like Anduril and Shield AI to next-generation aerospace teams like Hermeus and REGENT, and performance engineering teams like Pratt Miller Motorsports, alongside mission partners within the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force on programs where failure isn’t an option. We’re backed by Sequoia, General Catalyst, Founders Fund, Lux Capital, and Lightspeed. Our team draws from SpaceX, Palantir, Anduril, Applied Intuition, and other leading companies, united by a common mission: giving hardware engineers the tools to build the future with speed, safety, and confidence.
The role
We’re looking for students with solid engineering fundamentals on track to graduate in Summer 2027 or sooner.
As a Mission Ops Engineer, you'll be the person on the ground helping customers deploy Nominal's platform into their test and operations environments — propulsion test stands, satellite mission ops, flight test, and similar high-stakes settings. You'll train users, troubleshoot issues in real time, and build the relationships that turn a deployment into a long-term partnership.
🚀 What you’ll do
Write code to ingest and normalize customer data from test stands, DAQs, telemetry streams, and other hardware sources
Build custom apps, dashboards, and workflows on Nominal's platform for each customer's specific needs
Own outcomes for a set of customer accounts: run discovery to understand their test problems, then deliver solutions that stick
Build trusted relationships with engineers and operators, and train their teams as they bring Nominal into daily use
Debug issues across the stack in real time, and know when to solve something yourself versus pull in the broader team
Turn patterns you see across customers into clear input for the product and engineering teams
🎯 Reach out if…
You're graduating in Summer 2027 or sooner and are interested in a full-time position
You have hands-on experience with hardware systems — test stands, robotics, aerospace, automotive, or similar — through internships, personal projects, research, or coursework
You can write code (Python or similar) to work with real-world data, whether that's parsing sensor logs, building data pipelines, or automating analysis
You communicate clearly and can explain technical ideas to people who aren't engineers
You're comfortable working through open-ended problems in unfamiliar environments
You're willing to travel occasionally to be on-site with customers
You have a genuine interest in hardware testing and the industries Nominal serves
⚡ Bonus
Experience with data acquisition or hardware tools (DAQs, LabVIEW, MATLAB/Simulink) or data tools (SQL, Python, Pandas, Grafana)
Prior customer-facing, account management, or technical support experience
✨ Benefits/Perks
100% coverage of medical, dental, and vision insurance
Unlimited PTO and sick leave
Free lunch, snacks, and coffee
Professional Development Stipend
401k Plan
In-office hardware lab with a $250 project stipend
Annual company retreat
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.
ITAR Requirements
To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR
here
.