Vice President Defense and Intelligence Engineering

Who you are

• 15+ years of experience in software engineering and systems architecture, with a focus on high-scale data, computer vision, or geospatial applications
• 8+ years of direct experience leading and scaling multi-disciplinary engineering organizations (software, data/ML, platform, and cloud infrastructure)
• Direct experience managing engineering teams, software build pipelines, and data handling governed by International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR)
• Track record of architecting, building, and operating end-to-end dual-use or defense software applications (such as domain awareness, automated change detection, or spatial monitoring platforms) at scale
• Active high-level government security clearance, or eligibility to obtain top-secret clearance upon hire
• Deep technical expertise in distributed cloud architectures, high-throughput data processing pipelines, API infrastructure, and machine learning model integration
• Ability to drive software delivery metrics, maintain high operational availability/SLAs, and establish rigorous engineering practices
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Data Science, or a related technical field (or equivalent practical experience)
• Master’s degree or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Machine Learning, or a relevant technical discipline
• Direct engineering experience building foundation models for remote sensing use cases, agentic platforms, or automated tip-and-cue execution loops
• Background in developing software for secure government environments, air-gapped systems, or sovereign cloud deployments (e.g., AWS GovCloud/C2S)
• Experience in multi-sensor data fusion workflows, including optical satellite imagery and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR)
• If this job intrigues you, but you’re thinking you might not have all the qualifications, please... do apply

What the job involves

• As the Vice President of Defense and Intelligence (D&I) Solutions Engineering, you will lead, scale, and direct the software engineering organization responsible for building Planet’s end-to-end dual-use products and applications
• You will own the technical architecture, systems development, and operational delivery of flagship dual-use products—such as Global Monitoring Service (GMS), Marine Domain Awareness (MDA), automated change detection feeds, and agentic workflows
• In this executive engineering role, you will lead multi-disciplinary teams across software, architecture, AI/ML, analytics, and forward deployed engineering
• You will partner directly with Product Management, Core Platform Engineering, and Executive Leadership to transform raw satellite imagery and API services into scalable, mission-critical dual-use software solutions
• You will oversee system availability, performance SLAs, and ITAR-compliant deployment pipelines, serving as the senior engineering authority for Planet’s defense and intelligence software portfolio
• Ideal candidates are visionary engineering leaders passionate about delivering impactful geospatial solutions
• Engineering Leadership & Delivery: Lead, mentor, and scale multi-disciplinary software engineering teams (software, data/ML, platform, and infrastructure) tasked with building and maintaining end-to-end dual-use products like Global Monitoring Service (GMS) and Marine Domain Awareness (MDA)
• Architecture & Systems Design: Define the software architecture, data models, and technical standards required to deliver high-throughput geospatial analytics, real-time alerting, and automated detection platforms at scale
• Trade & Regulatory Compliance: Oversee engineering development standards and deployment pipelines to ensure full technical compliance with International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR)
• Product Co-Development: Partner with Product Management to translate high-level market vision and defense mission requirements into scalable engineering roadmaps, system designs, and execution sprints
• AI & Agent Integration: Direct the technical integration of advanced machine learning models, analytics, and agentic workflows into Planet's dual use product stack
• Operational Excellence: Drive software engineering metrics, system reliability, low-latency processing, and secure cloud deployment architectures across commercial and sovereign environments

The application process

• Application Deadline: November 28, 2026 at 11:59p PT

Benefits

• Comprehensive health plan
• Wellness program and massages
• Flexible time off
• Recognition programs
• Commuter benefits
• Learning and tuition reimbursement
• Parental leave
• Offsites and happy hours
• Volunteering benefits