Staff Software Engineer - Strategic Customer Engagements
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
About the job
Apply for this position
Staff Software Engineer - Strategic Customer Engagements
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