Balloon Pilot Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

The Mission

At Aerostar, a business unit of TCOM LP, we aren’t just launching balloons; we’re providing a vantage point that changes how industries see the world. As our Staff Solutions Engineer, you will be the technical bridge between our stratospheric balloon technology and the real-world challenges of our customers. You’ll sit at the intersection of high-altitude hardware, data delivery, and market strategy.

The Role

This is not a "behind-the-desk" engineering role. You are a problem-solver who thrives on customer interaction. You will work directly with partners in defense, telecommunications, and environmental monitoring to translate their "what ifs" into "here’s how."

You’ll also be a key voice in our commercial strategy—helping us figure out not just how the tech works, but how we position it to win in a competitive global market.

Relocation may be available.

What You’ll Do

• Architect Solutions: Partner with customers to deeply understand their pain points and design mission profiles using our stratospheric platforms, payloads, and partner technology.
• Bridge the Gap: Translate complex technical requirements from the field into actionable insights for our internal Product and R&D teams.
• Strategic Positioning: Analyze the competitive landscape to help refine our value proposition. You’ll identify where our tech beats the competition and help us lean into those markets.
• Technical Sales Support: Lead technical demonstrations and pilot programs, proving the ROI of "near-space" solutions.
• Mission Design: Oversee the technical feasibility of payload integrations, ensuring customer sensors and tech are optimized for the stratospheric environment.

What We Are Looking For

• Technically Fluent: You have an engineering background (Aerospace, EE, Systems, or similar) and can speak confidently about link budgets, payload integration, and atmospheric conditions.
• Customer-Focused: You enjoy the "discovery" phase—asking the right questions to uncover what a client actually needs versus what they think they want.
• Strategic Thinker: You don’t just build; you look at the market. You understand pricing, competitive models, and how to pitch technology as a business solution.
• The "Plus" Factor (Preferred): You have experience in Commercial Imagery/Remote Sensing. If you’ve sold or integrated SAR, EO/IR, or hyperspectral data, you’ll hit the ground running.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business, or related field preferred
• The best candidates will have a strong background in commercial data sales, and not just from the technical side – from the market and strategy side
• 10+ years job experience preferred, with 4+ years as a technical or business leader
• MBA, PMP, Systems certifications a plus

Physical Requirements & Working Conditions:

• Physical Requirements: Ability to sit, stand, walk, bend, and reach. Reasonable accommodations may be provided for individuals with disabilities.
• Working Conditions: Primarily in a standard office environment, with occasional exposure to production or field operations, including noise, fumes, moving machinery, and varying temperatures.
• Travel: Some travel expected (<50%)

Why Join Us?

The stratosphere is the next great frontier for data and connectivity. You’ll be joining a lean, fast-moving team where your fingerprints will be on every major contract and product pivot we make.

Ready to take our solutions to 60,000 feet? Let’s talk.

TCOM offers a variety of benefits, including health and disability insurance, 401(k) match, flexible spending accounts/HSAs, EAP, tuition reimbursement, parental leave, paid time off (PTO), and company-paid holidays. The specific programs, options and eligibility may vary depending on date of hire, classification, and schedule type.