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Ground Control Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

SAIC

Ground Systems Engineer

Chantilly, VA

$200K - $240K/yr

Desired: • Familiarity with ground control systems, satellite operations, mission management systems, and command-and-control architectures. Target salary range: $200,001 - $240,000. The estimate ...

LV8D Solutions

Ground Systems Engineer

Chantilly, VA · On-site

Familiarity with ground control systems, satellite operations, mission management systems, and command-and-control architectures. Benefits Performance & Recognition Period of Performance (PoP) Bonus ...

LV8D Solutions

Ground Systems Engineer

Chantilly, VA · On-site

Familiarity with ground control systems, satellite operations, mission management systems, and command-and-control architectures. Benefits Performance & Recognition Period of Performance (PoP) Bonus ...

FTS International LLC

Ground Systems Engineer

Chantilly, VA · On-site

$149K - $170K/yr

Familiarity with ground control systems, satellite operations, mission management systems, and command-and-control architectures Expected Salary Range: $149,000 - $170,000 per year. Placement within ...

SAIC

Ground Systems Engineer

Chantilly, VA · On-site

$200K - $240K/yr

Familiarity with ground control systems, satellite operations, mission management systems, and command-and-control architectures. Target salary range: $200,001 - $240,000. The estimate displayed ...

SAIC

Ground Systems Engineer

Chantilly, VA · On-site

$200K - $240K/yr

Desired: • Familiarity with ground control systems, satellite operations, mission management systems, and command-and-control architectures. Target salary range: $200,001 - $240,000. The estimate ...

Cydecor, Inc

$98K - $130K/yr

Support development and integration of ground control software for mission planning, execution, and system monitoring. * Develop user interfaces using the Qt/QML framework. * Implement Python scripts ...

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Ground Control information

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$12

$24

$38

How much do ground control jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 8, 2026, the average hourly pay for ground control in Virginia is $24.23, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $17.88 and $30.29 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the typical responsibilities of ground control during a shift?

As a Ground Control professional, your main responsibilities include coordinating the movement of aircraft between gates, taxiways, and runways to ensure safe and orderly ground traffic. You will communicate closely with airline personnel, pilots, ramp agents, and other air traffic controllers to manage arrivals, departures, and any unexpected events such as weather disruptions or technical issues. A typical shift involves constant monitoring of ground operations, using radio and computer systems, and quick decision-making to resolve conflicts. This role is often performed as part of a larger team within an airport control tower or operations center, where strong collaboration and attention to protocol are key to maintaining safety and efficiency.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in ground control, and why are they important?

To thrive as Ground Control, you need strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and a solid understanding of aviation operations, typically supported by relevant training or certification in air traffic or ground operations. Familiarity with communication systems, radar technology, flight tracking software, and adherence to safety protocols is crucial. Effective teamwork, clear communication, and the ability to remain calm under pressure are vital soft skills for this role. These competencies ensure safe and efficient coordination of aircraft movements on the ground and minimize any risk of accidents or delays.

What is ground control?

A Ground Control job involves monitoring and managing ground-based operations to ensure communication, safety, and efficiency. Responsibilities may include overseeing air or space traffic, coordinating logistics, and maintaining communication between teams. Ground Control personnel work in industries such as aviation, space exploration, and military operations. They play a critical role in ensuring smooth and safe operations by responding to incidents, analyzing data, and following protocols. This role requires strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and the ability to work in high-pressure environments.

What are the most commonly searched types of Ground Control jobs in Virginia? The most popular types of Ground Control jobs in Virginia are:
What are popular job titles related to Ground Control jobs in Virginia? For Ground Control jobs in Virginia, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Ground Control jobs in Virginia look for? The top searched job categories for Ground Control jobs in Virginia are:
Ground Control jobs near you
Infographic showing various Ground Control job openings in Virginia as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 75% Full Time, 19% Part Time, 4% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 95% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 4% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $50,390 per year, or $24.2 per hour.

Senior Software Engineer, Ground & Control Services

BlackSky

Herndon, VA • On-site

$125K - $165K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 20 days ago

Job description

Job Summary:
BlackSky is a real-time intelligence company that operates a sophisticated space-based intelligence platform, providing satellite imagery and analytics to various clients. They are seeking a Senior Software Engineer to join their Ground & Control team, responsible for developing software that controls and monitors satellite operations. The role involves collaborating with various teams to ensure the safety and efficiency of mission-critical systems.
Responsibilities:
• Design, implement, and maintain software that enables autonomous satellite operations and real-time tasking.
• Develop and integrate services that interface with ground station infrastructure and satellite communication protocols.
• Build software solutions to support satellite tasking and monitoring.
• Collaborate with operations, communication engineers, flight software engineers, mission planning engineers, and other software teams to understand and refine technical requirements.
• Write clean, maintainable code with strong emphasis on safety, test coverage, and reliability.
• Participate in design reviews, code reviews, and team planning discussions.
• Support on-call rotations and troubleshooting of live system operations as needed.
• Anticipated 10-15% travel required to customer site.
• Other job-related duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
Required:
• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, engineering, or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience.
• A minimum of six (6) years of professional software development experience.
• Proficiency in one or more programming languages (e.g. Go, Python, C++).
• Experience developing and deploying microservices in both cloud environments (e.g. AWS, GCS, Azure) and on-premise Kubernetes-based environments.
• Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines, automated testing, and modern version control systems (e.g. Git).
• Strong problem-solving skills and an ability to understand complex systems end to end.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills in a cross-functional team environment.
• Some of the programs this role supports may require being a US-citizen.
Preferred:
• Master’s degree (or higher) in a related technical field.
• At least eight years of professional software development experience.
• Exposure to infrastructure-as-code tools (e.g. Terraform, Ansible) and container orchestration (e.g. Kubernetes, Nomad).
• Understanding of system safety, fault tolerance, and recovery strategies.
• Comfort working in high-availability, mission-critical software environments.
• Prior experience with satellite operations, ground stations, or others aerospace-related domains (e.g. X-Band, UHF, or telemetry).
• Active secret or higher U.S. security clearance.
Company:
BlackSky is a space-based intelligence company that delivers real-time imagery with global rapid revisit, analytics, and high-frequency monitoring of the most critical and strategic locations, economic assets, and events. Founded in 2013, the company is headquartered in Seattle, USA, with a team of 201-500 employees. The company is currently Growth Stage.
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About BlackSky

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Industry

Guided missile and space vehicle manufacturing

Company size

11 - 50 Employees

Headquarters location

Herndon, VA, US

Year founded

2013

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