Solutions Architect Deployment Strategist

About Planet

Planet is built around a simple idea: using space-based technology to improve life on Earth. The company develops and operates the world’s largest fleet of imaging satellites, turning that capability into a powerful cloud platform that delivers large-scale, real-world data for commercial, environmental, and humanitarian use cases. Planet combines hardware, software, manufacturing, and data processing expertise under one roof.

The organization has a global, people-first culture and supports remote employees across multiple regions, while also operating from offices in San Francisco, Washington DC, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, and the Netherlands.

Role Overview

Planet’s Professional Services team supports Defense and Intelligence customers in adopting the Planet Platform and realizing value from Planet data and analytics as quickly as possible. The Global D&I team is hiring a Solutions Architect to lead implementation, integration, and analysis work for new software and data products that extend the platform and unlock additional capabilities for strategic customers.

In this position, you will work directly with the customer, helping train users, convert business and mission needs into technical requirements, shape workflows, and relay mission-critical feedback to Planet’s product organization. The role is highly visible and has a direct influence on customer access to Planet’s datasets and on the processes used to onboard new customers.

This is a full-time, in-office role in Abu Dhabi, UAE, with a 5-day onsite schedule at a strategic customer location. The position is contingent upon award.

Key Responsibilities

• Identify customer needs and shape those into practical, customized solutions.
• Break complex, uncertain, and high-impact challenges into clear, solvable parts.
• Use analytical thinking to support mission requirements and deliver products for Defense and Intelligence users.
• Build workflows, define data models, configure integrations, and help establish tooling that supports the customer mission.
• Train end users, adjust solutions in real time, and help embed Planet tools into daily operations.
• Convert operational needs into concrete feedback for internal engineering teams.
• Explain technical capabilities to customers in a clear, mission-oriented way.
• Create rapid prototypes, test them, and refine workflows based on actual operational use.
• Work alongside analysts and decision makers to map strategy and troubleshoot workflows.
• Partner closely with customer teams to understand their processes, pain points, and mission priorities.

Required Background

• A bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related field.
• At least 4 years of experience supporting Defense and Intelligence customers, including technical work in systems integration.
• Strong hands-on knowledge of Golang, Python, PostgreSQL, and React, or similar technologies.
• Experience deploying solutions in cloud environments such as GCP, AWS, or Azure.
• Strong systems thinking and problem-solving ability.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to learn unfamiliar technical domains and tools quickly.
• Comfort working in ambiguous and high-pressure situations.
• Strong curiosity and willingness to get into operational detail.
• Ability to translate effectively between technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Experience solving difficult problems through analytical methods.
• Background in scaling and maintaining production systems.

Preferred Experience

• Prior work with defense and intelligence organizations in the UAE.
• Systems integration experience in multi-domain or multi-level security environments, especially within Defense and Intelligence.
• Working knowledge of JavaScript mapping libraries such as OpenLayers, Leaflet, or the ArcGIS API for JavaScript, as well as Google Earth Engine and its SDK.
• Experience with relational databases such as PostgreSQL and SQL, plus distributed databases or NoSQL systems.
• Exposure to geopolitics and data science.
• Ability to adopt new technologies rapidly.
• Experience creating analytical products from complex datasets.
• Background in geospatial tools and data.
• GEOINT, imagery exploitation, and analysis experience.
• Ability to work across multiple languages.

Benefits

• Paid time off, including vacation, public holidays, and company-wide days off.
• Employee Wellness Program.
• Home office reimbursement.
• Monthly reimbursement for phone and internet expenses.
• Tuition reimbursement plus access to LinkedIn Learning.
• Equity participation.
• Paid time off for volunteering.

Additional Information

The application deadline is February 20, 2026 at 11:59 PM PST.

Hiring and compensation-related benefits may vary depending on employment type, location, and applicable law or company policy.

Applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered in line with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance.

Planet is committed to belonging, inclusion, and equal opportunity. Candidates from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodations are available during the hiring process for applicants with disabilities or special needs. Accommodation requests may be sent to the company’s recruiting team and will be handled confidentially.

By submitting an application, candidates acknowledge the company’s privacy notices for California staff/applicants and for European applicants, and consent to the collection, processing, use, and storage of their personal information as described in those notices.

Planet may use AI-enabled note-taking tools in select interviews, with candidate consent and the option to opt out without affecting candidacy. During live interview stages or active assessments for this role, use of AI tools is prohibited unless explicitly permitted by the interviewer or assessment instructions. Violations may lead to disqualification.

If this opportunity interests you but you do not meet every qualification, Planet encourages you to apply. The company values diverse backgrounds, broad experience, and a mission-driven mindset.

This role is tied to a strategic customer location in Abu Dhabi and requires working onsite five days a week.