Mission Operations has such great potential but abhorrent leadership
Pros
I joined York excited to contribute to real satellite missions and be part of a fast-paced team pushing the boundaries of space technology. The promise of end-to-end involvement—from design to launch to on-orbit ops—was incredibly appealing. And to be fair, that part is real. You do get hands-on experience supporting actual missions, which is more than many companies can offer. The team at the ground level—engineers, analysts, and operators—are some of the most capable and passionate people I’ve worked with. Unfortunately, that’s where the positives end.
Cons
The Operations department is run with poor oversight and even worse communication. Leadership decisions often feel arbitrary, last-minute, and disconnected from reality. There’s little trust from the top down, and it shows in how feedback is ignored and how often employees are micromanaged. The lack of process or structure makes mission execution more stressful than it needs to be. We were often left scrambling with minimal resources or planning—band-aiding major issues because leadership wanted things done “fast” rather than “right.” It’s disheartening to work long hours and pour everything into a mission only to feel disposable or unrecognized. Annual bonuses delayed or withheld all together, no pay for forced overtime, and illegal firing practices. Several colleagues quietly left due to burnout or frustration, and their departures were shrugged off. Culture-wise, morale is low and there’s an unspoken understanding that if you question things, you're seen as a problem. They will ask you to risk your clearance and withhold or outright lie to the government, its a dangerous game.
