WindBorne Systems is supercharging weather models with a unique proprietary data source: a global constellation of next-generation smart weather balloons targeting the most critical atmospheric data. We design, manufacture, and operate our own balloons, using the data they collect to generate otherwise unattainable weather intelligence.

Our mission is to eliminate weather uncertainty, and in the process help humanity adapt to climate change, be that predicting hurricanes or speeding the adoption of renewables. We are building a future in which the planet is instrumented by thousands of our microballoons, eliminating gaps in our understanding of the planet and giving people and businesses the information they need to make critical decisions. The founding team of Stanford engineers was named Forbes 2019 30 under 30 and is backed by top investors including Khosla Ventures.

Do you delight in pushing systems to their absolute limits? In contorting boundaries to accomplish deranged behavior no one else would have considered possible? Are you a fan of

• Turing-complete powerpoint
• Flappy bird in Figma
• Doom on potatoes
• Minecraft with CSS

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Then you might be the right fit for WindBorne System’s Forward Deployed Special Operations Flight Control Engineer. 

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WindBorne Systems operates the world's largest constellation of autonomous weather balloons. We achieve full atmospheric coverage by launching balloons spread across time and space, but sometimes need to navigate them to specific locations—like into the eye of a hurricane.

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"Wait, how do you navigate balloons without propulsion?" Balloons navigate by controlling their altitude—dropping ballast or venting gas to ascend or descend. If you know wind speed and direction at different altitudes, you can go anywhere in the world.

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This demands expertise in simulations, atmospheric conditions, and telemetry monitoring. To navigate successfully, you must create a mental model of the wind field and combine it with knowledge of the balloon's physical properties and current state. This isn't like driving a car with predictable inputs and outputs—you're pushing a non-propulsion system to its physical limits.

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If this was easy, we'd have automated it. We need someone to operate at the boundary of automation where human skill and intuition genuinely outperform code.

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You're not expected to know anything about balloons (why would you?), but you should be confident building intuition at the intersection of balloon physics, flight control logic, and human systems. This intuition will be critical for navigating the idiosyncrasies of our operations.

• Serve as a primary flight controller for WindBorne’s constellation of balloons
• Interface directly with customers and fulfill real-time operational requests 
• Serve as the main point of contact for flight anomaly resolutions and day-to-day flight operations
• Lean into chaos and adapt operations to daily changes in platform hardware, software, and process
• Use software, electrical, and mechanical system knowledge to provide guidance to engineering teams as they troubleshoot and resolve issues in a fast-paced environment

Preferred Skills 

• Self-directed learning in ambiguous, low-structure environments
• Strong work ethic and drive for constant improvement, balanced with the ability to work effectively in a team environment
• Ability to prioritize and execute tasks in a high-pressure, fast paced environment
• Excellent communication skills (oral and written) and the ability to clearly and concisely articulate complex problems to a wide variety of audiences

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Additional Requirements

• American Citizen
• Willing to get security clearance
• Must be willing to work weekends and night shifts as operational needs dictate

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Vision insurance
• Unlimited PTO
• Stock Option Plan
• Office food and beverages

Palo Alto, CA or Remote