Senior Spacecraft Software Systems Engineer

We are seeking a Senior Spacecraft Software Systems Engineer to lead the definition, coordination, verification, and delivery of spacecraft software systems for advanced space observatory missions. This role will support the current mission through design maturity, AI&T, launch readiness, commissioning, and operations, while also helping establish software systems engineering practices for future missions. This is a software-focused systems engineering role with hands-on flight software involvement. The role requires strong technical judgment, requirements ownership, interface discipline, vendor oversight, and end-to-end mission thinking, while also contributing directly to flight software activities where needed. This may include reviewing and developing software requirements, supporting software architecture trades, writing or reviewing scripts and test tools, supporting FSW integration, debugging software-interface issues, reviewing code or software implementation details, contributing to test automation, and supporting software validation in flatsat, simulator, EGSE, AI&T, and operations environments. The role spans flight software behavior, command and telemetry, onboard autonomy, FDIR, software-related ICDs, emulators/simulators/flatsats, verification, operations readiness, and selected hands-on FSW activities. The candidate will translate mission, spacecraft, payload, ground, and operations needs into clear software requirements, interface definitions, command and telemetry products, FDIR behavior, verification plans, test infrastructure, and practical implementation support. The candidate will work closely with spacecraft bus, payload, telescope, instrument, ground system, mission operations, science, AI&T, and vendor teams to ensure software behavior is robust, testable, operationally usable, and aligned with mission success. Key responsibilities for this role include the following: \n Spacecraft Software Systems Engineering Serve as the technical owner for spacecraft software systems engineering across flight software, command and data handling, onboard autonomy, telemetry, command interfaces, and software configuration. Define and maintain software-related spacecraft requirements Ensure traceability across mission, spacecraft, bus, payload, ICD, FDIR, verification, and operational products Identify software-related risks, gaps, ambiguities, and non-compliances Ensure that software behavior supports mission performance, science data handling, timing, data latency, fault response, commandability, observability, commissioning, and operations. Flight Software, FDIR, and Onboard Autonomy Lead or support the definition and review of spacecraft flight software behavior, onboard autonomy, and fault-management functions Help define and verify FDIR behavior, including fault detection, fault isolation, recovery actions, safe modes, survival modes, autonomous responses, inhibit logic, and recovery paths Ensure that fault-management behavior is consistent across the spacecraft bus, telescope, payload, instruments, ground systems, and mission operations, and that it is aligned with power, thermal, attitude, communications, safety, and operational constraints. Hands-On Flight Software Support Contribute directly to selected hands-on flight software activities where needed, in coordination with internal teams, vendors, and mission partners. Support software architecture trades Review implementation details Develop or review scripts and test tools Support software integration Debug interface issues Contribute to test automation Assist with validation in flatsat, simulator, EGSE, AI&T, and operations environments. The role does not require owning all software development, but it does require enough practical FSW experience to make informed technical decisions, identify implementation risks, and support the team through integration and test. Command, Telemetry, and Data Interfaces Own or co-own the development and maintenance of command and telemetry products required for test, operations, and mission execution Lead the development, review, and release of spacecraft telemetry and command dictionaries Coordinate command, telemetry, data handling, timing, and software interface requirements Ensure these products support AI&T, test procedures, health and status monitoring, anomaly investigation, commissioning, routine operations, and future mission reuse ICD and Interface Ownership Support the definition, release, verification, and maintenance of software-related interfaces across the full spacecraft system Own or support software-relevant sections of key ICDs, including Payload–Bus, Payload–Instrument, WCC–Bus AOCS, WCC–FSM, LV–Spacecraft, ground interfaces, and telemetry and command dictionaries Drive closure of software-related TBDs, TBCs, non-compliances, waivers, interface gaps, and open actions, while supporting interface-control discipline, change control, CCB reviews, and configuration management Vendor Technical Leadership Serve as a primary technical interface to spacecraft bus, telescope, instrument, payload, ground-system, and launch vehicle vendors for software-related topics Review vendor software architectures, software requirements, interface definitions, FDIR implementations, command and telemetry databases, test plans, verification evidence, and operations products Ensure vendor software deliveries are aligned with mission requirements, interface requirements, verification plans, AI&T needs, operational needs, and schedule constraints Emulators, Simulators, Flatsat, and AI&T Support Help define and mature the software test infrastructure required for subsystem, payload, spacecraft, and system-level testing Support the definition of emulators, simulators, flatsats, EGSE interfaces, test scripts, telemetry processing tools, and software validation environments Work with the AI&T team to define software integration flows, test readiness criteria, system-level test cases, verification methods, and test procedure content for command paths, telemetry paths, data handling, timing, FDIR, mode transitions, commissioning sequences, and operational scenarios Verification, Validation, and Operations Readiness Support the development and execution of software-related verification and validation activities across the program lifecycle Define verification methods and success criteria for software-related requirements Develop or review test plans, procedures, scripts, analyses, inspections, and acceptance criteria Support validation of flight software behavior, FDIR, command and telemetry products, data handling, timing, autonomy, mode transitions, and ground-spacecraft interfaces Support commissioning and operations readiness by ensuring software products are validated, configuration-controlled, usable by the operations team, and ready to support flight Future Mission and Architecture Support Help establish reusable software systems engineering practices for future missions Support early architecture trades, proposal development, technical assessments, and internal standards for flight software requirements, command and telemetry products, FDIR architecture, software ICDs, flatsat and emulator strategies, software V&V, release management, and operations readiness Cross-Functional Collaboration Work closely with systems engineering, electrical engineering, AI&T, GN&C, payload engineering, instrument teams, telescope teams, mission operations, ground systems, science teams, vendors, and contractors. Communicate complex software and system behavior clearly Prepare concise technical summaries and decision packages Proactively lead practical solutions to technical risks, interface gaps, vendor issues, and program execution challenges Expected Contributions The Senior Spacecraft Software Systems Engineer will contribute across the full lifecycle of the current mission and future missions. Near-term contributions will include maturing spacecraft software requirements and interfaces, supporting L1/L2/L3 verification planning, owning or supporting telemetry and command dictionary development, supporting FDIR architecture and verification, closing software-related ICD content, defining emulator/simulator/flatsat needs, supporting end-to-end system-level test definition, and contributing to AI&T, launch, commissioning, and operations readiness. At the program level, this role will help drive closure of software-related risks, actions, non-compliances, waivers, TBDs, and TBCs; support CCB packages and configuration-control activities; and improve software-related engineering discipline across requirements, ICDs, test products, operations products, and hands-on software validation activities. For future missions, this role will help define reusable software systems engineering approaches, support early architecture and trade studies, contribute to proposal development, and mature internal standards for software requirements, FDIR, command and telemetry, ICDs, test infrastructure, V&V, software release management, and operations readiness. Required Qualifications Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Software Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related technical discipline. 7+ years of experience in spacecraft flight software, avionics software, embedded systems, command and data handling, mission operations software, software systems engineering, or spacecraft systems engineering. Experience developing, reviewing, or verifying spacecraft software requirements, interfaces, verification plans, and ICDs. Strong understanding of spacecraft software behavior, including flight software, command and telemetry, onboard autonomy, fault management, data handling, mode management, and spacecraft operations. Hands-on experience with flight software, embedded software, scripting, data analysis, test automation, software integration, or software debugging. Experience working with spacecraft bus, payload, instrument, ground-system, or launch vehicle vendors. Ability to review technical products such as software architectures, interface definitions, FDIR logic, command and telemetry dictionaries, test plans, verification evidence, and software implementation details. Experience with Python, C, C++, or similar programming languages. Excellent written and verbal communication skills and ability to work independently in fast-moving, technically complex program environments. Preferred Qualifications 10+ years of experience in spacecraft flight software, spacecraft systems engineering, avionics, or mission-critical embedded systems. Experience supporting satellite development through architecture, design, AI&T, launch readiness, commissioning, and operations. Experience with FDIR, fault trees, FMECA, autonomy design, safe modes, survival modes, recovery logic, and fault-management verification. Experience developing or managing command dictionaries, telemetry dictionaries, telemetry databases, command products, operations databases, or ground-spacecraft interface products. Experience with flatsats, emulators, simulators, EGSE, hardware-in-the-loop testing, software-in-the-loop testing, or mission operations testbeds. Experience with AI&T planning, test procedure development, test scripting, telemetry validation, anomaly tracking, version control, configuration management, software release management, and software verification workflows. Experience reviewing or contributing to flight software implementation, embedded software, test automation, simulator development, or ground/flight software integration. Familiarity with spacecraft software standards, software quality practices, cybersecurity considerations, safety practices, or mission assurance processes. Experience working with international vendors, contractors, government agencies, scientific institutions, or complex partner-led programs. Passion for space science, astrophysics missions, advanced observatories, and technically ambitious space systems. \n $250,000 - $300,000 a year \n This is an exempt position. This role requires access to U.S. export controlled information. Candidates must be a U.S. person (i.e. a citizen of the United States, a permanent resident, or a legal asylee or refugee) OR receive approval from the U.S. Government to work with U.S. export controlled information.