Lead Flight Software Engineer

About the role

A New Paradigm For Space Operations.

What You'll Do

The Lead Flight Software Engineer will serve as the technical leader for the development, integration, and validation of mission-critical software for Space Kinetic's electromechanical spacecraft systems. You will own low-level and high-level software from initial architecture and requirements through qualification, flight operations, and on-orbit maintenance. This role requires deep experience with embedded real-time systems, software reliability, and spacecraft operations, along with the ability to lead a team in a fast-paced prototyping environment with an aggressive path to flight.

Job Responsibilities

• Lead flight software architecture and development for spacecraft control, autonomy, communications, telemetry, command, GNC interfaces, fault management, and safety systems.
• Define software requirements, interfaces, development roadmaps, and verification strategies in partnership with systems, electrical, GNC, test, and mission engineering teams.
• Develop reliable, deterministic, and fault-tolerant software using C/C++ or Rust in RTOS, bare-metal, or embedded Linux environments.
• Lead software and code reviews, integration, testing, and qualification activities in alignment with applicable spaceflight and mission-assurance standards.
• Support simulation, spacecraft-in-the-loop, hardware-in-the-loop, and ground-software integration environments.
• Mentor software engineers, establish coding and design standards, and improve development tools, processes, and best practices.
• Support mission-readiness reviews, anomaly resolution, flight operations, and on-orbit software updates.

What It Takes

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 5 to 10 years of experience developing embedded or real-time software for space, aerospace, robotics, or other mission-critical systems.
• Experience leading software development across the full system lifecycle, from requirements and architecture through integration, qualification, and operations.
• Strong proficiency in C/C++, with experience using Python or similar scripting languages for automation and testing.
• Experience with RTOS, bare-metal programming, or Linux-based embedded systems.
• Strong understanding of deterministic timing, concurrency, fault tolerance, software reliability, and resource management in constrained environments.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance.

What We'd Love

• Experience with flight software frameworks such as NASA cFS, F´, or custom architectures.
• Familiarity with model-based systems engineering and interface control documentation.
• Knowledge of spacecraft communication protocols such as CCSDS, SpaceWire, or MIL-STD-1553.

Where You'll Be

• The position is onsite at our headquarters in El Segundo, CA. Domestic travel may be required (up to ~20% of the year).

What We Offer

• Equity-Based Compensation
• 401(k) retirement plan with a 3.5% company match
• Highly Competitive PTO
• Paid company holidays + winter break
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Unique Performance-based bonus opportunities

ITAR Requirements

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about ITAR here