Director of Flight Software Engineering
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- As Director of Flight Software Engineering, you will own the architecture, delivery, and team that powers the onboard software for the Xona satellite bus and the growing Pulsar constellation
- You will lead embedded flight software development, system-level verification & validation, and the processes that enable reliable, scalable software across hundreds of satellites
- This is a high-impact leadership role at the intersection of real-time embedded systems, constellation-scale operations, and high-reliability space software
- Lead and grow the Flight Software team (embedded developers + verification & validation engineers) responsible for the scalable onboard software architecture running across the Pulsar constellation
- Define and evolve the flight software architecture, interfaces, and development roadmap in close partnership with systems, avionics, payload, GNC, and ground segment teams
- Own end-to-end delivery: requirements decomposition, design, implementation, unit/integration testing, hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) validation, and support through launch and on-orbit operations
- Build a high-performing organization through hiring, coaching, individual development plans, and a culture of ownership, technical excellence, and cross-functional collaboration
- Establish and continuously improve software development practices (configuration management, CI/CD, unit testing, code quality, documentation) that scale with constellation growth and over-the-air update needs
- Drive quality, reliability, and process maturity - measuring team output against program commitments and implementing improvements that reduce risk and cost
- Partner with senior leadership on technology strategy, long-term roadmap recommendations, and resource planning for current and future satellite programs
- Demonstrated experience leading software architecture and delivery for complex systems (aerospace, automotive, defense, or similar domains preferred)
- To comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the United States (i.e. Green Card holder), or other protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)
- Hands-on background with modern software practices, including CI/CD pipelines, configuration management, and automated testing
- 3+ years of people leadership experience managing software engineers or technical leads (hiring, performance management, career development)
- 10+ years of professional software engineering experience, including significant time in embedded, real-time, or high-reliability systems
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related STEM field (or equivalent practical experience; additional years of relevant experience may substitute for formal education)
- Track record of building high-reliability processes and cultures in fast-moving hardware/software organizations
- Ability to drive consensus across multi-disciplinary teams and influence technical and program decisions at the senior leadership level
- Direct experience taking satellite or spacecraft software from early design through launch and on-orbit operations
- Familiarity with real-time operating systems (RTOS), space flight software frameworks (e.g., cFS, F´, or similar), C/C++, and hardware/software integration & test environments
- Experience architecting or managing software for multi-satellite fleets, including over-the-air updates, fault management, and constellation-scale operations
- 5+ years developing or leading embedded/flight software in aerospace or space systems