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Senior Spacecraft Systems Engineer – Software

Open 29d
Please Note: To conform with the United States Government Space Technology Export Regulations, the applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., conditional resident, asylee or refugee (protected individuals as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.
At CesiumAstro, we are developers and pioneers of out-of-the-box communication systems for satellites, UAVs, launch vehicles, and other space and airborne platforms. We take pride in our dynamic and cross-functional work environment, which allows us to learn, develop, and engage across our organization. If you are looking for hands-on, interactive, and autonomous work, CesiumAstro is the place for you. We are actively seeking passionate, collaborative, energetic, and forward-thinking individuals to join our team.

The Senior Spacecraft Systems Engineer – Software is responsible for translating system-level operational concepts, customer requirements, and architecture into detailed software requirements, verification strategies, and integrated technical solutions for complex embedded systems. This role serves as a critical bridge between Systems Engineering and Software Engineering, ensuring requirements are properly decomposed, traceable, testable, and aligned to overall program objectives.

The position is organizationally aligned within the Systems Engineering function while working closely day-to-day with the Software Engineering team to support planning, development, integration, and verification activities. This role is instrumental in defining software verification approaches, required hardware/software configurations, and ensuring system functionality meets mission and performance objectives.

ESSENTIAL ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Requirements Decomposition & Flow Down

  • Analyze customer, mission, and system-level requirements and decompose them into clear, verifiable software-level requirements.
  • Ensure software requirements maintain traceability to higher-level system requirements, architecture, and Concept of Operations (CONOPS).
  • Collaborate with systems, software, and hardware teams to refine requirements for completeness, feasibility, and technical accuracy.
  • Support requirements management processes, baseline control, and change impact assessments.
  • Identify requirement gaps, ambiguities, and risks early in the development lifecycle.
  • Verification Planning & Validation

    • Develop software verification approach including verification descriptions, methods (test, analysis, demonstration, inspection), levels, and acceptance criteria aligned to system and program requirements.
    • Identify required verification configurations, including hardware setups, software loads, firmware versions, and test environments.
    • Support verification cross-reference matrices (VCRM), traceability matrices, and evidence packages.
    • Partner with test and software teams to ensure efficient execution of planned verification activities.
    • Systems & Software Integration

      • Serve as a technical liaison between Systems Engineering and Software Engineering teams.
      • Support software integration planning, readiness reviews, and release coordination.
      • Evaluate impacts of software changes to system behavior, interfaces, and verification scope.
      • Participate in architecture, design, and interface reviews to ensure requirements alignment.
      • Support issue resolution involving system functionality, interoperability, and software performance.
      • Embedded Systems & Interfaces

        • Apply working knowledge of embedded systems architectures, constraints, and development environments.
        • Understand hardware/software interfaces, communication protocols, and subsystem interactions.
        • Support interface definition and validation between embedded devices, processors, sensors, payloads, and external systems.
        • Assess integration and verification implications of firmware, software, and hardware revisions.
        • Program Execution & Technical Leadership

          • Support Program Increment (PI) planning, staffing assessments, and execution readiness activities.
          • Prioritize verification and requirements activities to meet schedule and milestone commitments.
          • Mentor junior engineers on requirements quality, traceability, and verification planning.
          • Drive continuous improvement in systems/software collaboration, process efficiency, and engineering rigor.

JOB REQUIREMENTS AND MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

  • Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related technical discipline with 5–8 years of experience in systems engineering, software engineering, embedded systems, or integration environments.
  • Experience decomposing system requirements into software-level requirements.
  • Experience creating verification plans, descriptions, procedures, or acceptance criteria.
  • Strong understanding of embedded systems and software development lifecycles.
  • Experience with hardware/software interfaces and communication protocols.
  • Ability to interpret and apply system-level CONOPS to engineering execution.
  • Programming Languages: Python, C++, C, Java, Bash, or similar.
  • Development Tools: Git, IDEs, debuggers, CI/CD platforms.
  • Operating Systems: Linux, Windows, Unix.
  • Protocols/Interfaces: TCP/IP, UDP, Serial, USB, Ethernet, APIs.
  • Other Tools: Requirements tools, issue tracking systems, automated test tools.
CesiumAstro considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, education/training, and key skills. Full-time employment offers include company stock options and a generous benefits package including health, dental, vision, HSA, FSA, life, disability and retirement plans.
CesiumAstro is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected Veteran Status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
Please note: CesiumAstro does not accept unsolicited resumes from contract agencies or search firms. Any unsolicited resumes submitted to our website or to CesiumAstro team members will be considered property of CesiumAstro, and we will not be obligated to pay any referral fees.

What this application asks

lever

Resume/CV, Full name, Email, Phone, Current location, Current company, LinkedIn URL

  • As a result of the work performed by CesiumAstro, all eligible candidates must be a U.S. Person or able to obtain an export license. U.S. Persons include U.S. Citizens, Permanent Residents, conditional residents, asylees, and refugees. Are you a U.S. Person or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State? choose one
  • Do you now or will you in the future require sponsorship for employment visa status? Please select "Yes" if you will require the Company to commence ("sponsor") an immigration or work permit case in order to employ you, either now or at some point in the future. Otherwise select "No". choose one
  • Do you have a family member that is currently employed with CesiumAstro? choose one
  • If yes, please specify the individual(s) and the department or location in which they work: optional
  • Full Legal Name
  • Please indicate the highest level of education you have completed. choose one
  • Please select which of the following security clearances and/or access you currently hold. yes / no · optional
  • By submitting your application you hereby certify that the facts set forth in the above employment application are true and complete to the best of your knowledge. I certify that the information on this application is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and agree to have any of the information verified by CesiumAstro (the “Company”). By my signature below, I authorize any references submitted by me to the Company in support of this application to provide any and all information concerning my previous employment and any other pertinent information that they may have. I understand that I may be required to authorize the Company to obtain a consumer report or investigative consumer report, in accordance with applicable law, which authorization is contained in a separate document. Further, I release the Company and any other parties, agents, or persons from any and all liability or claims arising out of the disclosure or use of references or other information provided to the Company during the process of verifying the statements made in this application. I understand that any misrepresentation, falsification, or material omission of information on this application may result in my failure to receive an offer or, if I am hired, will result in my dismissal from employment. Furthermore, if hired, in consideration of my employment I agree to conform to the policies, rules and standards of the Company, including applicable safety rules, and agree that my employment can be terminated “at will” at any time, with or without cause, and with or without notice, either at my option or at the option of the Company. I understand that no employee or representative of the Company to which I am applying, has the authority to enter into any agreement for employment for any specified period of time, or to enter into any express or implied agreement to the contrary of at-will employment, except for a written agreement signed by me and the Chief Executive Office of the Company. I agree that this shall constitute a final and fully binding integrated agreement regarding the at-will nature of my employment relationship if I am hired. In addition, I understand that, if hired, I may be required as a condition of employment to take and pass drug and alcohol tests during employment to the extent required by policies of the Company consistent with applicable law. I acknowledge that I have personally completed this application, I have read all of the above statements, and understand them and agree to the terms and conditions therein. I confirm that I understand that my application may be subject to security checks under government regulations applicable in the aerospace and defense industry sectors. yes / no · optional
  • I have applied for employment with CesiumAstro, Inc. (the “Company”). In consideration of the Company's accepting and evaluating my application for employment, I hereby agree that I will comply with and be legally bound by the following terms and condition of this Agreement: 1. MAINTAINING THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF COMPANY PROPRIETARY INFORMATION. I understand that CesiumAstro, Inc. is an innovative company engaged in research and development, and that the Company's innovations and other Proprietary Information (as defined below) provide the Company with a competitive advantage in the marketplace. Accordingly, I agree to hold in strictest confidence, and not to disclose or make any use of at any time, any of the Company’s Proprietary Information which I may acquire or learn during my interview(s) or the application process for employment. The term “Proprietary Information” shall mean any and all trade secrets, confidential knowledge, data or any other proprietary information pertaining to any business of the Company or any of its customers, vendors, consultants, licensees or affiliates. 2. MAINTAINING CONFIDENTIALITY OF PROPRIETARY INFORMATION OF FORMER EMPLOYERS OR OTHERWISE ACQUIRED BY ME PRIOR TO MY EMPLOYMENT WITH THE COMPANY. I represent and agree that I will not breach any agreement to keep in confidence any third-party proprietary information, knowledge or data acquired by me in confidence or in trust prior to my application for employment with the Company. I will not improperly use, disclose or bring to the Company, or induce the Company to use, any confidential or proprietary information, documents or materials belonging to any previous employer or third parties. 3. NEW EMPLOYEE PROPRIETARY INFORMATION AND INVENTION AGREEMENT. I understand that if I am offered employment by the Company, and as a condition of my new employment, I will be required to enter into an attached New Employee Proprietary Information and Invention Agreement. Prior to any future employment with the Company, I acknowledge the opportunity to consult with legal counsel or other necessary advisors regarding the Agreement. yes / no · optional

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