About the role
Principal Software Engineer – Space Systems Location: Greater Denver, CO (on-site 3–5 days/week) Salary: $160k–$195k + bonus + benefits + relocation
A fast-growing space-technology company is seeking a Principal Software Engineer to lead architecture and development of ground and flight software for lunar and deep-space missions. This is a high-impact role influencing technical direction across multiple mission programs.
What You’ll Do
- Lead architecture decisions and guide software best practices across the organization.
- Develop flight software (cFS, embedded Linux), ground systems (Python, modern web frameworks), and cloud/embedded ML or autonomy systems.
- Own full lifecycle delivery: requirements, development, testing, integration, and ops.
- Provide technical proposals, estimates, and cross-team coordination.
- Mentor and uplift junior engineers.
What We’re Looking For
- 15+ years in spacecraft, mission control, or complex aerospace software systems.
- Expertise in C/C++ and Python.
- Experience with embedded Linux, real-time/flight software, and preferably NASA cFS.
- Knowledge of cloud services (AWS), containerization, version control, and Agile processes.
- Ability to collaborate with multidisciplinary teams and operate within rigorous engineering standards.
- U.S. Citizenship and eligibility for a Security Clearance; must meet export-control requirements.
Benefits
- Competitive compensation + signing bonus
- Health insurance
- 401(k)
- Flexible time off
- Quarterly incentives
- Relocation support