Spacecraft Ground Software Engineer II Verified today
About the Role
Quantum Space is redefining mobility and maneuverability in space with high-mobility spacecraft platforms. We're seeking a Spacecraft Ground Software Engineer II to lead development, integration, and operational support of software systems that enable spacecraft testing, mission operations, and real-time ground communications.
This role sits at the intersection of distributed systems, mission operations infrastructure, and real-time data processing. You will build the software platforms and operational tooling that support spacecraft integration, command and telemetry workflows, and mission readiness throughout the vehicle lifecycle.
What You'll Do
- Build the architecture upon which the ground software will run
- Own major pieces of the system end-to-end, from design through deployment and operational support
- Work closely with flight software, AI&T, mission operations, avionics, and systems engineering teams
- Develop scalable and reliable ground software solutions for both integration and on-orbit operations
- Influence coding standards, architecture decisions, and team operations
- Support mission-critical operations and on-call rotations during critical mission activities
What You Need
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, or related technical field
- 5+ years of professional experience in full-stack software development, including deployment to production or operational environments
- Strong understanding of networking, data routing, and communication protocols
- Experience with message buses, APIs, and real-time data pipelines
- Familiarity with cloud infrastructure and/or equivalent on-premises environments
- Hands-on experience with CI/CD pipelines and modern DevOps practices
- Proficiency with relational and/or non-relational databases
- Understanding of ground system architectures, interfaces, and distributed systems
- Strong version-control practices using modern source-control workflows
- Experience contributing to requirements development, verification, and traceability
- Experience developing and executing software and system-level tests
- Proficiency with Linux environments, command-line workflows, and Bash scripting
- Strong technical communication skills and documentation practices
Nice-to-Have Experience
- Ground segment, mission-control, or spacecraft operations software development
- Understanding of spacecraft command and telemetry systems
- Spacecraft operations tools such as Grafana or other monitoring and data-visualization platforms
- Atlassian tools such as Jira and Confluence
- Containerization technologies (Docker, Kubernetes)
- Distributed systems and high-availability architectures
- Supporting operational or mission-critical environments
- Aerospace, defense, robotics, or autonomous systems domains
- Python, Go, Java, C++, or similar backend technologies
Compensation and Location
Base Salary: $120,000 to $150,000
Competitive equity and comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, vision, generous leave, HSA, 401(k) matching, and equity sharing.
Location: Hawthorne, CA
Required Authorization
To comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including ITAR, applicants must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, protected individual per 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.