Lead Flight Software Engineer

Space Kinetic is a cleared, venture‑backed startup focused on addressing urgent national security priorities. Our goal is to deliver a suite of asymmetric capabilities for space superiority and missile defense leveraging our proprietary electromechanical deployment system, which enables the rapid deployment of low‑cost payloads through space without firing a thruster.

We are currently assembling our TRL‑5 prototype and aim to provide the United States with a new tool for securing the space domain and catalyzing the emerging space economy.

Responsibilities

The Lead Flight Software Engineer will work in a fast‑paced prototyping environment with an aggressive schedule toward flight and should have experience and a general understanding of spaceflight payloads. In this position, the Engineer will be responsible for low‑level and high‑level software in Space Kinetic’s products through all phases of the development process, serving as the technical leader for the development, integration, and validation of Space Kinetic’s electromechanical system.

• Lead the design and development of flight software architecture, including guidance, navigation, and control (GNC), telemetry, command, and fault management systems.
• Define software requirements, interfaces, and verification strategies in coordination with systems, electrical, and mission engineering teams.
• Develop robust, real‑time, and fault‑tolerant software using C/C++ and/or Rust in embedded or RTOS environments.
• Perform design reviews, code reviews, and verification activities to ensure safety, reliability, and performance compliance with space flight standards (e.g., NASA NPR, ECSS, DO‑178C).
• Mentor and guide software engineers through technical leadership, code quality enforcement, and system‑level integration.
• Support spacecraft‑in‑the‑loop, hardware‑in‑the‑loop (HIL), and flight simulation testing environments.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of software development processes, tools, and best practices across the engineering organization.
• Participate in mission readiness reviews, anomaly resolution, and on‑orbit software updates and maintenance.
• Experience with simulation environments and ground software integration.
• Excellent leadership, collaboration, and communication skills across multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong problem‑solving ability and technical judgment under mission‑critical constraints.
• Passion for advancing space technologies and contributing to successful missions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science (BS) or Master of Science (MS) in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or Computer Engineering.
• 5–10 years of experience developing embedded or real‑time software for space, aerospace, robotics, or mission‑critical systems.
• Proven experience leading software development through all phases of the system lifecycle—from requirements through flight operations.
• Strong proficiency in C/C++, with working knowledge of Python or scripting languages for automation and testing.
• Familiarity with RTOS, bare‑metal programming, or Linux‑based embedded systems.
• Deep understanding of software reliability, deterministic timing, concurrency, and resource management in constrained environments.
• To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, the applicant must be a U.S. citizen or national, a U.S. lawful permanent resident (green card holder), a refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or an asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.
• Applicants selected will be subject to a security investigation and may need to meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information; ability to maintain or obtain a Government Security Clearance is required.

Preferred Experience

• Experience with flight software frameworks (e.g., NASA cFS, F’ FPrime, or custom architectures).
• Familiarity with model‑based systems engineering (MBSE) and interface control documentation.
• Knowledge of space communication protocols (CCSDS, SpaceWire, MIL‑STD‑1553, etc.).

Location

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

Benefits

• Equity‑Based Compensation.
• Highly Competitive PTO and Holiday Calendar.
• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage.
• Health and Wellness Stipend.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Space Kinetic provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status.

ITAR Eligibility Requirements

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen or national, a U.S. lawful permanent resident (green card holder), a refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or an asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Salary

$150,000 – $190,000 USD (base salary).