Principal Software Engineer- Flight Systems

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