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