Director of Space Software Engineering & Strategy

University of Colorado System; Allenspark (CO); On-site; USD 214,000 - 265,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Job summary

LASP at the University of Colorado Boulder seeks a Senior Software Engineering Department Manager to lead a 63-person software organization delivering flight and ground software for space missions and science instruments. You will set technical direction, own software processes, and report to the Deputy Director for Technology.

This role requires onsite presence in Boulder, CO, 3–5 days per week, and offers relocation assistance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, engineering, or related field.
• 12+ years of software engineering experience, including 6+ on space mission embedded flight software or ground software.
• 5+ years supervising software engineers, including hiring, evaluating, and developing staff.

Responsibilities

• Lead the LASP Software Engineering Department through its functional leads; develop them as technical and people managers.
• Establish department-wide performance expectations and manage outcomes; build a positive, productive, and healthy department culture.
• Set technical direction for flight software on instruments and spacecraft and for mission ground software: command and control, planning and scheduling, science data processing, telemetry analysis and display, web applications, ground support equipment, and simulation.
• Own LASP's software development processes, tailored to each mission's classification, sponsor, and scope.
• Modernize how LASP designs, builds, and verifies software, including responsible AI‑assisted development.
• Set software development strategy, roadmaps, and reuse plans across LASP
• Shape proposals and new missions with software approaches, staffing, and cost inputs.
• Partner with project managers, mission assurance, and scientists in a matrix organization.
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills

Leadership experience

Communication

Software engineering

Space mission software

Technical direction

Mentoring

Education

Bachelor's degree in computer science, engineering, or related field

Tools

NASA NPR 7150.2

CI/CD

Job description

LASP at the University of Colorado Boulder seeks a Senior Software Engineering Department Manager to lead a 63-person software organization delivering flight and ground software for space missions and science instruments. You will set technical direction, own software processes, and report to the Deputy Director for Technology.

This role requires onsite presence in Boulder, CO, 3–5 days per week, and offers relocation assistance.