Flight Software Manager, Blue Ghost

Firefly Aerospace Inc.; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Unlimited PTO

Medical, dental, vision insurance

Paid maternity leave

Educational reimbursement

Employee stock bonuses

Job summary

Firefly Aerospace Inc. in Austin, Texas is seeking a Blue Ghost Flight Software Manager to lead a team developing software for lunar landers. This role involves overseeing technical operations, staffing, and ensuring mission-ready software through integration and verification processes.

The ideal candidate will have 10+ years in software development with a strong background in embedded systems, leadership skills, and excellent communication abilities. Firefly offers competitive benefits including unlimited PTO and robust health insurance plans.

Qualifications

• 10+ years experience developing mission-critical software.
• Proven ability to manage, mentor, and develop technical teams.
• Strong understanding of embedded systems and software architecture.

Responsibilities

• Lead the flight software team for lunar lander development.
• Manage staffing, performance evaluations, and career development.
• Set objectives and manage software execution across all phases.

Skills

Embedded software development

Technical team leadership

C/C++ programming

Real-time systems

Communication skills

Mentorship

Software verification

Project management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in relevant technical field

Advanced degree in technical field

Tools

Python

CMake

GitLab CI

Job description

Blue Ghost Flight Software Manager

As the Blue Ghost Flight Software Manager at Firefly Aerospace, you will lead the flight software team responsible for developing, integrating, verifying, and supporting mission‑critical software for Firefly’s Blue Ghost lunar landers. In this role, you will manage the technical team delivering spacecraft flight software, driving software execution across requirements, design, implementation, test, mission integration, and flight operations support. This position combines hands‑on technical judgment with people leadership.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead the Blue Ghost flight software team supporting lunar lander development, integration, test, and mission operations.
• Own all aspects of team staffing including recruitment, hiring, onboarding, workforce planning, and contractor support.
• Conduct performance evaluations and drive career development through mentorship and coaching of software engineers at all levels.
• Set flight software objectives and communicate priorities to team members, program leadership, and cross‑functional stakeholders.
• Manage flight software execution across requirements, architecture, implementation, integration, verification, validation, release, and operational support.
• Drive adoption, extension, and mission‑specific application of Firefly’s flight software framework for Blue Ghost lander missions.
• Establish and improve flight software development processes, coding standards, review practices, test expectations, and release discipline.
• Coordinate with GNC, embedded software, avionics, electrical, systems engineering, simulation, mission operations, and test teams to deliver integrated spacecraft capabilities.
• Interface with program managers and mission stakeholders to allocate team responsibilities, establish schedules, and manage software deliverables.
• Support mission readiness reviews, test campaigns, rehearsals, anomaly investigations, and flight operations.
• Develop and manage team budget inputs, annual operating plans, resource forecasts, and software capability roadmaps.
• Identify technical gaps, execution risks, staffing needs, and investment priorities for Blue Ghost flight software.
• Foster a healthy team culture and maintain high morale in a demanding technical and operational environment.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, computer engineering, aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, or a related technical field.
• 10+ years of experience developing embedded, real‑time, aerospace, spacecraft, launch vehicle, defense, robotics, or other mission‑critical software.
• 5+ years of technical team leadership experience, including direct management of engineers and technical staff.
• Demonstrated experience delivering software for complex hardware systems through integration, verification, and operational use.
• Strong technical understanding of embedded software architecture, real‑time systems, command and telemetry, fault management, device interfaces, and software/hardware integration.
• Experience establishing software engineering standards, development processes, test practices, and release discipline.
• Proven ability to recruit, hire, develop, and retain high‑performing technical talent.
• Demonstrated success building team capabilities through mentorship, training, and career development.
• Experience managing team schedules, priorities, budgets, resource planning, and workforce forecasting.
• Excellent communication skills with ability to convey complex technical concepts to executives, customers, and non‑software stakeholders.
• Ability to foster a collaborative team culture while meeting demanding mission schedules.
• Experience with C or C++ in Linux, embedded Linux, RTOS, or bare‑metal environments.
• Experience with JPL’s F‑Prime software framework or a similar component‑based flight software framework.
• Experience developing flight software for spacecraft, lunar landers, launch vehicles, satellites, or deep‑space missions.
• Experience with NASA, JPL, or other government aerospace software development practices.
• Experience with spacecraft subsystems including avionics, GNC, propulsion, power, thermal, communications, and payload interfaces.
• Experience with fault detection, isolation, and recovery, autonomy, sequencing, command handling, telemetry, and spacecraft mode management.
• Experience with software verification for safety‑critical or mission‑critical systems, including unit testing, integration testing, hardware‑in‑the‑loop testing, simulation, and test‑as‑you‑fly campaigns.
• Experience with Python, CMake, GitLab CI, static analysis, code coverage, GoogleTest/GoogleMock, or similar software development tools.
• Experience supporting mission operations, anomaly investigations, or real‑time engineering support during spacecraft flight.
• Experience developing strategic vision, technical roadmaps, and upgrade initiatives for flight software teams.
• Advanced degree in computer science, computer engineering, aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, or a related technical field.

Benefits

• Unlimited PTO for exempt employees
• Three‑month sabbatical for every five years of service
• Medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance
• Mental health services
• Paid military leave
• 12 weeks paid maternity leave
• 4 weeks paid spouse leave
• $20,000 toward family planning: fertility, surrogacy, adoption
• Dog‑friendly workplace
• $10,000 per year toward trade school or college
• Ongoing coaching to advance leadership skills
• Employee‑ownership with stock bonuses
• 4% Safe Harbor 401(k) matching
• $10,000 bonus for home purchase in Cedar Park, Texas

Firefly offers outstanding benefits for our employees, including generous health, dental and vision plans with low deductibles, parental leave, educational reimbursement, short‑term disability, and flexible PTO options.

"You miss all the shots you don’t take. If this is something that interests you, then apply. Being a dedicated, driven team player can carry you far. You can learn about rockets, it’s much harder to learn dedication and passion." – Meagan Roth, Sr. Director of Systems Engineering and Launch.

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Firefly Aerospace, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Firefly is governed based on merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.