FLIGHT SOFTWARE SYSTEMS ENGINEER

MCSG Technologies; Greenbelt (MD); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

401(k) match

Paid time off

Job summary

MCSG Technologies seeks an experienced Flight Software Systems Engineer (Chief) to provide leadership across the complete software lifecycle for the ALICE instrument on STRIVE at NASA GSFC in Greenbelt, MD. The role requires deep expertise in embedded flight software, architecture, and systems engineering, with cross‑functional collaboration across engineering teams.

The successful candidate will mentor staff, lead technical reviews, and drive verification, validation, and mission operations

Qualifications

• 20+ years of experience in software systems engineering for aerospace, spacecraft, or embedded real-time software systems.
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, or related technical discipline.
• Must be a U.S. citizen eligible to obtain NAC clearance.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end Flight Software Systems Engineering activities throughout the complete mission lifecycle.
• Develop and maintain flight software concepts of operation, system architecture, software requirements, interface definitions, and technical baselines.
• Analyze mission, spacecraft, and instrument requirements and decompose them into detailed software system and subsystem requirements.
• Lead software architecture development, software allocation, interface design, and technical solution development for the ALICE instrument.
• Develop program specifications, ICDs, RVMs, and software verification plans.
• Participate in software implementation activities including coding, integration, debugging, and oversight of embedded flight software (C/C++, Python, Java, FORTRAN).
• Develop and maintain system test procedures for unit, integration, system, environmental, and mission-level testing.
• Coordinate software development across teams: systems engineering, flight software, hardware, avionics, instrument engineering, test, cybersecurity, operations.
• Lead software technical reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, FRR, peer reviews).
• Identify technical risks, perform trade studies, and develop mitigation strategies.
• Support observatory integration, environmental testing, launch prep, early orbit ops, and sustainment.

Skills

Leadership

Software systems engineering

Requirements engineering

Architecture development

C/C++

Embedded flight software

Technical writing

Team coordination

Verification & validation

Git / GitLab

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in CS/CE/EE

Tools

Git

GitLab

DOORS

Jama

RTEMS

VxWorks

Embedded Linux

Job description

JOB SUMMARY:

The NASA Software Engineering Services III (SES-III) contract provides engineering expertise supporting the development, integration, testing, deployment, and sustainment of NASA flight software systems. MVS is seeking a Flight Software Systems Engineer (Chief) to provide end-to-end flight software systems engineering leadership supporting the Advanced Limb Infrared Chemistry Experiment (ALICE) instrument for NASA's Stratosphere‑Troposphere Research via Innovative Viewing Experiments (STRIVE) mission at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in Greenbelt, Maryland.

STRIVE is NASA's next-generation Earth Science mission designed to improve understanding of atmospheric processes, including stratosphere‑troposphere interactions and their impact on ozone, weather, climate, and air quality. The ALICE instrument provides advanced infrared limb observations of atmospheric temperature, ozone, trace gases, aerosols, and clouds with unprecedented spatial resolution and sensitivity.

The Flight Software Systems Engineer serves as the technical authority responsible for the complete software systems engineering lifecycle supporting the ALICE instrument. This position provides leadership from mission formulation through mission operations, including conceptual design, software requirements engineering, architecture development, interface definition, implementation oversight, integration, verification and validation, launch preparation, and on-orbit sustainment. The successful candidate will collaborate across multidisciplinary engineering teams while remaining technically engaged in software architecture, embedded flight software development, and system integration activities. Work Schedule: This is a part‑time position. Location: Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), Greenbelt, MD. This position is hybrid.

PRIMARY DUTIES:

• Lead end-to-end Flight Software Systems Engineering activities throughout the complete mission lifecycle.
• Develop and maintain flight software concepts of operation, system architecture, software requirements, interface definitions, and technical baselines.
• Analyze mission, spacecraft, and instrument requirements and decompose them into detailed software system and subsystem requirements.
• Lead software architecture development, software allocation, interface design, and technical solution development supporting the ALICE instrument.
• Develop program specifications, Interface Control Documents (ICDs), Requirements Verification Matrices (RVMs), and software verification plans.
• Participate in software implementation activities including coding, integration, debugging, and technical oversight of embedded flight software developed primarily in C/C++.
• Develop and maintain system test procedures supporting unit, integration, system, environmental, and mission-level testing.
• Coordinate software development activities across systems engineering, flight software, hardware, avionics, instrument engineering, integration & test, cybersecurity, and mission operations teams.
• Lead software technical reviews including SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, FRR, and peer reviews.
• Identify technical risks, perform engineering trade studies, and develop mitigation strategies.
• Support observatory integration, environmental testing, launch preparation, early orbit operations, and mission sustainment.
• Mentor software and systems engineers while serving as a Chief Technologist or Core Group Lead.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Experience leading software systems engineering across concept development, requirements, architecture, implementation, integration, verification, validation, deployment, and maintenance.
• Experience developing software architectures, program specifications, interface definitions, and verification strategies.
• Experience developing embedded flight software using C/C++, Python, Java, FORTRAN, or similar languages.
• Experience analyzing, designing, programming, testing, debugging, and maintaining secure mission-critical software.
• Experience translating mission and system requirements into detailed software designs and implementation plans.
• Experience integrating flight software with spacecraft avionics, scientific instruments, and ground systems.
• Experience using Git, GitLab, or equivalent configuration management systems.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and technical writing skills.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• NASA Flight Software Systems Engineering experience.
• Earth Science mission experience.
• Instrument Flight Software development.
• Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) and SysML.
• DOORS, Jama, or equivalent requirements management tools.
• RTEMS, VxWorks, or embedded Linux.
• CCSDS protocols, SpaceWire, and spacecraft communication interfaces.
• CI/CD pipelines and automated software verification.
• Participation in SRR, PDR, CDR, SIR, TRR, FRR, ORR, and Launch Readiness Reviews.
• Launch and on-orbit mission operations support.

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE:

20+ years of experience in software systems engineering supporting aerospace, spacecraft, or embedded real-time software systems.

EDUCATION/CERTIFICATION:

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, or a related technical discipline.

SECURITY CLEARANCE:

Must be a U.S. Citizen and eligible to obtain the required National Agency Check (NAC) clearance.

ABOUT US:

At MCSG Technologies, we believe the path to success begins by empowering our employees to do what is best for our customers. This helps create value for our customers and business partners through efficiencies and cost-effective relationships that are built on trust, while delivering on-time and within budget. Our company ethos is simple Empowered to serve our customers, our communities, our colleagues. If you would like to learn more, please visit our website at www.mcsgtech.com or find us on Glassdoor.

BENEFITS OFFERED:

Medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, 401(k) match, flexible spending accounts, EAP, parental leave, paid time off, holidays and more. Learn more about MCSG Technologies benefits: https://www.mcsgtech.com/benefits/.

COLORADO'S EQUAL PAY ACT:

In compliance with Colorados Equal Pay for Equal Work Act; MCSG Technologies considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role and associated responsibilities, a candidate's work experience, education/training, and key skills.

EOE STATEMENT:

We are an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.

PAY TRANSPARENCY NONDISCRIMINATION PROVISION:

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractors legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)