Head of Flight Software Engineer

Fortastra Corporation; Torrance (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Unlimited PTO

Comprehensive Healthcare

Equity

401(k) plan

Social events

Job summary

Fortastra Corporation seeks a Head of Flight Software Engineer to lead the design, development, and integration of the flight software stack for autonomous spacecraft. You will collaborate with avionics, GNC, and systems engineers to bring concepts to flight-readiness, spanning ground ops tools and embedded flight software.

The role emphasizes mission operations software, CI/CD, and strong ownership in a small, fast-moving team.

Qualifications

• B.S. degree in CS/CE/EE or physics-based field.
• Experience with space systems such as rovers, satellites, or launch vehicles.
• Embedded RTOS/safety-critical systems experience.
• Exposure to DevOps for embedded systems and automated tests.

Responsibilities

• Build mission operations software for ground tools that plan, execute, and monitor missions in real time.
• Develop and integrate flight software for vehicle architecture, implementation, testing, and flight readiness.
• Create ground software services for telemetry, commanding, and visualization.
• Write embedded software for flight computers, sensors, and actuators.

Skills

Systems & mission ops software

Embedded real-time software

DevOps for embedded systems

Cloud-based ground systems

Hardware-in-the-loop testing

Team collaboration in small teams

U.S. Citizenship or TS/SCI clearance

Independent work in fast-moving teams

On-site in Torrance (5 days)

Education

B.S. Computer Science / Computer Engineering / Electrical / Physics

Job description

Fortastra designs and delivers resilient, high-performance spacecraft that safeguard critical orbital assets and ensure freedom of action in space. We integrate advanced autonomy, sensing, and control into systems engineered for reliability, speed, and scale. Our culture values simplicity, accountability, and disciplined execution — empowering every engineer to think systemically, act decisively, and build with purpose. Aggressive innovation. Disciplined execution. Strength among the stars.

We recently raised $8M in seed capital and are led by visionary founder and former Hermeus co-founder, Mike Smayda .

You will join Fortastra’s Engineering Division, responsible for the design, development, and test of flight systems across our autonomous spacecraft portfolio.

The Role

Fortastra is seeking a Head of Flight Software Engineer.As part of our early engineering team, your scope of work will focus on developing and integrating the flight software stack end-to-end — spanning ground-side mission operations tools, and vehicle-side embedded software. You’ll work closely with avionics, GNC, and systems engineers to help bring our vehicle from concept to flight.

Key Responsibilities

• Build mission operations software — the ground tools that plan, execute, and monitor missions in real time.
• Develop and integrate flight software for the vehicle — from architecture and implementation to test and flight readiness.
• Develop ground software services for telemetry, commanding, and visualization.
• Write embedded software for flight computers, sensors, and actuators.
• Collaborate with avionics, propulsion, and GNC teams to define software interfaces and data models.
• Contribute to flight software CI/CD pipelines, testing frameworks, and simulation environments.
• Support software-in-the-loop testing, hardware-in-the-loop testing, environmental testing, and flight campaigns.

Qualifications & Skills

• B.S. Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical, or other sciences and/or physics based degree
• Prior experience in systems and mission operations software
• Experience with ground software, mission ops, or telemetry/command systems.
• Experience with space systems - rovers, satellites, launch vehicles, etc.
• Familiarity developing embedded software for real-time or safety-critical systems (aerospace, robotics, automotive, or similar).
• Exposure to DevOps for embedded systems and automated testing pipelines.
• Familiarity with hardware-in-the-loop, fault tolerance, and safety-critical standards.
• Experience with cloud-based ground systems or mission control software
• Ability to work independently and in small, fast-moving teams.
• 5 days on-site in Torrance, CA
• U.S. Citizenship and ability to obtain or have an active TS/SCI clearance (US Person considered)

Why Fortastra

We are a small, high-impact team building the next generation of autonomous orbital control systems for national security space. At Fortastra, leaders own outcomes from first principles through flight and directly shape the future of resilient, mission-critical spacecraft autonomy.

FORTASTRA TALENT & CULTURE PRINCIPLES

Values Driven by First Principles

We value engineers and operators who prioritize sound judgment, candor, technical rigor, bias for action, and intellectual honesty over corporate consensus. We care about the caliber of the system you build and the speed at which you solve problems.

Talent Density Over Headcount

A high-performing startup is built on dense talent, not organizational bloat. A single exceptional engineer designs, tests, and delivers faster than a bloated committee. We intentionally maintain a lean, elite engineering crew where every contributor directly moves the needle on the mission.

We hire domain experts to execute, not to micromanage them. You own your systems end-to-end, from initial architecture and hardware design to testing and deployment. With absolute ownership comes the responsibility to deliver mission critical reliability.

Mission Context Over Bureaucracy

The best execution happens when teams are provided clear technical objectives, constraints, and operational context, rather than rigid top-down policies. We strip away red tape so builders can iterate, make decisions, and push hardware and flight software forward rapidly.

Disciplined Speed & Flight Rigor

We move fast because we test often and kill artificial bottlenecks, not because we cut corners. Rapid iteration on the test stand and in simulation is how we learn; an uncompromising flight-readiness bar is how we earn trust. Precision without friction, speed without recklessness.

You don’t come to Fortastra to climb a corporate ladder or manage slide decks; you come to build complex, flight-ready systems from day one. Growth here is organic, driven by the magnitude of technical challenges you solve and the trust you build across the team.

We take care of our employees so they can focus on what matters most: family, well-being, and life outside of work.

Unlimited Paid Time Off so that you have the time you need to rest and recharge.

Comprehensive Healthcare: Medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your dependents, because peace of mind starts with feeling cared for.

Equity: Share in Fortastra's success with equity in the company you're helping build.

401(k): A 401(k) plan to help you invest in your future and plan for what's ahead.

Social Events: Regular social events, team outings, and company-sponsored activities that make this a place people are glad to be part of.

The pay range for this role is $180,000.00 - $250,000.00. Where an offer falls within that range depends on factors like your qualifications, experience, location, and interview performance, which we weigh against the market rate for the position.

This position is located at a facility subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). Access requires that you qualify as a "U.S. Person" as defined under 22 CFR 120.62. A U.S. Person is a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, lawful permanent resident ("green card" holder), or a protected individual (such as an asylee or refugee).