Head of Flight Software Engineer

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

Benefits offered by this job

Unlimited PTO

Healthcare

Equity

401(k)

Team building

Job summary

Fortastra designs and delivers resilient, high-performance spacecraft that safeguard critical orbital assets and ensure freedom of action in space. We are building the flight software stack, from ground mission operations to embedded software on vehicle computers, with a small, fast-moving team.

The Head of Flight Software Engineer will own end-to-end development, integration, testing, and flight readiness, collaborating with avionics, GNC, and systems engineers to bring concepts to flight.

Qualifications

• B.S. in CS/CE/EE or related science/physics.
• Experience with systems and mission operations software.
• Experience with space systems (rovers, satellites, launch vehicles).
• Embedded real-time software development experience in safety-critical contexts.

Responsibilities

• Build and integrate mission operations software for real-time use.
• Develop and validate flight software for vehicle computers and sensors.
• Create ground services for telemetry, commanding, and visualization.
• Collaborate with avionics, propulsion, and GNC to define interfaces.
• Contribute to CI/CD, testing frameworks, and simulation environments.
• Support software-in-the-loop and hardware-in-the-loop testing and flight campaigns.

Skills

Systems & mission ops software

Ground telemetry systems

Space systems experience

Embedded real-time software

DevOps for embedded systems

Hardware-in-the-loop

Cloud-based ground systems

Independent work in small teams

Security clearance (TS/SCI)

Education

B.S. in CS/CE/EE

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.

Team / Department

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.
• Work is on-site, remote or hybrid arrangements will not be considered
• U.S. Citizenship and ability to obtain or have an active TS/SCI clearance (US Person considered)

Why Fortastra?

Join a small, high-impact team developing the next generation of autonomous orbital control systems for national security space. At Fortastra, engineers own the full lifecycle - from concept through flight - shaping the future of trusted, resilient spacecraft autonomy.

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.

Team Building: 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.