NASA Commercial Spacecraft Flight Software Systems Engineer

Qualified Technical Services, Inc; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking experienced Space Vehicle Flight Software Systems Engineers to collaborate with NASA. This exciting role involves overseeing human-rated flight software, focusing on safety, verification, and integration. You'll work on cutting-edge projects related to Commercial Crew Vehicles and lunar transport missions, ensuring the highest standards of software safety and performance. Join a dynamic team dedicated to human spaceflight and exploration, where your technical expertise and passion for space will contribute to groundbreaking advancements in aerospace technology.

Qualifications

• Minimum three years in real-time safety-critical software.
• Senior-level experience in aerospace or similar industries is highly valued.

Responsibilities

• Oversee flight software requirements, design, integration, and certification.
• Conduct hazard analysis for vehicle subsystems.
• Support flight operations and troubleshoot anomalies during missions.

Skills

C/C++

Python

Systems Engineering

Software Development

Technical Communication

Education

B.S. in Computer Science

B.S. in Software Engineering

B.S. in Electrical Engineering

B.S. in Computer Engineering

B.S. in Aerospace Engineering

Job description

Work Location:

Houston, TX - NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC)

Minimum Citizenship:

U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident

Clearance:

US Government Public Trust

Job Description: NASA Commercial Spacecraft Flight Software Systems Engineer

Our team is seeking experienced Space Vehicle Flight Software Systems Engineers to collaborate with NASA on its Commercial Spacecraft, including Commercial Crew Vehicles for transporting astronauts to and from the International Space Station (ISS), Human Landing System Vehicles for lunar surface transport, and U.S. Deorbit Vehicles for ISS deorbiting. These positions involve oversight of human-rated flight software, including requirements evaluation, design analysis, architecture assessment, and certification processes, with a focus on software safety and verification.

Key focus areas include data networks, fault management, mission sequencing, abort procedures, emergency responses, and redundancy management across vehicle systems such as crew displays, avionics, command and data handling, environmental control, power, propulsion, thermal systems, guidance, navigation, control, communications, tracking, and docking.

The role requires collaboration with prime contractors, strong communication skills, technical expertise, and a passion for space exploration. Candidates should be articulate in conveying complex technical ideas and adaptable to new challenges.

Responsibilities:

• Review and oversee flight software requirements, design, integration, verification, and certification.
• Conduct systems engineering, including hazard analysis for vehicle subsystems.
• Coordinate software issues and resolutions across teams.
• Identify risks in flight software and guide corrective actions.
• Evaluate contractor software architecture and implementation.
• Oversee software integration in testing facilities.
• Interface with NASA and contractor engineering teams.
• Contribute to Certification of Flight Readiness (COFR) documentation.
• Support flight operations, monitor flights, and troubleshoot anomalies during missions.

This work is based at NASA/JSC in Houston, TX, within a dynamic environment dedicated to human spaceflight and exploration initiatives.

Requirements:

Education: B.S. in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Aerospace Engineering.

Experience: Minimum three years in real-time safety-critical software, including internships, applicable to aerospace or other industries. Senior-level experience is highly valued.

Citizenship: U.S. Citizen capable of obtaining and maintaining a Public Trust clearance.

Skills and Traits:

• Background in software development or systems engineering.
• Flexibility and strong technical communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities independently.
• Responsibility, teamwork, and organizational skills.

Desired Skills:

• M.S. in relevant fields.
• Experience in safety-critical software lifecycle for aerospace or similar fields.
• Experience with human-rated space vehicle software (e.g., Space Shuttle, ISS, Crew Dragon, Starliner, Orion).
• Knowledge of space vehicle systems and operations.
• Proficiency in C/C++ and Python.
• Project management skills.
• Familiarity with NASA's Commercial Crew Vehicles.

Qualified Technical Services, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace.