Senior Mission Autonomy Software Engineer - Space Systems (Remote)

Trusted Space, Inc.; United States; Remote; USD 135,000 - 225,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/Dental/Vision

Life Insurance

401(k)

Paid time off

Disability Insurance

Work-life balance

Job summary

Trusted Space is seeking a Senior Mission Autonomy Software Engineer to build and integrate autonomy algorithms for space systems. You will own transitions from R&D to production, develop Python/Rust software, and collaborate with researchers to scale capabilities for mission use.

Role involves performance tuning, safety checks, and cross‑functional teamwork in a remote setting with occasional travel. This is a full-time position in a cutting-edge space autonomy program.

Qualifications

• U.S. citizenship required.
• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, engineering, mathematics, physics, or a related field with 5+ years of professional software engineering, or 9+ years of experience in lieu of a degree.
• Strong Python software development skills for production‑quality code.
• Ability to understand and implement complex algorithms and tune performance.
• Experience delivering algorithms from prototyping to production.
• Experience with simulation, automated testing, performance evaluation, and debugging.
• Ability to work independently on ambiguous problems and in cross‑functional teams.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills.
• Ability to work in cross‑functional Agile teams.

Responsibilities

• Own the transition of autonomy capabilities from R&D prototypes to operational software, including implementation, integration, tuning, validation, and readiness for mission use.
• Develop robust, maintainable Python/Rust software for autonomy, planning, decision-making, optimization, and control capabilities within a larger mission software stack.
• Serve as a technical owner for autonomy performance in the integrated system, understanding algorithm behavior deeply enough to tune parameters, diagnose unexpected behavior, and drive performance and reliability issues to resolution.
• Integrate autonomy capabilities with mission software, simulations, external services, and system interfaces, troubleshooting issues across algorithms, software components, interfaces, and data flows.
• Define and drive the testing and evaluation approach for autonomy capabilities, including simulation scenarios, automated testing, performance metrics, acceptance criteria, and evaluation tooling across nominal, off-nominal, and edge-case conditions.
• Train, evaluate, and tune reinforcement learning policies and other autonomy algorithms using established methods and architectures, including developing the workflows needed to analyze, compare, and improve training outcomes.
• Partner closely with autonomy researchers and subject-matter experts to understand algorithm design, assumptions, reward structures, and failure modes, and make sound implementation and productization decisions as capabilities transition into production.
• Own key aspects of the autonomy capability lifecycle, including software architecture, end-to-end system integration, mission demonstrations, and technical documentation, ensuring capabilities can be reliably deployed, maintained, and extended across missions.

Job description

Senior Mission Autonomy Software Engineer - Space Systems (Remote)

Summary: Position Title: Senior Mission Autonomy Software Engineer - Space Systems
Position ID: TA263
Location(s): Remote, Expect Some Travel
Application Deadline: We are accepting applications on an ongoing basis

Job Description

Trusted Space is seeking a Senior Autonomy Engineer to build and integrate autonomy algorithms and support performance evaluation in simulation and demonstration environments.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the transition of autonomy capabilities from R&D prototypes to operational software, including implementation, integration, tuning, validation, and readiness for mission use.
• Develop robust, maintainable Python/Rust software for autonomy, planning, decision-making, optimization, and control capabilities within a larger mission software stack.
• Serve as a technical owner for autonomy performance in the integrated system, understanding algorithm behavior deeply enough to tune parameters, diagnose unexpected behavior, and drive performance and reliability issues to resolution.
• Integrate autonomy capabilities with mission software, simulations, external services, and system interfaces, troubleshooting issues across algorithms, software components, interfaces, and data flows.
• Define and drive the testing and evaluation approach for autonomy capabilities, including simulation scenarios, automated testing, performance metrics, acceptance criteria, and evaluation tooling across nominal, off-nominal, and edge-case conditions.
• Train, evaluate, and tune reinforcement learning policies and other autonomy algorithms using established methods and architectures, including developing the workflows needed to analyze, compare, and improve training outcomes.
• Partner closely with autonomy researchers and subject-matter experts to understand algorithm design, assumptions, reward structures, and failure modes, and make sound implementation and productization decisions as capabilities transition into production.
• Own key aspects of the autonomy capability lifecycle, including software architecture, end-to-end system integration, mission demonstrations, and technical documentation, ensuring capabilities can be reliably deployed, maintained, and extended across missions.

Qualifications

• United States Citizenship required.
• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, engineering, mathematics, physics, or another relevant technical field and 5+ years of professional software engineering experience, or 9+ years of relevant professional experience in lieu of a degree, including significant experience developing algorithmic, autonomy, robotics, optimization, controls, or other technically complex software systems.
• Strong Python software development skills, with experience building maintainable, production-quality software within large or evolving codebases.
• Demonstrated ability to understand and implement mathematically or algorithmically complex methods, including the ability to diagnose performance issues, tune behavior, and make sound implementation tradeoffs.
• Experience taking algorithms, models, or technical prototypes from early-stage implementation into integrated, tested, and reliable software capabilities.
• Experience with simulation, automated testing, performance evaluation, and debugging of complex software or algorithmic systems.
• Ability to work independently on ambiguous technical problems, make architecture and implementation decisions, and drive capabilities through integration and delivery.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, including the ability to work effectively with researchers, software engineers, systems engineers, and technical subject-matter experts.
• Ability to work collaboratively in cross-functional Agile teams .

Desired Skills and Experience

• Experience from one of the following domains: autonomy, robotics, UAVs, reinforcements learning, optimization, model predictive control, planning, decision-making, or related techniques.
• Hands-on experience training, tuning, and evaluating reinforcement learning policies or other machine learning or autonomy algorithms.
• Experience developing software for space, aerospace, defense, robotics, or other mission-critical systems.
• Familiarity with distributed systems, simulation environments, message-based architectures, or integration of software across multiple system components.
• Experience supporting technical demonstrations, system-level verification and validation, or operational deployment of complex software capabilities.
• Active security clearance or prior experience working in classified environments.

Compensation

The salary range for this role is $135,000 - $225,000. Please note that this range is a general guideline and can vary. Trusted Space, LLC considers several factors when extending an offer including, but not limited to: scope, location, position responsibilities, education/training, key skills and business considerations.

Benefits

Trusted Space seeks to create an environment where Employees are empowered and supported to achieve their full potential. We encourage life-long learning within our agile and innovative work environment.

• medical, dental, and vision plans
• life and accidental death & dismemberment insurance
• 401(k) plan
• paid holidays and generous paid time off
• short-term and long-term disability insurance
• and other benefits to promote health, wellness, and a positive work-life balance

About Trusted Space

Trusted Space is the premier provider of trusted autonomy and battlespace management software solutions enabling machine speed sensing, sense making, decision making, and acting for critical space and intelligence missions. Our portfolio includes trusted autonomy software products, real-time image processing capabilities, advanced space mission engineering services, and space operations & training solutions. We empower government and commercial customers to achieve mission superiority in space reconnaissance & surveillance, dynamic space operations, space-based ISR, and ground/command & control (C2) systems.

Culture

Rooted in our adherence to the Golden Rule - to treat others as we want to be treated - Trusted Space fosters a culture of innovation, mission-focus, agility, and technical excellence. We offer a collaborative and supportive work environment, world-class benefits, and work-life balance. We encourage life-long learning and continuous improvement in all we do. We consider it a privilege to work with our customers to provide solutions to our most difficult national security and intelligence challenges.

Trusted Space, LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, national origin, veteran status, disability status or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law. All aspects of employment are decided based on qualifications, merit, competence, performance, and business need.

This is a full time position