Senior Software Engineer, Ground & Control Services Seattle, WA; Herndon, VA; Remote

BlackSky; Seattle (WA); Remote; USD 140,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

100% of employee-only premiums for medical, dental, and vision

15 days of PTO

401(k) employer match

Flexible Spending Accounts

Employee Stock Purchase Program

Parental leave

Corporate discounts and swag

Job summary

BlackSky in Seattle is seeking a Senior Software Engineer for Ground & Control Services. The role involves designing and maintaining software for autonomous satellite operations, interfacing with ground stations and ensuring real-time communications.

The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor's degree in computer science or engineering, at least six years of experience, and proficiency in programming languages like Go or Python. Benefits include comprehensive medical coverage, 401(k), and 15 days of PTO.

Qualifications

• Minimum of six (6) years of professional software development experience.
• Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines and automated testing.
• Some roles may require U.S. citizenship.

Responsibilities

• Design and maintain software for autonomous satellite operations.
• Develop services for satellite communication protocols.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams for technical requirements.

Skills

Proficiency in programming languages (Go, Python, C++)

Experience in microservices and cloud environments

Strong problem-solving skills

Excellent communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in computer science, engineering, or related field

Tools

AWS

Kubernetes

Git

Job description

Senior Software Engineer, Ground & Control Services

Seattle, WA; Herndon, VA; Remote

About Us

BlackSky is a real-time intelligence company that owns and operates the world's most advanced space-based intelligence platform. We provide customers satellite imagery, automated analytics, and high-frequency monitoring of strategic locations, economic assets, and events from around the globe. Trusted by demanding military, intelligence, and commercial organizations, our data empowers governments and businesses to anticipate change as it happens, giving them a strategic advantage to act quickly. Our global team works with cutting-edge technology to make a difference around the world and prides itself on being people‑first, customer‑focused and fun.

The Ground & Control team builds the autonomous software that controls and monitors BlackSky’s satellite constellation. Responsibilities include high‑speed tasking, ground and space telemetry, health monitoring, and low‑latency communication with ground stations worldwide. The role bridges hardware‑level interfaces and cloud‑deployed microservices, contributing to mission‑critical systems that keep our satellites safe, responsive, and efficient 24/7.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and maintain software that enables autonomous satellite operations and real‑time tasking.
• Develop and integrate services that interface with ground station infrastructure and satellite communication protocols.
• Build software solutions to support satellite tasking and monitoring.
• Collaborate with operations, communication engineers, flight software engineers, mission planning engineers, and other software teams to understand and refine technical requirements.
• Write clean, maintainable code with a strong emphasis on safety, test coverage, and reliability.
• Participate in design reviews, code reviews, and team planning discussions.
• Support on‑call rotations and troubleshoot live system operations as needed.
• Travel 10‑15% to customer sites as required.
• Other job‑related duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Minimum of six (6) years of professional software development experience.
• Proficiency in one or more programming languages (e.g., Go, Python, C++).
• Experience developing and deploying microservices in cloud environments (AWS, GCP, Azure) and on‑premise Kubernetes‑based environments.
• Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines, automated testing, and modern version control systems (e.g., Git).
• Strong problem‑solving skills and the ability to understand complex systems end to end.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills in a cross‑functional team environment.
• Some of the programs this role supports may require US citizenship.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree or higher in a related technical field.
• At least eight years of professional software development experience.
• Exposure to infrastructure‑as‑code tools (Terraform, Ansible) and container orchestration (Kubernetes, Nomad).
• Understanding of system safety, fault tolerance, and recovery strategies.
• Comfort working in high‑availability, mission‑critical software environments.
• Prior experience with satellite operations, ground stations, or other aerospace domains (e.g., X‑Band, UHF, telemetry).
• Active secret or higher U.S. security clearance.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, disability, group term life and AD&D, voluntary life and AD&D insurance
  • BlackSky pays 100% of employee‑only premiums for medical, dental, and vision and contributes $100/month for out‑of‑pocket expenses.
• 15 days of PTO, 11 company holidays, four floating holidays (pro‑rated based on hire date), one day of paid volunteer leave per year, parental leave, and more.
• 401(k) pre‑tax and Roth deferral options with employer match.
• Flexible Spending Accounts.
• Employee Stock Purchase Program.
• Employee Assistance and Travel Assistance Programs.
• Employer matching donations.
• Mac or PC—your choice.
• Awesome swag.

The anticipated salary range for candidates in Seattle, WA is $140,000–$160,000 per year. Final compensation will depend on background and education. This pay scale may differ in other states or locations.

BlackSky is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.