Senior Space Software Engineer (Real-Time & Embedded)

Cowboy Space Corporation; San Carlos (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Insurance: medical/ dental/ vision

401(k) plan

Paid time off

10 paid holidays per year

Parental leave

Relocation assistance

Lunch in the office

Job summary

Cowboy Space Corp is seeking a Software Engineer to help build critical systems powering our space-based compute platform. You will work across the stack—from flight and mission software to ground systems and simulation tools—contributing to software that operates in highly constrained, high-reliability environments.

This is a high-growth role with the opportunity to gain ownership quickly and work closely with experienced engineers across hardware and software.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of software engineering experience (internships and relevant projects count).
• Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science or related field.
• Proficiency in at least one systems-level language (C++, Python, or Rust).
• Exposure to embedded systems, distributed systems, robotics or autonomous systems, or aerospace or hardware-adjacent software.
• Strong fundamentals in data structures, algorithms, and system design basics.
• Eagerness to learn and operate in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and rigorously test high-reliability, low-latency flight software for our space-based compute platform and satellite subsystems.
• Implement and maintain critical mission software for on-orbit operation, including C&DH, FDIR, and secure communications.
• Work across the stack from low-level embedded systems to higher-level mission logic, using C++, Python, or Rust.
• Develop software for ground systems, simulation environments, and hardware-in-the-loop testing for integration and validation.
• Collaborate with hardware, GNC, and constellation operations to define software interfaces and ensure system-wide functionality.
• Maintain detailed technical documentation and participate in CI/CD pipelines for robust deployment.

Skills

5+ years experience

C++

Python

Rust

Embedded systems

Distributed systems

Robotics

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Job description

Cowboy Space Corp is seeking a Software Engineer to help build critical systems powering our space-based compute platform. You will work across the stack—from flight and mission software to ground systems and simulation tools—contributing to software that operates in highly constrained, high-reliability environments.

This is a high-growth role with the opportunity to gain ownership quickly and work closely with experienced engineers across hardware and software.