Senior Spacecraft Mission Software Engineer

Digitailor; El Segundo (CA); On-site; USD 169,000 - 216,000; Full time

Job summary

Varda in El Segundo, CA, is seeking a Senior Software Engineer for ground/mission software in the aerospace domain. You will own high-reliability telemetry ingestion, real-time operations, and operator dashboards for space systems.

Proficiency in Python, C++, Docker/Kubernetes, and CI/CD is required, with a track record in safety-critical software development. Join a team building flight software interfaces, data tools, and mission platforms, with on-site collaboration and opportunities to

Qualifications

• Experience in spacecraft or safety-critical software
• Strong Python knowledge and software fundamentals
• Experience with CI/CD, IaC, and observability tooling
• End-to-end observability: logging, metrics, tracing
• Knowledge of real-time data acquisition and low-latency services
• Experience with flight software teams and safety-critical workflows
• Experience with C++ and/or Ansible is a plus

Responsibilities

• Own Ground Segment Services: telemetry ingestion, scaling, distribution, and commanding
• Deliver operator-grade UIs and dashboards for ops time efficiency
• Build tools for flight-software simulations and device emulators
• Design, implement, and productionize mission and ground software
• Standardize CI/CD pipelines and infrastructure-as-code
• Deploy patterns across lab benches, test stands, and mission networks
• Implement safe rollout/rollback for air-gapped or limited-connectivity deployments

Skills

Python programming

Real-time systems

CI/CD

Safety-critical software

C++

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/Math/Physics/Engineering or equivalent

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

Job description

About Varda Low Earth orbit is open for business. Varda is accelerating the development of commercial space infrastructure, from in-orbit pharmaceutical processing to reliable and economical reentry capsules. Varda’s W-Series vehicles are built, designed, and operated by Varda in-house, including the pharmaceutical processing payloads, the capsules, the C-PICA heat shields, and the satellite buses. From life-saving pharmaceuticals to more powerful fiber optics, there is a world of products used on Earth today that can only be manufactured in space. Varda is accelerating innovation in the orbital economy by creating both the products and infrastructure needed so space can directly benefit life on Earth. Our mission is to expand the economic bounds of humankind. Our team is uniquely suited to accomplishing this goal, with leadership and staff comprised of veterans from SpaceX, Blue Origin, major pharmaceutical companies and Silicon Valley. Varda was founded in January 2021 by Will Bruey and Delian Asparouhov with significant backing from world class investors including Khosla Ventures, Lux Capital, Founders Fund, Caffeinated Capital, General Catalyst, and Also Capital. Varda is headquartered in El Segundo, California, where we have offices and a production facility where our vehicles, equipment, and materials are built, integrated, and tested. Varda also has offices in Washington, DC and Huntsville, AL. Join Varda, and work to create a bustling in-space ecosystem.

Responsibilities

Own Ground Segment Services: Develop and maintain high-reliability services for telemetry ingestion, scaling, distribution, and commanding. Ensure deterministic behavior for real-time operations and post-flight analysis. Mission Control Interfaces: Deliver operator-grade UIs and dashboards that optimize "ops time" and reduce cognitive load across integration, test, and on-orbit operations phases. Simulation and Test Automation: Build tools to run flight-software simulations, device emulators, and scenario-based automated tests - enabling fast, safe iteration for avionics, GNC, and operations teams. Build the Mission Platform : Design, implement, and productionize software for mission and ground software teams. Standardize CI/CD pipelines, artifact management, service templates, infrastructure-as-code, simulation and hardware-in-the-loop frameworks, test harnesses, and observability - all delivered as self-service tooling. Deployments Across Environments: Create robust deployment patterns for lab benches, test stands, and mission networks. Implement safe rollout/rollback strategies and air-gapped or limited-connectivity deployment approaches.

Basic Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in computer science, math, physics, engineering or equivalent technical experience in safety critical software. 5+ years of experience in the development of spacecraft or similar safety critical software. Expertise with development in Python, along with a strong understanding of the language concepts. Have strong systems fundamentals: concurrency, networking, performance, reliability. Experience building real-time data acquisition, scaling, and distribution services - low-latency messaging, time-series and relational stores. Hands-on experience with CI/CD, dependency/build systems, and infrastructure-as-code. End-to-end observability experience: logging, metrics, tracing. Docker/Kubernetes; release management, phased rollouts, and operational readiness for controlled networks. Preferred Skills and Experience Proficiency in C++, Ansible, and/or NiceGUI. Experience with DAQ and closed-loop control (lab/test control environments). Prior work on CI/testing/simulation/data tools integrated with flight software teams. Experience with requirements, test, and certification artifacts from safety-critical or certified workflows. Knowledge of ground systems standards; security in mission networks. Experience building mission-grade UIs with structured command workflows, alarming, and situational awareness.

Pay Range

Salary range: Senior Software: $169,067 - $216,031/ per year. This role is on-site in El Segundo, CA. Leveling and base salary is determined by job-related skills, education level, experience level, and job performance. You will be eligible for incentives in the form of stock options and/or long-term cash awards. ITAR Requirements Varda, like all employers, must ensure that its employees working in the United States are lawfully authorized to work in the U.S. Additionally, our employees are exposed to and have access to certain export-controlled items. Because our employees are provided access to export-controlled items, our policy is to only hire “U.S. persons” who are permitted to have access to our technology without an export license. “US person” means: U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident, or protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) (i.e., individual admitted to the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum). Candidates and employees are always evaluated based on merit, qualifications, and performance. We will never discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, martial status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status.