Sr. Principal Software Engineer

Sierra Space; Centennial (CO); On-site; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Professional development

Disability accommodations

Job summary

Sierra Space is seeking a Sr. Principal Software Engineer to design, develop, and test software for space systems. You will lead a team, architect complex solutions, and drive senior technical direction for high-stakes programs.

Role requires extensive experience, strong leadership, and the ability to communicate with non-technical stakeholders. A Secret U.S. Security Clearance is required to advance in this position.

Qualifications

• Requires a bachelor's degree in a related field or equivalent.
• Typically 15+ years of related software engineering experience.
• Expertise across multiple programming languages and software principles.
• Ability to design, architect, and implement complex systems.
• Proven leadership to guide a team of engineers.
• Ability to make high-level design decisions and steer strategy.
• Experience with Agile, Scrum/Kanban.
• Secret U.S. Security Clearance required.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and test software for space systems.
• Lead a team of engineers and guide technical direction.
• Architect and implement complex software systems.
• Review code, ensure quality, and enforce standards.
• Collaborate with non-technical stakeholders and manage projects.
• Stay current with industry trends and space technologies.

Skills

Leadership

Architecture

Software development

Agile/Scrum

Communication

Security clearance

Team mentoring

Project leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

Tools

Git

Jira

Confluence

Jenkins

Job description

Sierra Space Careers:

At Sierra Space, we build the missions and systems that keep our world secure in the domain above Earth.

Sierra Space team members share a spirit of innovation and collaboration and a belief that we can deliver on the boldest missions in space today. Together with our customers, we aim to safeguard our nation, sustain human presence in space, and secure the freedom of operations in low Earth orbit and beyond.

Our success is measured by the trust of those who rely on what we build and deliver, and our technologies keep the United States and its allies mission-ready throughout space.

We are mission-driven, and together, we are an extraordinary team.

About the Role

The Sr. Principal Software Engineer role involves designing, developing, and testing software applications for space systems and technologies. This advanced position requires extensive expertise in multiple programming languages, an advanced understanding of software development principles, and the ability to design, architect, and implement complex software systems. The role includes writing clean, maintainable code, collaborating with team members to understand project requirements, and contributing to the development of innovative software solutions. Additionally, this position involves leading a team of engineers, making high-level design decisions, and driving the strategic direction of the software engineering team. The role also requires project leadership, strong problem-solving skills, and effective communication with non-technical stakeholders.

In this role, you will design, develop, and test software applications for space systems and technologies while writing clean, maintainable code that adheres to best practices and coding standards. You will architect and implement complex software systems to meet project requirements and collaborate with team members to understand project needs, contributing to the development of effective software solutions. Utilizing version control systems such as Git, you will manage code changes and work collaboratively with team members. You will participate in code reviews to ensure code quality and adherence to development standards, troubleshoot and resolve software-related issues in a timely manner, and document software configurations, processes, and procedures for future reference. Staying current with industry trends and advancements in software development and space technologies will be essential. Additionally, you will lead a team of engineers, providing technical leadership, mentorship, and support to foster collaboration and growth within the team. You will make high-level design decisions that significantly impact program cost, schedule, and technical performance, drive the strategic direction of the software engineering team, and demonstrate project leadership, strong problem-solving skills, and effective communication with non-technical stakeholders. Furthermore, you will architect and oversee the technical aspects of large-scale projects, innovate, and make strategic decisions regarding the adoption of new technologies and methodologies to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.

About You

Our mission is driven by an unyielding commitment to advancing space-based technology in service of our customers and safeguarding national security. We seek individuals who are passionate about innovating beyond boundaries and relentlessly pursuing solutions that protect, preserve and empower - to join us in this critical mission.

We're looking for team members who align with our values, mission and goals - while also meeting the minimum qualifications below. The preferred qualifications are a bonus, not a requirement.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Requires bachelor's degree in a related field (or equivalent work experience in lieu of degree or master's +13 yrs experience).
• Typically, 15+ years of related experience.
• Extensive expertise in multiple programming languages and software development principles.
• Ability to design, architect, and implement complex software systems.
• Strong leadership skills to lead a team of engineers.
• Ability to make high-level design decisions.
• Ability to drive the strategic direction of the software engineering team.
• Demonstrated project leadership, strong problem-solving skills, and effective communication with non-technical stakeholders.
• Ability to architect and oversee the technical aspects of large-scale projects, innovate, and make decisions on the adoption of new technologies and methodologies.
• Experience with different software development methodologies such as Agile and Scrum/Kanban.
• The ability to obtain and maintain a Secret U.S. Security Clearance is required.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field.
• Extensive experience with kernel-level programming and system optimization.
• Mastery in programming languages (Python, C++) and their ecosystems.
• Expertise in scripting languages (Bash, PowerShell, Perl) and automation tools (Ansible, Puppet, Chef, Terraform).
• Proven experience with Agile or Scrum methodologies and tools (JIRA, Confluence, Jenkins).
• Exceptional analytical skills, performance profiling, memory management, and debugging.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with proficiency in collaborative tools (GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket).
• Demonstrated ability to lead large-scale software projects from inception to completion.
• Strong strategic thinking and decision-making skills.
• Advanced knowledge of database management systems (MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB).
• Extensive experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud) and cloud-native development.
• Proficiency with containerization (Docker) and orchestration (Kubernetes).
• In-depth understanding of network protocols, security principles, and secure coding practices.
• Ability to write and maintain comprehensive technical documentation.
• Extensive experience with CI/CD pipelines and advanced automated testing frameworks.
• Proven track record of mentoring and guiding junior engineers, providing technical leadership.
• Experience with continuous integration and automated test.
• Knowledge of and experience implementing Software Design Patterns.
• Familiarity with SysML/UML to create software designs.
• Experience utilizing and setting up static analysis tools.

IMPORTANT NOTICE

This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Security Clearance. U.S. Citizenship status is required as this position needs an active U.S. Security Clearance for employment. Non-U.S. citizens may not be eligible to obtain a security clearance. The Department of Defense Consolidated Adjudications Facility (DoD CAF), a federal government agency, handles the adjudicative aspects of the security clearance eligibility process for industry applicants. Adjudicative factors which affect the outcome of the eligibility determination include, but are not limited to, allegiance to the U.S., foreign influence, foreign preference, criminal conduct, security violations and illegal drug use.

Elevate Your Career

At Sierra Space, we are committed to your personal and professional development. We empower you to make profound and meaningful contributions and foster a vibrant culture of collaboration, where teamwork ignites breakthrough innovations.

Sierra Space is an industry-leading space and defense technology company providing satellites, spacecraft, and enabling mission systems and components. We deliver mission-proven technologies to our customers that safeguard our nation, protect space-based assets and enable space exploration.

Application Deadline: This role will remain posted until a qualified pool of candidates is identified.

Sierra Space Corporationis an equal opportunity employer and is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need special assistance or a reasonable accommodation related to applying for employment withSierra Spaceor at any stage of the recruitment process, pleasecontact us.