Staff Systems Engineer and Product - Flight Operations Software

Vantor Inc.; Westminster (CO); Hybrid; USD 105,000 - 154,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) with company match

Mental health resources

Student loan repayment assistance

Adoption reimbursement

Pet insurance

Job summary

Vantor Inc. is hiring a Systems Engineer to define, develop, and evolve software that commands and controls Vantor's spacecraft.

You will bridge systems thinking with practical software execution, translating mission needs into capabilities and prioritizing work across disciplines. The role combines systems engineering with software product ownership, requiring ownership, collaboration, and clear communication to deliver capabilities that operate in real time.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in aerospace, systems, CS or related technical discipline.
• 5+ years in developing, integrating, or operating complex software-intensive systems.
• Experience with systems engineering: architecture, requirements, interfaces, integration, verification.
• Understanding distributed software architectures, service interfaces, APIs, data flows.
• Experience translating needs into software development requirements and priorities.
• Experience with software development teams through design, implementation, integration and testing.
• Strong technical judgment and cross-disciplinary decision making.
• Ownership mindset in fast-paced, collaborative environment.

Responsibilities

• Define architectures and interfaces for spacecraft software.
• Translate mission needs into software capabilities and priorities.
• Collaborate with engineers through implementation, integration, testing, and deployment.
• Drive decisions across engineering disciplines and deliver operational capabilities.
• Maintain hands-on, high-ownership approach in a fast-moving team.

Skills

U.S. citizenship requirement

Security clearance eligibility

Systems engineering

Software development liaison

Strong communication

Ownership mindset

Education

Bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering, systems engineering, computer science, or related technical discipline

Tools

MBSE

SysML

APIs/REST gRPC

CI/CD tooling

Job description

Vantor is forging the new frontier of spatial intelligence, helping decision makers and operators navigate what's happening now and shape what's coming next. Vantor is a place for problem solvers, changemakers, and go-getters-where people are working together to help our customers see the world differently, and in doing so, be seen differently. Come be part of a mission, not just a job, where you can: Shape your own future, build the next big thing, and change the world.

To be eligible for this position, you must be a U.S. Person, defined as a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, Asylee, or Refugee.

Export Control/ITAR: Certain roles may be subject to U.S. export control laws, requiring U.S. person status as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).

Please review the job details below.

SpaceWrx is hiring a Systems Engineer to help define, develop, and evolve the software that commands and controls Vantor's current and future spacecraft.

This role combines systems engineering with software product ownership, working at the intersection of spacecraft systems, ground software, and mission operations. You will translate mission and operational needs into software capabilities, define architectures and interfaces, establish development priorities, and work directly with software engineers through implementation, integration, testing, deployment, and sustainment.

We are looking for a technically strong engineer who can connect system-level thinking with practical software execution. You should be comfortable making technical trades, resolving ambiguity, collaborating across disciplines, and taking ownership of delivering capabilities that work in operations.

This is a hands-on, high-ownership role in a fast-moving engineering organization where technical judgment, initiative, and execution matter more than process.

The position follows a hybrid schedule, with in-office collaboration Tuesday through Thursday and optional in-office work Monday and Friday.

Minimum Qualifications

• U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain a U.S. Government Secret security clearance.
• Bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering, systems engineering, computer science, or a related technical discipline.
• 5+ years of experience developing, integrating, or operating complex software-intensive systems, preferably in aerospace, spacecraft, ground systems, or other mission-critical environments.
• Experience with systems engineering, including system architecture, requirements definition, interfaces, integration, and verification.
• Understanding of distributed software architectures, service interfaces, APIs, and data flows.
• Experience translating technical and operational needs into actionable software development requirements and priorities.
• Experience working directly with software development teams through design, implementation, integration, and test.
• Strong technical judgment, communication skills, and demonstrated ability to drive decisions across engineering disciplines.
• Ability to take ownership, resolve ambiguity, and deliver results in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with spacecraft command-and-control, flight operations software, ground systems, or mission control systems.
• Experience serving as a technical Product Owner or systems engineer responsible for software capability definition and development priorities.
• Experience with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE), SysML, or system architecture modeling tools.
• Familiarity with spacecraft telemetry, commanding, communications protocols, or mission operations.
• Hands-on experience with distributed or event-driven software systems, REST/gRPC APIs, or real-time data processing.
• Experience with Agile software development, backlog prioritization, and defining Epics, User Stories, and Acceptance Criteria.
• Experience with spacecraft or complex-system integration, verification, deployment, or operational support.
• Familiarity with CI/CD, automated testing, containerized services, or modern software deployment environments.

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Pay Transparency

To support pay transparency, Vantor includes salary ranges in all U.S. job postings. Starting pay for this role will fall within the listed range and will be based on factors such as experience, qualifications, skills, location, and market conditions. Candidates who meet the minimum requirements for the role should not expect to receive compensation at the top of the range. The listed range reflects the expected pay for this position, and final offers will be determined based on each candidate's experience, expertise, and alignment with the role.

• The base pay for this position within Colorado is: $105,000.00 - $140,000.00 - $154,000.00 annually.

For all other states, we use geographic cost of labor as an input to develop market-driven ranges for our roles, and as such, each location where we hire may have a different range.

Benefits

Vantor offers a competitive total rewards package that goes beyond the standard, including a robust 401(k) with company match, mental health resources, and unique perks like student loan repayment assistance, adoption reimbursement and pet insurance to support all aspects of your life. You can find more information on our benefits at: https://www.Vantor.com/careers

Additionally, this position is incentive eligible with a target based on contribution, company performance, and/or individual results achieved; the specific incentive plan and target amount will be determined based on the role and breadth of contributions.

The application window is three days from the date the job is posted and will remain posted until a qualified candidate has been identified for hire. If the job is reposted regardless of reason, it will remain posted three days from the date the job is reposted and will remain reposted until a qualified candidate has been identified for hire.

The date of posting can be found on Vantor's Career page at the top of each job posting.

EEO Policy

Vantor is an equal opportunity employer committed to an inclusive workplace. We believe in fostering an environment where all team members feel respected, valued, and encouraged to share their ideas. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.