Senior Mission Software Engineer

Varda Space Industries•El Segundo, CA

16h•Onsite

About The Position

We're looking for a Senior Mission Software Engineer to own and evolve Varda's critical ground segment software, and the platform it runs on, that enables spacecraft operations. This role sits at the intersection of telemetry and commanding, data acquisition and distribution, mission control interfaces, simulation and test automation, with reliable deployment across lab, test range, and mission operations environments. You'll work hands-on with flight software, avionics, RF/ground systems, and mission ops.

Requirements

Expertise in Python
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 with CI/CD, dependency/build systems, and infrastructure-as-code
End-to-end observability: logging, metrics, tracing
Docker/Kubernetes; release management, phased rollouts, and operational readiness for controlled networks

Nice To Haves

Proficiency in C++
Proficiency with Ansible
Experience with NiceGUI
DAQ and closed-loop control experience (lab/test control environments)
Prior work on CI/testing/simulation/data tools integrated with flight software teams
Familiarity with requirements, test, and certification artifacts from safety-critical or certified workflows
Ground systems standards; security in mission networks
Experience building mission-grade UIs with structured command workflows, alarming, and situational awareness

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.

Benefits

Exciting team of professionals at the top of their field working by your side
Equity in a fully funded space startup with potential for significant growth (interns excluded)
401(k) matching (interns excluded)
Unlimited PTO (interns excluded)
Health insurance, including Vision and Dental
Lunch and snacks provided on site every day. Dinners provided twice a week.
Maternity / Paternity leave (interns excluded)

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