Sr. Ground Software Engineer
About The Position
Fortastra is seeking a Sr. Ground Software Engineer to own ground control software, data infrastructure, and data visualization and analysis tools that support both flight operations and ground testing. You will be responsible for how we command our spacecraft, monitor them in real time, and store, serve, and make sense of the data they produce. You will have the ability to work across the full ground stack from low-level data ingestion to user-facing analysis tools while collaborating closely with the teams that build and operate the vehicle. You will collaborate closely with our Flight Software team. They will build the flight software that runs on the spacecraft, and you will build everything on the ground that commands it, captures its data, and helps our engineers understand it.
Requirements
- B.S. Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace, Robotics, or other sciences and/or physics-based degree.
- Prior experience in ground software, mission operations, or telemetry/command systems
- Experience designing and building data infrastructure, databases, time-series stores, streaming pipelines, or message buses
- Experience building data visualization and analysis tools for technical or engineering users
- Proficiency in one or more modern languages such as Python, C++, Go, or Rust
- Experience with space systems, rovers, satellites, launch vehicles, etc.
- Solid understanding of networking, protocols, and real-time or high-throughput data handling
- Experience with cloud-based ground systems or mission control software
- Exposure to DevOps and automated testing pipelines
- Comfort using modern agentic AI tools (e.g., Claude) in the development workflow.
- Ability to work independently and in small, fast-moving teams.
- Work is on-site, remote or hybrid arrangements will not be considered.
- U.S. Citizenship and ability to obtain or have an active TS/SCI clearance.
Responsibilities
- Design and develop ground control software for commanding and monitoring spacecraft during flight operations and ground tests.
- Own data infrastructure that ingests, stores, and serves high-rate telemetry and test data reliably and at scale.
- Build data visualization and analysis tools that give engineers real-time and post-test insight into system behavior.
- Develop telemetry pipelines that handle both live streaming data and large historical datasets, with disciplined attention to reliability and data integrity.
- Work with flight software and avionics engineers to define command and telemetry interfaces that minimize risk and simplify integration.
- Build tooling that accelerates data review, anomaly detection, and post-test reconstruction.
- Support real-time operations during tests and flights, including console roles as needed.
- Generate and maintain clear documentation for ground software systems and interfaces with disciplined revision control.
- Collaborate with test and integration teams to ensure ground systems are buildable, testable, and serviceable, and support floor activities such as test setup and data verification.
- Identify and resolve issues related to data flow, system observability, and interactions between ground software and other spacecraft and test infrastructure
Benefits
- Unlimited Paid Time Off
- Comprehensive Healthcare: Medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your dependents
- Equity: Share in Fortastra's success with equity in the company you're helping build.
- 401(k)
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
