Sr. Software Engineer, Spacecraft Simulation

True Anomaly•Long Beach, CA

3d•$145,000 - $230,000•Hybrid

About The Position

A new space race has begun. True Anomaly seeks those with the talent and ambition to build innovative technology that solves the next generation of engineering, manufacturing, and operational challenges for space security and sustainability. OUR MISSION The peaceful use of space is essential for continued prosperity on Earth—from communications and finance to navigation and logistics. True Anomaly builds innovative technology at the intersection of spacecraft, software, and AI to enhance the capabilities of the U.S., its allies, and commercial partners. We safeguard global security by ensuring space access and sustainability for all. OUR VALUES Be the offset. We create asymmetric advantages with creativity and ingenuity What would it take? We challenge assumptions to deliver ambitious results It’s the people. Our team is our competitive advantage and we are better together YOUR MISSION Software is the central nervous system for True Anomaly's engineering and product thesis. Software bridges the gap between military objectives, theoretical physics, and the human and autonomous control of spacecraft and ground systems. True Anomaly is seeking a Sr. Spacecraft Simulation Software Engineer to drive the development and enhancement of our spacecraft, constellation modeling, and simulation software with a focus on multi-physics, high-fidelity simulation. You will take ownership of significant technical components within our simulation infrastructure, working independently to design, implement, and deliver complex features. Working in a fast-paced, interdisciplinary team, you will develop algorithms for modeling coupled physics including 6-degree-of-freedom (6DOF) rigid body dynamics, thermal systems, attitude dynamics and control, power systems, propulsion, and their interactions. You will also mentor junior engineers and contribute to architectural decisions that shape the future of our simulation capabilities.

Requirements

Education: Bachelor's in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, computer science, physics, applied mathematics, or equivalent experience
Experience: 5–8 years of professional software development with significant focus on simulation, scientific computing, or aerospace applications
C++: Proficiency in modern C++ (C++17 or newer), including STL, templates, and performance optimization
Python: Proficiency in API design, scripting, and data analysis
Independence: Demonstrated ability to take ambiguous requirements and drive a complex technical effort to delivered capability with minimal direction
Domain knowledge: Solid understanding of at least one of: ADCS, GNC, thermal control, electric power systems, chemical/electric propulsion, orbital mechanics, or HIL/SIL systems
V&V: Demonstrated experience defining and executing verification and validation plans for physics-based models, including uncertainty quantification and validation against test or flight data
Systems thinking: Ability to make sound design decisions within larger distributed systems
Communication: Strong written and verbal skills; able to articulate complex technical concepts clearly
Clearance: U.S. Citizen eligible for DoD Secret or TS/SCI clearance

Nice To Haves

Physics-based M&S experience in aerospace or defense
Numerical methods: ODE/DAE solvers (Runge-Kutta, implicit, multi-step), numerical linear algebra, sparse matrix techniques, automatic differentiation
Deep familiarity with coordinate frames (ECI, ECEF, LVLH, body frames), quaternion mathematics, and orbital mechanics
Proficiency with Git, CI/CD, CMake or Bazel, and software testing frameworks
Familiarity with parallel computing, Docker, and cloud platforms
Experience with hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) or software-in-the-loop (SIL) testing environments, including simulation interfaces to flight software or embedded hardware

Responsibilities

Design and implement multi-physics simulation software across spacecraft subsystems: 6DOF rigid body dynamics (gravity gradient, solar radiation pressure, atmospheric drag, magnetic torques, third-body effects), thermal modeling, attitude dynamics and control, propulsion (chemical/electric), power generation and storage, and high-fidelity sensor/actuator models (reaction wheels, CMGs, star trackers, gyros, magnetometers)
Develop coupled physics algorithms capturing subsystem interactions (thermal-structural, power-thermal, propulsion-dynamics)
Design time-stepping algorithms, solver architectures, and integration schemes for real-time and faster-than-real-time simulation
Write production-quality C++ with emphasis on performance, maintainability, and testability
Design and maintain robust APIs in C++ and Python serving internal customers across the organization
Collaborate with mission planning, GNC, and systems engineering teams to ensure APIs are usable, performant, and backward-compatible
Create comprehensive documentation, examples, and user guides
Drive architectural decisions for simulation subsystems, including technology selection, interface design, and long-term maintainability tradeoffs; conduct thorough code reviews
Mentor junior engineers through pair programming and technical guidance
Contribute to sprint planning, estimation, and technical risk assessment
Participate in hiring through technical interviews and candidate assessment