Staff Software Engineer, Mission Management

BlackSky • Seattle, WA

6d • Remote

About The Position

BlackSky is a real-time intelligence company that owns and operates an advanced space-based intelligence platform, providing satellite imagery, automated analytics, and high-frequency monitoring. The company is seeking a self-starting engineer to join the Mission Management Engineering team. This team focuses on developing and maintaining optimal, automated autonomous operations for the BlackSky constellation. The role involves software system design and architecture, data structures, efficient data storage and retrieval, software performance and scaling, and efficient algorithm implementation. The ideal candidate will have experience developing and deploying production-level systems at scale. Responsibilities include developing and tracking requirements, schedules, and technical implementation for mission management products, with opportunities for production code development in Python and Go. The role offers potential for technical or functional leadership after demonstrating individual contribution and system expertise. This position reports to the Director, Mission Management. While Seattle, WA is ideal, remote candidates in certain states may be considered.

Requirements

• Bachelor's or Master's degree or higher in computer science, mathematics, physics, statistics, or another computational field or equivalent experience.
• A minimum of eight (8) years of relevant software development experience.
• Fluency in Python, a strong understanding of Go, and comfortable using other languages when necessary.
• Expert knowledge of software design, maintenance, and implementation including data structures, data retrieval and storage, algorithm efficiency, and maintainable scalable code.
• Demonstrated initiative to identify and solve problems or inefficiencies in your current field of expertise.
• Possess strong team and inter-team cooperation and organization skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with a strong understanding of audience.
• Ability to sustain a workload consisting of several concurrent, independent activities.
• This position requires U.S. citizenship or status as a U.S. person.

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity with satellite first principals such as orbital mechanics, attitude dynamics, and satellite systems.
• Expertise in software/hardware performance characteristic.
• Experience with automation of complex systems (satellite, vehicle fleets, drones, etc.).
• Knowledge of geospatial systems or data.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and maintain software for the components making up BlackSky’s mission management services.
• Participate in design reviews, code reviews, and team planning discussions.
• Take an active role in testing, debugging, and documenting implemented software functionality.
• Proactively identify problems with requirements (lack of clarity, inconsistencies, technical limitations) and communicates these issues early.
• Interface with mission planning, ground software, and platform engineers to plan and execute autonomous constellation operations software products.
• Assist with operational tasks to ensure stability in production environments and support ongoing constellation operations and customer fulfillment efforts.
• Support on-call rotations and troubleshooting of live system operations as needed.
• Support Launch and Early Operations of new satellites.
• Other job-related duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, disability, group term life and AD&D, voluntary life and AD&D insurance
• BlackSky pays 100% of employee-only premiums for medical, dental and vision and contributes $100/month for out-of-pocket expenses!
• 15 days of PTO
• 11 Company holidays
• four Floating Holidays (pro-rated based on hire date)
• one day of paid volunteerism leave per year
• parental leave
• 401(k) pre-tax and Roth deferral options with employer match
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Employee Stock Purchase Program
• Employee Assistance and Travel Assistance Programs
• Employer matching donations
• Professional development
• Mac or PC? Your choice!
• Awesome swag

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior