Ground Station Software Engineer

The role

You will own the software that forms the communications backbone between earth and space. You will design and develop distributed software systems for ground station network operations and core infrastructure services using Python and Go.

What you will do

• Design and develop distributed software systems for ground station network operations and core infrastructure services.
• Test and integrate software systems that run on both commercial and in-house developed hardware.
• Build simulation and testing frameworks to validate system behavior before deployment.
• Collaborate with hardware engineers to integrate, test, and debug systems end-to-end.
• Write performant, reliable code for resource-constrained and mission-critical environments.
• Develop internal tools to support testing, automation, and operational workflows.
• Participate in system bring-up, integration, and launch preparation activities.
• Monitor and support on-orbit operations, including debugging and performance optimization.
• Contribute to system architecture decisions across software and hardware boundaries.
• Investigate anomalies across hardware/software boundaries, perform root cause analysis, and drive fixes to closure.

Required qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or related field
• 2+ years of experience building production software systems
• Strong programming skills in languages such as Python or Go
• Experience working close to hardware, distributed systems, or real-time systems
• Solid understanding of systems fundamentals (operating systems, networking, concurrency)
• Experience working in fast-paced, engineering-driven environments

Nice to have

• Experience with real-time operating systems software, embedded systems, or robotics
• Background in aerospace, autonomous systems, or high-reliability environments
• Experience building simulation frameworks or hardware-in-the-loop testing systems
• Familiarity with Linux-based systems and low-level debugging
• Experience with cloud infrastructure or distributed systems for mission operations
• Track record of owning systems end-to-end in high-ownership environments

Benefits

• Equity in Cowboy Space Corp.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and eligible dependents
• 401(k) retirement savings plan
• Paid time off
• 10 paid holidays per calendar year
• Paid parental leave
• Relocation assistance if applicable
• Daily lunch in the office
• Fully stocked kitchen with beverages and snacks

Before you apply

• Applicants must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Depar

About the company

Cowboy Space Corporation is building the infrastructure to power and connect the orbital economy. The company is building modular, scalable satellites to enable energy and data distribution from space.