Software Engineer

The role

You will build systems to control, operate, and scale spacecraft and ground infrastructure. This includes flight software, simulation, mission control systems, and tooling for hardware testing.

What you will do

• Design, build, and maintain software for spacecraft systems, ground systems, and mission operations
• Develop flight software that interfaces directly with hardware and supports real-time control
• 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
• Balance speed, reliability, and scalability in a fast-paced development environment

Required qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or related field
• 3+ years of experience building production software systems
• Strong programming skills in languages such as C++, Python, or Rust
• 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 flight 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 for abundant, resilient space-based solar energy. The company is building modular, scalable satellites to enable energy transmission, computing clusters, and optical data transport.