Principal Engineer – Mission Control Software

Here at The Exploration Company, we are developing, producing, and operating Nyx, a modular and reusable space orbital vehicle that can eventually be refuelled in orbit and that can carry cargo - and potentially humans in the longer run.

We're looking for a hands-on Principal Engineer to lead the technical direction of our Mission Control Software platform. You will combine deep software engineering expertise with architectural ownership and product-level thinking to ensure our platform scales from integrated testing through mission operations — with an architecture built for the reliability, traceability, and certification requirements of space programs that can evolve toward human-rated operations as the program matures.

You will own the software platform that enables flight controllers and test engineers to monitor telemetry, command the spacecraft, and execute operational procedures — first during AIT integration campaigns, then through mission operations. The platform must meet the software development standards and compliance requirements imposed by program-level authorities.

Key Responsibilities

In your capacity as a Principal Engineer, Mission Control Software you will:

• Define and evolve the platform architecture spanning telemetry processing, telecommanding, procedure execution, and operator interfaces

• Write production-grade code across the full stack while owning the technical roadmap and driving major architectural decisions

• Translate Mission Operations, Flight Software, and AIT needs into feature specifications, managing scope and delivering incrementally toward operational capability

• Ensure the software development process, documentation, and deliverables comply with agency standards and pass program-level certification reviews

• Design safe commanding workflows with appropriate authorization controls, command verification, and audit traceability

• Architect cloud-native infrastructure on AWS or GCP — designing for scalability, observability, and operational robustness across mission phases with varying load profiles

• Collaborate closely with Mission Operations, Flight Software, and AIT teams to align software capabilities with campaign and mission requirements

• Lead a team of three — setting engineering standards, guiding code reviews and design reviews, and balancing development velocity with the quality bar required for mission-critical software

What we would love to see from you

The ideal candidate will have:

• 5+ years of professional software engineering experience with demonstrated architectural ownership and technical leadership

• Strong backend expertise (e.g., Python, Ruby, or similar) with experience in data processing pipelines and event-driven architectures

• Experience with modern frontend technologies (TypeScript, Vue/React, REST/WebSockets) for operator interfaces and live data displays

• Deep understanding of distributed systems, API design, and inter-service communication

• Experience with containerization and orchestration (Docker, Kubernetes) for deploying and operating distributed service architectures

• Hands-on experience with cloud platforms (AWS or GCP) including infrastructure-as-code, managed services, and production operations

• Deep understanding of ground segment concepts — telemetry, telecommanding, mission planning, and operational procedures

• Experience working within or delivering software to formal development and quality assurance standards

• Product ownership mindset with strong analytical thinking, technical judgment, and attention to detail

• Motivation to thrive in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment with high accountability for system readiness

Bonus qualifications:

• Experience in aerospace or other safety-critical domains — particularly mission operations

• Familiarity with space communication standards (e.g., CCSDS)

• Experience interfacing with ESA or NASA programs and their review/certification processes

Why you should join us!

What makes us special here at The Exploration Company and why we think you will enjoy working here is:  

• We’re Agile - we make decisions fast whilst keeping our goals and systems in mind 

• We’re Open and Collaborative - we are transparent about risks and obstacles, so that we can cooperate to overcome them  

• We have a lot of Fun - we refuel our energy knowing we are democratising space. It’s a wonderful and rare opportunity, are YOU up for the challenge?  

We'd love to hear from you if you wish to be a part of our journey. Please submit your CV now for immediate consideration and we will be in touch shortly. 
 
The Exploration Company is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability status. Relocation assistance is provided for those willing to relocate including visa sponsorship where applicable.  


All offers are contingent upon the successful completion of a background check, which will be subject to the country, role, and project you applied for. By submitting your application, you acknowledge and agree that any offer of employment may be conditional upon successful condition of this check. The Exploration Company partners with Zinc Work Limited located in the UK (Zinc), a third-party provider, to ensure this process as efficient and transparent as possible.

If applicable, you will receive an email from Zinc upon acceptance of your offer with a link to a secure portal where you can provide the required information to Zinc.