Software Engineer (3/4) – Mission Planning & Scheduling (MPS) AHT

Description

Relocation assistance may be offered for this role.

You must hold an active Top Secret clearance to start, and it must be current when you apply.

The team builds and runs ground software for satellites, focused on mission planning, scheduling, and satellite operations, covering development through to ongoing sustainment.

The company is international and its teams are spread across the globe. The Mission Planning and Scheduling Ground Software team is hiring mid-level and senior engineers with a software development background.

The position can be filled at either the Software Engineer 3 or Software Engineer 4 level.

You will work onsite at the company's Dulles, VA campus.

Responsibilities

• Build full-stack software across the OS, platform, and mission-specific layers of ground systems that plan and run space missions.
• Develop mission planning and scheduling features, including contact and pass planning, schedule generation, activity and resource scheduling for satellites and ground systems, and bringing ephemeris, constraints, and operations rules into planning tools.
• Build client and server applications and services using service-oriented or object-oriented designs with message-bus data exchange, including first-of-a-kind satellite operations capabilities.
• Build and integrate applications with Python, C++, PostgreSQL, Ansible, cloud provisioning, PKI and security tooling, and static analysis with remediation workflows.
• Work with astrodynamics and mission operations teams to fold trajectory, ephemeris, and constraint data into planning software and workflows.
• Support operations ground software and its configurations by troubleshooting software and hardware problems and fixing issues in mission planning and scheduling services used by operations teams.
• Support acceptance testing by running test procedures and automating tests that validate mission planning and scheduling functions.
• Install new ground segment and MPS software in operational, development, and test environments, and fix software defects.
• Implement enhancements as directed by customer change requests or mission needs.
• Provide ground software support during launch and launch rehearsals, focusing on the MPS functions used in LEOP and early operations.
• Make technical decisions on your own while keeping the overall project budget and schedule in mind.
• Be an active, integral member of your team and help improve mission planning workflows and tools through agile, flexible, and collaborative work.
• Put your energy into new ideas for mission planning and scheduling that operators depend on every day.

Requirements

• Software Engineer 3: a bachelor's degree in a STEM field, ideally computer science or engineering, plus 5 years of experience; or a master's degree plus 3 years; or 1 year with a PhD.
• Software Engineer 4: a bachelor's degree in a STEM field, ideally computer science or engineering, plus 8 years of experience; or a master's degree plus 6 years; or a PhD plus 4 years.
• Experience may count in place of a degree, with an additional 4 years required.
• Demonstrated software development experience.
• Experience with Python application development, C++, and Bash scripting.
• U.S. citizenship is required.
• An active or current Top Secret clearance is required at the time of application.
• Preferred: Top Secret clearance with SCI eligibility, or current SCI access, is strongly favored.
• Preferred: experience with satellite ground systems and/or mission planning and scheduling for space missions.
• Preferred: familiarity with astrodynamics, orbital mechanics, satellite operations, and tools such as FreeFlyer, STK, or other mission planning and analysis tools.
• Preferred: experience supporting launch and early orbit operations (LEOP).
• Preferred: experience supporting on-orbit operations, contact planning, or schedule generation.
• Preferred: experience with DevOps practices, CI/CD pipelines, and automation in an operational ground software environment.

Conditions

Work is onsite at the Dulles, VA campus.

Travel is required for about 10% of the time.

Primary level base salary ranges from $114,000.00 to $171,000.00.

Secondary level base salary ranges from $142,200.00 to $213,400.00.

The salary range is a general guideline. Base pay depends on factors such as the scope and responsibilities of the role, your experience, education, skills, and current market conditions.

The application period is estimated at 20 days from the posting date, but it may be shortened or extended based on business needs and the availability of qualified candidates.

Benefits

• Depending on the position, you may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus on top of base pay.
• Annual bonuses reward individual contributions and let you share in company results.
• Vice President and Director roles may be eligible for Long Term Incentives.
• Health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, and a savings plan.
• Company paid holidays and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and personal business.