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 are 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 system scales from integrated testing to mission operations.

Key Responsibilities

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

• Define and evolve the architecture of our Mission Control Software
• Actively contribute production-grade backend and frontend code
• Own technical roadmaps and drive major architectural decisions
• Turn user needs into feature specifications for the development team
• Ensure safe commanding workflows and reliable telemetry reception
• Design for scalability, observability, and operational robustness
• Collaborate closely with Mission Operations, AIT, and Flight Software teams
• Guide engineering standards and mentor developers within your team
• Balance development speed with long-term maintainability and code quality

What we would love to see from you

The ideal candidate will have:

• 5+ years of professional experience with demonstrated architectural ownership and technical leadership
• Strong backend expertise (e.g., Python, Ruby, or similar)
• Experience with modern web technologies (TypeScript, Vue/React, REST/WebSockets)
• Profound understanding of distributed systems and API design
• Experience with containerization (Docker) and orchestration (Kubernetes)
• Deep understanding of ground segment concepts (telemetry, telecommanding, mission operations)
• Ability to operate at both architectural and hands-on implementation level
• Product ownership or technical product management experience
• Strong analytical thinking and technical judgment with high attention to detail
• Experience with agile software development methodologies
• Motivation to thrive in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment

Bonus qualifications:

• Experience in aerospace or other safety-critical domains
• Familiarity with space communication standards (e.g., CCSDS)
• Exposure to cloud technologies (e.g., AWS, GCP)

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 would 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.