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Ground Software Engineer II

Rockville, MD

Who We’re Looking For

Quantum Space is developing high-performance spacecraft designed for agility, autonomy, and mission longevity in cislunar space. We are seeking a highly skilled Ground Software Engineer II to lead the development, integration, and operational support of software systems that enable spacecraft testing, mission operations, and real-time ground communications.

This role is ideal for an experienced software engineer who thrives at the intersection of distributed systems, mission operations, infrastructure, and real-time data processing. You will play a key role in building the software platforms and operational tooling that support spacecraft integration, command and telemetry workflows, and mission readiness throughout the vehicle lifecycle.

You will work closely with flight software, AI&T, mission operations, avionics, and systems engineering teams to develop scalable and reliable ground software solutions that support both integration and on-orbit operations.

 

Where You’ll Make an Impact 

  • You get to build the architecture upon which the ground software will be run
  • Your work directly impacts safety, reliability, and the mission's success
  • Ground software touches each part of the mission from testing to on-orbit operations
  • You will own major pieces of the architecture end-to-end
  • You have the opportunity to influence coding standards, architecture, and how we operate as a team
  • You get mission-critical responsibility that will support mission operations long after the first launch

 

What It Takes 

  • Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, or a related technical field
  • 5+ years of professional experience in full-stack software development, including deployment to production or operational environments
  • Strong understanding of networking, data routing, and communication protocols
  • Experience working with message buses, APIs, and real-time data pipelines
  • Familiarity with cloud infrastructure and/or equivalent on-premises environments
  • Hands-on experience with CI/CD pipelines and modern DevOps practices
  • Proficiency with relational and/or non-relational databases
  • Understanding of ground system architectures, interfaces, and distributed systems
  • Strong version-control practices using modern source-control workflows
  • Experience contributing to requirements development, verification, and traceability
  • Experience developing and executing software and system-level tests
  • Proficiency with Linux environments, command-line workflows, and Bash scripting
  • Strong technical communication skills, including the ability to communicate operational impacts of technical decisions
  • Strong documentation practices across operational procedures, interfaces, and system architecture
  • Ability and willingness to support on-call rotations or real-time operational events during critical mission activities
  • Experience leading end-to-end system development efforts from design through deployment and operational support

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience developing ground segment, mission-control, or spacecraft operations software
  • Understanding of spacecraft command and telemetry systems
  • Familiarity with spacecraft operations tools such as Grafana or other monitoring and data-visualization platforms
  • Experience with Atlassian tools such as Jira and Confluence

Optional Improvement Suggestions

You could make the posting even stronger by adding one or two of these if applicable:

If applicable:

  • Experience with containerization technologies (Docker, Kubernetes)
  • Familiarity with distributed systems and high-availability architectures
  • Experience supporting operational or mission-critical environments
  • Exposure to aerospace, defense, robotics, or autonomous systems domains
  • Experience with Python, Go, Java, C++, or similar backend technologies

 

Location: Rockville, MD

Compensation: $120,000 to $150,000 Annual Salary Depending on Experience

Additional Requirements 

To comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including ITAR, applicants must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, protected individual per 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. 

Apply now. Join us in building the systems that enable Quantum’s spacecraft to launch, integrate, and operate with confidence.

 

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