Spacecraft Flight Software Development Engineer P2 - Space Systems

The Spacecraft Flight Software Development Engineer supports development, refactoring, integration, and sustainment of human rated flight software for NASA’s Space vehicle under the JETS II contract. This senior role is responsible for implementing, modernizing, and verifying embedded flight software that ensures crew safety, vehicle operability, and mission execution across all phases of human spaceflight.

Engineers in this role work closely with NASA discipline leads to evolve Orion’s flight software architecture, integrate subsystem updates, participate in hardware in the loop testing, and deliver certifiable Class A software aligned with NASA’s safety and assurance standards.

The position requires strong embedded software expertise, real time systems experience, disciplined engineering practices, and the ability to collaborate effectively within integrated NASA/multi contractor teams.

Primary responsibilities include developing deterministic C/C++ code, refactoring legacy modules, supporting subsystem interface updates, contributing to fault management logic improvements, participating in verification campaigns, analyzing anomalies, and ensuring software readiness for flight certification.

Perform other duties as required.

Required

• Typically requires a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Computer, Software, Electrical, Aerospace) from an accredited engineering school with minimum of 2 years of experience in the field or related area. 
• 5-10 years professional experience developing real time, safety critical embedded software (aerospace or comparable high reliability domains).
• Proficiency in C/C++ for embedded systems and experience with real time OS frameworks (RTEMS, VxWorks, cFS, or equivalent).
• Ability to implement deterministic scheduling, rate group execution, interrupt handling, low level drivers, and subsystem interfaces.
• Experience with flight hardware integration, avionics benches, HWIL environments, or distributed lab systems.
• Familiarity with software safety and assurance principles ( NPR 7150.2, NASA STD 8739.8 or similar safety critical standards).
• Experience with full software development life cycle, including requirements development and traceability, design, coding to requirements, code refactoring, and testing and verification.
• Ability to support fault management, redundancy logic, mode transitions, safe mode behaviors, and emergency/abort response sequences.
• Proficiency with Python for tooling, test automation, analysis scripts, or verification utilities.
• Experience with unit testing software systems using GoogleTest/GMOCK Framework.
• Strong problem solving ability, code debugging/troubleshooting, technical clarity, and communication skills suitable for NASA engineering and certification environments.
• Ability to work effectively in multi-disciplinary, multi-contractor engineering environment and participate in subsystem integration discussions.
• Willingness to work onsite at NASA JSC and complete Government background investigations.
• U.S. Citizenship or U.S. Permanent Residency required.

Preferred 

• Hands on work with human rated flight software (Orion, ISS, CCP, Gateway, Shuttle, or commercial crew vehicles).
• Experience with flight software architectural modernization, or migrating legacy modules into updated frameworks.
• Exposure to fault tolerant architectures, redundancy management, and high reliability communication buses (1553, SpaceWire, Ethernet/CDH).
• Familiarity with formal verification, static analysis tools, and software safety audits.
• Experience supporting integrated test events, mission simulations, SIL/HWIL campaigns, or operational readiness events.
• Understanding of avionics subsystems, or subsystem specific behaviors (power, thermal, ECLSS, comm, docking).
• Knowledge of DevOps pipelines, CI/CD workflows, or automated test frameworks for embedded systems.
• Prior experience working within NASA JSC engineering processes, configuration management environments, and program review cycles (SRR/PDR/CDR)..

Proof of U.S. Citizenship or US Permanent Residency is a requirement for this position.
Must be able to complete a U.S. government background investigation.
Management has the prerogative to select at any level for which the position is advertised.

Essential Functions

• Work Environment - Generally, an office environment, but can involve inside or outside work depending on task.
• Physical Requirements - Work may involve sitting or standing for extended periods (90% of time). May require lifting and carrying up to 25 lbs. (5% of time).
• Equipment and Machines - Standard office equipment (PC, telephone, printer, etc.).
• Attendance - Regular attendance in accordance with established work schedule is critical. Ability to work outside normal schedule and adjust schedule to meet peak periods and surge requirements.
• Other Essential Functions - Professional behavior that enhances productivity and promotes teamwork and cooperation. Grooming and dress must be appropriate for the position and must not impose a safety risk/hazard to the employee or others.

All qualified candidates will receive consideration for all positions without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or other non-merit factors.