Ground Segment Software Engineer
Impulse Space
Software Engineering
Posted on Apr 2, 2025
As a Ground Segment Software Engineer at Impulse, you will create and implement intuitive, high-performance user interfaces, utilizing time-series databases for real-time testing and interfacing with space vehicles. You will design software systems and architect the ground station network, enabling operators to conduct missions reliably and efficiently. Your work will support a wide range of activities, from near-Earth payload deliveries to Mars surface landers.
- Department
- Autonomous Systems
- Employment Type
- Full Time
- Location
- Redondo Beach
- Workplace type
- Onsite
- Compensation
- $125,000 - $175,000 / year
- Reporting To
Responsibilities
- Develop automated systems for satellite operations and ground system monitoring.
- Design, build, test, and deploy large-scale ground software and mission control systems, including GUIs and automation tools
- Create software tools for operational automation to minimize daily operator tasks
- Support ground segment design and operations, including command & control, mission planning, data processing, and related infrastructure
- Implement real-time systems for telemetry acquisition, processing, and visualization
- Integrate and test ground software with satellites, ground stations, and network infrastructure
- Collaborate with RF, Flight Software, and Space Ops teams to support ground segment hardware testing
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Math, Physics, Engineering, or related degrees
- 2+ years of experience in spacecraft, ground station, or communication system operations
- 2+ years of Python programming experience, including back-end, front-end, database management scripting, automation, and data analysis
- Familiarity with containerization and service orchestration systems
- ·Experience with networking protocols (UDP, TCP, etc.)
- Demonstrated experience working with relational database
Preferred Skills and Experience
- Experience using Grafana and setting up Grafana dashboards
- Familiarity with modern cloud providers, preferably AWS
- Extensive knowledge of satellite communication protocols, including CCSDS
- Experience with ground station hardware and a solid understanding of RF communication principles
- Proficiency with standard RF coding schemes, such as DVB-S2
- Hands-on experience with ground station operations and engineering for LEO and /or GEO orbit missions
- Familiarity with software-defined radio frameworks like GNU Radio or equivalent tools
Additional Information:
Compensation bands are determined by role, level, location, and alignment with market data. Individual level and base pay is determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on job-related skills, education, experience, technical capabilities and internal equity. In addition to base salary, for full-time hires, you may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of stock options, and access to medical, vision & dental coverage as well as access to a 401(k) retirement plan.
To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.
Impulse Space is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Impulse Space is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.
About Impulse Space
Impulse Space, the in-space transportation company founded by Tom Mueller, is opening access beyond Low Earth Orbit (LEO) with its fleet of in-space transportation vehicles. The high-energy Helios vehicle unlocks orbits beyond LEO with its powerful Deneb engine, dropping off payloads in MEO, GEO, heliocentric, lunar, and other planetary orbits. The flight-proven Mira vehicle uses a nontoxic, high-impulse chemical propulsion system to offer orbital transport, constellation deployment, and precision reentry services to customers throughout LEO. Led by a team that delivered the most reliable rockets in history, Impulse provides economical and efficient in-space transportation by reliably and rapidly getting customers where they want to go.
Our Hiring Process
Stage 1:
Application Received
Stage 2:
Resume Review
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