{"id":2202050,"url":"https://alion.io/job/cowboyspace-controls-software-engineer-pointing-tracking","title":"Controls Software Engineer, Pointing & Tracking","company":{"id":8929,"name":"Cowboy Space","domain":"cowboyspace.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/cowboyspace","size_band":"501-1000","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Ashby","truth_index":{"grade":"C","score":67,"open_postings":9,"ghost_share":0.222,"stale_share":0.667,"repost_share":0.222,"time_to_fill_p50_days":35,"computed_at":"2026-10-12T06:55:09Z"}},"role":"Backend","role_family":"Backend","seniority":"middle","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["San Carlos, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":170000,"max":192000,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":192000},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":3,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"C++","optional":false},{"name":"Rust","optional":false},{"name":"TPU","optional":false},{"name":"MATLAB","optional":true},{"name":"Python","optional":true},{"name":"Sensor Fusion","optional":true},{"name":"Simulink","optional":true}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-10-09T19:34:42Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-10-09","last_verified_at":"2026-10-12T15:46:06Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":2,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":2},"description":"About Cowboy Space Corp:\nMission\nCowboy Space Corporation is solving the global energy crisis by building the infrastructure for abundant, resilient space-based solar energy. We are tackling one of humanity’s most complex engineering challenges with a world-class team dedicated to delivering a revolutionary power platform. Cowboy Space Corporation is transforming how civilization powers, computes and connects - from orbit to Earth.\nBackground\nCowboy Space Corporation is building the infrastructure to power and connect the orbital economy. Our modular, scalable satellites collect sunlight in Low Earth Orbit to enable multiple integrated applications: transmitting energy via infrared lasers (space-to-earth and space-to-space), powering on-orbit high-performance computing clusters (GPU/TPU), and providing secure, high bandwidth optical data transport.\nCurrent energy and data systems rely on complex logistics and outdated infrastructure. Cowboy Space Corporation overcomes these challenges by enabling direct, on-demand, secure, and scalable energy distribution and data processing from space. This will revolutionize how we operate in orbit and on Earth, supporting the rapidly expanding space industrial base, ISAM (In-Space Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing) operations, remote regions, and military bases.\nBaiju Bhatt founded Cowboy Space Corporation in 2024. Inspired by his father’s work with NASA Langley Research Center, Baiju earned his B.S. in Physics and M.S. in Mathematics at Stanford before co-founding Robinhood, now a public company that has helped over 20 million Americans access the financial system. Cowboy Space Corporation has raised ~$365 million from Index Ventures, Interlagos, Construct Ventures, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz, NEA, and others.\nThis is an ambitious mission that demands extraordinary talent. Cowboy Space Corporation’s team has worked at places like SpaceX, Blue Origin, Stoke Space, Astranis and NASA, and is based in San Carlos, CA. If you're ready to solve complex technical challenges and help build the most important energy company in the world, we want to hear from you.\nThe Role\nAs a Controls Software Engineer on the Pointing & Tracking team, you will own the software control loop that keeps a laser precisely pointed between two moving platforms, both satellite-to-ground and satellite-to-satellite. You will use closed-loop feedback from onboard sensors to drive fine-pointing actuators in an embedded real-time environment. This is control-systems software, not general application development: the core of the job is translating control theory into a robust, working real-time implementation and taking dedicated ownership of a system that is central to our mission.\nResponsibilities\nOwn the pointing and tracking control loop from design through on-orbit operations\n\nDesign, implement, and tune closed-loop controllers that keep optical links precisely pointed between moving platforms\n\nTranslate control theory (e.g., state estimation, PID, state-space, optimal control methods) into real-time embedded software in Rust\n\nPerform stability analysis, closed-loop tuning, and performance characterization of control algorithms\n\nBuild simulation and analysis tools to model, validate, and iterate on control system behavior\n\nSupport hardware integration and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing of the full sensing-to-actuation chain\n\nDevelop automated test frameworks to validate control performance across operating conditions\n\nCollaborate with GNC, optics, avionics, and firmware teams to define interfaces and system-level pointing architecture\n\nInvestigate on-orbit and test anomalies, perform root cause analysis, and drive fixes across software and hardware boundaries\n\nDevelop fault detection, isolation, and recovery (FDIR) strategies\n\nBasic Qualifications\n3+ years of experience (or equivalent practical experience) in control systems, GNC, robotics, or embedded software development\n\nHands-on experience designing, implementing, and tuning closed-loop control systems\n\nStrong understanding of control theory fundamentals\n\nStrong programming skills in a systems language (e.g., Rust, C, or C++) with willingness to work in Rust\n\nExperience implementing control algorithms in a real-time or embedded context\n\nExperience integrating software with sensors and actuators, including debugging across the hardware/software boundary\n\nPreferred Qualifications\nBachelor's or advanced degree in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Robotics, Computer Science, or a related field\n\nExperience with precision pointing, tracking, stabilization, or gimbal control systems (e.g., optical terminals, telescopes, seekers, camera stabilization, or similar)\n\nExperience with spacecraft GNC, attitude control, or other high-reliability control applications in aerospace, defense, or robotics\n\nProfessional experience writing Rust\n\nExperience with control system modeling, simulation, and analysis tools (e.g., MATLAB/Simulink, Python-based tooling)\n\nExperience with hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing and system validation\n\nFamiliarity with estimation and sensor fusion techniques (e.g., Kalman filters)\n\nUnderstanding of fault-tolerant design and high-reliability system architecture\n\nExperience working in fast-paced, high-ownership environments with rapid iteration cycles\n\nCompensation and Benefits\nThe salary range for this position is $170,000 - $192,000 annually. The actual base salary offered will depend on factors such as job-related skills, experience, qualifications, and internal equity.\nEquity in Cowboy Space Corp.\nEmployees and their eligible dependents may enroll in medical, dental, and vision insurance\n401(k) retirement savings plan\nPaid time off\n10 paid holidays per calendar year\nPaid parental leave\nRelocation assistance if applicable\nDaily lunch in the office and a fully stocked kitchen with beverages and snacks\nITAR Requirements\nExport Control Requirement: To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), applicants 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 ITAR here.\nDisclaimer\nThis job description is a summary of the primary duties and responsibilities of the job and position. It is not intended to be a comprehensive or all-inclusive listing of duties and responsibilities. Contents are subject to change at Cowboy Space Corp.’s discretion.\nCowboy Space Corp. is an equal employment opportunity employer. We consider individuals for employment or promotion according to their skills, abilities and experience. Cowboy Space Corp. is committed to complying with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religious creed, age, national origin, ancestry, physical, mental or developmental disability, sex (which includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and medical conditions relating to pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding), veteran status, military status, marital or registered domestic partnership status, medical condition (including cancer or genetic characteristics), genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, as well as any other category protected by federal, state or local laws.","description_format":"text","description_chars":7471,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":3,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":["Equity","Parental leave","Relocation assistance","Retirement plans","Vision insurance"],"hiring_locations":[{"name":"United States","iso":"US","kind":"country"}],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":true,"industries":["Satellite Manufacturing","Space Services","AI Compute & Inference"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-10-09T21:36:52Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":90,"band":"hot","label":"Hiring now","p_open":1,"p_active":0.903,"p_room":1,"age_days":2,"expected_fill_days":35,"reasons":["conf:3","velocity","win:early"],"computed_at":"2026-10-12T06:55:09Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":192000,"is_top_pay":true},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/cowboyspace-controls-software-engineer-pointing-tracking","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/cowboyspace-controls-software-engineer-pointing-tracking.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-12T18:09:59Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":29250,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-10-13T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":8929},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=8929"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fcowboyspace-controls-software-engineer-pointing-tracking"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fcowboyspace-controls-software-engineer-pointing-tracking"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fcowboyspace-controls-software-engineer-pointing-tracking"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/cowboyspace-controls-software-engineer-pointing-tracking\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fcowboyspace-controls-software-engineer-pointing-tracking"}]}