Mission Software & Protocol Engineer
Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Oct 23, 2026. First seen by Alion on Oct 22, 2026.
Mission Software & Protocol Engineer
Spacecraft | Software | Mission Technology
About the Role
Ever wondered what happens after an operator clicks “Send Command” in Mission Control?
This role sits right in the middle of that journey. We are looking for a recent engineering graduate or a candidate with 1-2 years of relevant experience who is excited to work at the intersection of spacecraft systems, flight software and Mission Control software.
You will help connect the software used to operate the satellite on the ground with the flight software running onboard the spacecraft, making sure commands are correctly built, transmitted and interpreted, and that acknowledgements and telemetry are received and understood.
What You’ll Work On
Bridge the gap between Mission Technology and spacecraft/flight software teams.
Understand the flow of telecommands and telemetry from Mission Control to the ground station, satellite and subsystems, and back.
Work with CCSDS packets and frames, command encoding and decoding, acknowledgements, CRCs and telemetry formats.
Understand command and telemetry interfaces for EPS, ADCS, OBC/CDH, Payload, Communication and Thermal systems.
Translate spacecraft and mission requirements into clear software and interface requirements.
Work with ICDs, command dictionaries, telemetry definitions and communication data flows.
Test Mission Control-spacecraft interfaces using SIL, FlatSat, simulators and integration environments.
Debug issues across software, communication protocols and spacecraft interfaces alongside multiple engineering teams.
Bonus Skills
Exposure to any of these will give you an edge: Python, C/C++, Linux, Git, TCP/IP, UDP, APIs, binary and hexadecimal data, packet parsing, embedded systems, software architecture, and SIL/HIL/FlatSat testing.
Why This Role Is Interesting
You’ll understand the entire operational chain of a satellite: how a command is created on Earth, reaches a spacecraft in orbit, gets executed by flight software, and comes back as telemetry. If you want to build a career around spacecraft systems, flight software, mission operations and satellite-ground integration, this role gives you exposure to all of them from day one.
Requirements
Recent graduate or engineer with 1-2 years of relevant experience in Aerospace, Aeronautical, Avionics, Electronics or a related field.
Basic understanding of LEO satellites and spacecraft subsystems.
Interest in satellite flight software, TT&C, Mission Control and Ground Segment systems.
Familiarity with CCSDS or spacecraft communication protocols is a plus.
Comfortable understanding technical interfaces, system architecture and data flows.
Strong curiosity, problem-solving ability and communication skills.