{"id":2705060,"url":"https://alion.io/job/impulse-space-lead-flight-software-engineer-special-programs","title":"Lead Flight Software Engineer, Special Programs","company":{"id":58617,"name":"Impulse Space","domain":"impulsespace.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/impulse-space","size_band":"201-500","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Pinpoint","truth_index":null},"role":"Hardware","role_family":"Hardware","seniority":"lead","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Redondo Beach, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":150000,"max":200000,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":200000},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":5,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":true,"technologies":[{"name":"C++","optional":false},{"name":"Linux","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-10-15T12:17:52Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-10-20","last_verified_at":"2026-10-24T01:52:16Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":8,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":8},"description":"As a Lead Flight Software Engineer for Special Programs at Impulse Space, you will lead the design, development, integration, and operation of the software that powers some of the most agile delta-V spacecraft under development. You will work closely with GNC, avionics, propulsion, systems, and mission operations teams to deliver high-reliability software for responsive space missions.\nResponsibilities\nLead the design, implementation, integration, and verification of flight software for high-performance space vehicles produced at scale. \nArchitect real-time flight software systems for responsive spacecraft, including command and telemetry, mission sequencing, autonomy, and fault management. \nDevelop and integrate software for closed-loop control of propulsion, attitude control, and other time-critical vehicle systems. \nDevelop detection and mitigation algorithms for anomalies such as sensor failures, actuator malfunctions, or radiation-induced faults. \nMentor and provide technical direction to a team of flight software engineers. \nSupport mission operations and troubleshoot real-time issues during ground integration, environmental testing, and on-orbit operations. \nMinimum Qualifications\nBachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field. \n5+ years of professional experience developing C/C++ code for embedded systems in aerospace, with at least 1 year in a technical leadership role. \nDemonstrated experience of computer architecture, operating systems, deterministic real-time execution, and embedded networking. \nExperience with Embedded Linux in mission-critical environments. \nPreferred Skills and Experience\nActive Top Secret Clearance with SCI eligibility. \nProven track record delivering flight software for spacecraft, launch vehicles, upper stages, OTVs, responsive spacecraft, or other high-performance aerospace systems. \nExperience with flight software frameworks, middleware, distributed software architectures, or publish/subscribe messaging patterns for mission-critical embedded systems. \nParticipation in successful integration, testing, launch, and mission operations of a space vehicle. \nExperience collaborating with external suppliers, primes, or government customers to integrate software and hardware components across vehicle, payload, or mission systems. \nStrong communication skills, with the ability to lead technical discussions and guide design trade studies. \n\nAdditional Information:\nCompensation 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.\nImpulse Space’s spacecraft manufacturing business is subject to U.S. export regulations including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR). This position requires applicants to be either U.S. Persons (i.e., U.S. citizen, U.S. national, lawful permanent U.S. resident (green card holder), an individual granted asylum in the U.S., or an individual admitted in U.S. refugee status) or persons eligible to obtain an export license from the U.S. Departments of State, Commerce, or other applicable U.S. government agencies. Learn more about the ITAR here.\nImpulse 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.","description_format":"text","description_chars":3996,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":5,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":true,"languages":[]},"benefits":["Equity","Retirement plans","Stock options"],"hiring_locations":[{"name":"United States","iso":"US","kind":"country"}],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Space Services"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-10-16T12:17:52Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":90,"band":"hot","label":"Hiring now","p_open":1,"p_active":0.895,"p_room":1,"age_days":7,"expected_fill_days":24,"reasons":["conf:2","velocity","win:early","comp:brand"],"computed_at":"2026-10-23T05:54:15Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":200000,"is_top_pay":false},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/impulse-space-lead-flight-software-engineer-special-programs","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/impulse-space-lead-flight-software-engineer-special-programs.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-24T02:19:01Z","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":3754,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-10-25T00:00:00Z"}},"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":58617},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=58617"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fimpulse-space-lead-flight-software-engineer-special-programs"},{"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%2Fimpulse-space-lead-flight-software-engineer-special-programs"},{"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%2Fimpulse-space-lead-flight-software-engineer-special-programs"},{"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/impulse-space-lead-flight-software-engineer-special-programs\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fimpulse-space-lead-flight-software-engineer-special-programs"}]}