Manager, Software Engineering

Sierra Space Careers:

At Sierra Space, we build the missions and systems that keep our world secure in the domain above Earth.

Sierra Space team members share a spirit of innovation and collaboration and a belief that we can deliver on the boldest missions in space today. Together with our customers, we aim to safeguard our nation, sustain human presence in space, and secure the freedom of operations in low Earth orbit and beyond.

Our success is measured by the trust of those who rely on what we build and deliver, and our technologies keep the United States and its allies mission-ready throughout space.

We are mission-driven, and together, we are an extraordinary team.

About the Role

The Manager, Software Engineer leads and directs one or more software engineering teams responsible for the design, development, testing, and delivery of mission-critical software supporting aerospace and defense programs. This role combines hands-on technical leadership with people management, ensuring that engineering teams follow disciplined software development methodologies, comply with aerospace quality and safety standards, and deliver secure, high-quality software on schedule and within budget. The ideal candidate blends deep software engineering expertise with proven leadership experience, translating organizational strategy and functional plans into actionable engineering processes while mentoring and holding teams accountable to technical and professional excellence.

The Manager, Software Engineer provides direct supervision and mentorship to software engineers across one or more teams, setting performance expectations, conducting reviews, and fostering a culture of accountability, technical excellence, and continuous improvement. This individual translates software engineering functional plans into concrete operational plans, defining and tailoring development, testing, and deployment procedures using Agile, Scrum, Kanban, or DevOps methodologies appropriate to aerospace software projects. They oversee the software development lifecycle end-to-end, including version control practices and CI/CD pipeline management, to ensure efficient, repeatable, and secure software delivery. The manager ensures that all engineering activities align with applicable aerospace software development standards (e.g., DO-178B/C, NASA-STD-7150.2, NASA-STD-8739, RTCA/DO-278, Aerospace Corporation ToR guidance) and organizational quality frameworks (AS9100, ISO, CMMI), while also embedding relevant cybersecurity frameworks and compliance requirements into team practices. Responsibilities include managing software development budgets, resource allocation, and tooling investments to maximize team efficiency and return on investment. The role requires driving process improvements that enhance code quality, performance, and maintainability without compromising mission-critical reliability, and leading teams through organizational changes, including adoption of new methodologies, tools, and workflows. The manager serves as a communication bridge between engineering teams and both technical and non-technical stakeholders, clearly articulating technical concepts, project status, risks, and trade-offs to support informed decision-making. Above all, this individual upholds and models company values, holding their teams to high professional and ethical standards while fostering collaboration, innovation, and disciplined engineering practices.

About You

Our mission is driven by an unyielding commitment to advancing space-based technology in service of our customers and safeguarding national security. We seek individuals who are passionate about innovating beyond boundaries and relentlessly pursuing solutions that protect, preserve and empower - to join us in this critical mission.

We’re looking for team members who align with our values, mission and goals - while also meeting the minimum qualifications below. The preferred qualifications are a bonus, not a requirement.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field required (or equivalent work experience in lieu of degree).
• Several years of relevant software engineering experience, with a significant portion served in a technical and/or leadership capacity.
• Comprehensive knowledge of software development methodologies (Agile, Scrum, Kanban, DevOps) and demonstrated ability to implement and tailor these processes for aerospace software projects.
• Experience with software development lifecycle management, version control systems, and CI/CD pipelines to enable efficient and secure software delivery.
• Working knowledge of aerospace software development standards (e.g., DO-178B/C, NASA-STD-7150.2, NASA-STD-8739, RTCA/DO-278, The Aerospace Corporation's ToR-2011/2023) and quality standards (AS9100, ISO, CMMI).
• Demonstrated ability to translate software engineering functional plans into operational plans, including defining procedures for development, testing, and deployment.
• Experience managing the activities of multiple software engineering teams and providing direct supervision to software engineers.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to translate technical concepts for both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Demonstrated commitment to upholding company values and holding software engineering teams accountable to professional standards.
• The ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Security Clearance is required.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge of cybersecurity frameworks and compliance requirements relevant to aerospace and defense software applications.
• Skill in developing processes that optimize code quality, performance, and maintainability while meeting mission-critical requirements.
• Financial acumen with the ability to manage software development budgets, resource allocations, and tool investments.
• Experience supporting organizational change within software teams, including the implementation of new methodologies and tools.
• Proficiency in Python and React
• Experience with Python FastAPI
• Experience with Agile or Scrum/Kanban methodologies and tools (JIRA, Confluence).
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills, and efficient with collaborative tools (GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket) and development ceremonies (daily standup, backlog grooming, work planning, task estimation, retrospectives, etc.).
• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS) and cloud-native development.
• Familiarity with containerization (Docker) and orchestration (Kubernetes).
• Knowledge of database management systems (MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB)

Compensation:

Pay Range:

$167,209.00 - $229,911.25

Your actual base compensation will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on job-related knowledge and skills, education, experience, internal equity and market competitiveness.

IMPORTANT NOTICE:

This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Security Clearance. U.S. Citizenship status is required as this position needs an active U.S. Security Clearance for employment. Non-U.S. citizens may not be eligible to obtain a security clearance. The Department of Defense Consolidated Adjudications Facility (DoD CAF), a federal government agency, handles the adjudicative aspects of the security clearance eligibility process for industry applicants. Adjudicative factors which affect the outcome of the eligibility determination include, but are not limited to, allegiance to the U.S., foreign influence, foreign preference, criminal conduct, security violations and illegal drug use.

Elevate Your Career

At Sierra Space, we are committed to your personal and professional development. We empower you to make profound and meaningful contributions and foster a vibrant culture of collaboration, where teamwork ignites breakthrough innovations.

We also offer a generous benefit package, including medical, dental, and vision plans, 401(k) with 150% match up to 6%, life insurance, 3 weeks paid time off, and more.

Sierra Space is an industry-leading space and defense technology company providing satellites, spacecraft, and enabling mission systems and components. We deliver mission-proven technologies to our customers that safeguard our nation, protect space-based assets and enable space exploration.

Application Deadline: This role will remain posted until a qualified pool of candidates is identified.

Please note: Sierra Space does not accept unsolicited resumes from contract agencies or search firms. Any unsolicited resumes submitted to our website or to Sierra Space team members not through our approved vendor list or Talent Acquisition will be considered property of Sierra Space, and we will not be obligated to pay any referral fees.

Sierra Space Corporation is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need special assistance or a reasonable accommodation related to applying for employment with Sierra Space or at any stage of the recruitment process, please contact us.