Principal Software System Engineer

Here at The Exploration Company, we are developing, producing, and operating Nyx, a modular and reusable space orbital vehicle that can eventually be refuelled in orbit and that can carry cargo - and potentially humans in the longer run.

We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced Principal Software System Engineer (Team Lead) to lead the certification activities of the flight software for the Nyx program. You will lead a dedicated team focused on verification & validation (V&V), software certification, requirements tracing, and system engineering interfacing. You will combine deep technical expertise with strong leadership to drive certification under tight mission timelines. You will play a key part in ensuring that the software development teams deliver safe, reliable, and compliant products.

This is a high-impact leadership position where your decisions directly influence mission success.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor the software systems team responsible for:

  • Managing the certification process in alignment with NASA, ESA, and range safety standards

  • Internal V&V activities and interfacing with Product Assurance

  • Managing external IV&V interfaces

  • Ensuring end-to-end requirements tracing and compliance

• Actively partake in NASA Safety Reviews and provide technical input to meet ISS program safety requirements

• Serve as a key interface between software engineering, system engineering, and safety & certification authorities

• Ensure adherence to and interpretation and tailoring of relevant standards

• Coordinate and review technical documentation to support certification and safety assessments

• Drive process improvements to increase efficiency, quality, and compliance within the team

• Provide hands-on technical oversight and guidance by leveraging solid technical understanding to support adjacent software development teams

What we would love to see from you

• Proven experience leading a software team and V&V activities

• Deep understanding of software certification, safety, and requirements management processes

• Experience with safety-critical software development and certification, ideally in the aerospace domain

• Strong technical background in software engineering, with practical experience in flight software frameworks and modern C++

• Experience with real-time systems, embedded development, or spacecraft software

• Demonstrated ability to take ownership of complex technical problems and drive them to resolution

• Familiarity with software testing methodologies and simulation tools

• Excellent cross-disciplinary communication and collaboration skills

• Focus on detail, quality, and testing

• Experience with CI/CD systems and build systems

• Experience supporting or presenting in formal safety reviews

• Familiarity with agile and modern development practices

Nice to have

• Familiarity with standards such as SSP 50808, RCC319, ECSS-Q-ST-80C

• Prior work on human-rated spaceflight programs

Why you should join us!

What makes us special here at The Exploration Company and why we think you will enjoy working here is:  

• We’re Agile - we make decisions fast whilst keeping our goals and systems in mind 

• We’re Open and Collaborative - we are transparent about risks and obstacles, so that we can cooperate to overcome them  

• We have a lot of Fun - we refuel our energy knowing we are democratising space. It’s a wonderful and rare opportunity, are YOU up for the challenge?  

We'd love to hear from you if you wish to be a part of our journey. Please submit your CV now for immediate consideration and we will be in touch shortly. 
 
The Exploration Company is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability status. Relocation assistance is provided for those willing to relocate including visa sponsorship where applicable.