Chief Software Engineer

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in United States, +1 more country.

📋 Description

• Act as the principal technical authority for software across Kepler’s initiatives

• Deliver cross-program technical leadership for both flight and ground software

• Establish the technical direction, vision, and roadmap for software

• Maintain ownership of the reference architecture and baseline software standards

• Address intricate cross-cutting technical challenges and disputes

• Lead software technical decision boards, architecture evaluations, and cross-program trade assessments

• Require further analysis, review, refactoring, or verification when necessary due to software risk

• Evaluate software technical readiness at significant program milestones and suggest actions to execution teams

• Provide technical guidance across flight software, built-in testing, GNC software, onboard autonomy, edge/orbital computing, ground software, and developer platforms and SDKs

• Promote coherent and reusable software architecture across various programs

• Conduct thorough technical reviews, design assessments, anomaly investigations, and readiness evaluations

• Make informed decisions that balance capability, reliability, security, maintainability, schedule realism, and technical risk

• Convey technical direction and recommendations to engineering, systems, program leadership, customers, suppliers, and partners

• Document and communicate software decisions, assumptions, risks, and proactive measures

• Foster alignment across Software, Systems, Program Management, Product Assurance, and leadership

• Mentor software leads, architects, and senior engineers

• Promote reuse, platform standardization, tooling, CI/CD maturity, and lessons learned

• Recommend the acceptance of software technical risks, waivers, and deviations

• Escalate software technical issues that could jeopardize program or platform success

⛳️ Requirements

• Over 15 years of progressive experience in software engineering

• Extensive experience as a Chief Engineer, Software Architect, Distinguished Engineer, Technical Fellow, or equivalent senior technical authority

• Proven success in providing technical direction across a software organization with over 50 engineers, multiple programs, and various engineering disciplines

• Strong comprehension of the complete software lifecycle: requirements, architecture, detailed design, implementation, integration, verification, validation, deployment, operations, maintenance, and anomaly resolution

• Experience mentoring senior engineers, architects, and technical leads while fostering the development of future technical leadership

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field

• Proven experience in establishing and executing an AI strategy within software engineering and the broader organization

• Demonstrated success in driving organizational change, building AI fluency, and promoting adoption among engineers, technical leaders, and non-technical teams

• Direct experience in developing flight software, spacecraft autonomy, GNC software, payload software, onboard or edge computing, and ground-segment systems

• Familiarity with spacecraft operations, on-orbit commissioning, anomaly resolution, or software updates for operational systems

• Knowledge of digital engineering, model-based systems engineering, requirements management, software product assurance, and formal verification methods

• Experience in building common software platforms, SDKs, reusable services, and shared infrastructure across multiple products or programs

• Experience working in a scaling technology organization where processes, architectures, and organizational structures are continuously evolving

🏝️ Benefits

• Competitive compensation designed to acknowledge and reward your contributions

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance covering dependents

• 401(k) retirement plan

• Annual Wellness Allowance

• Unlimited vacation policy

• Supportive parental leave policy

• Company-wide holiday shutdown

• Semi-annual company-wide celebrations

• Regular virtual and team-building events

• Relocation packages available for approved positions

• $1,500 annual fund for professional development

• Town Halls, Celebration Calls, and frequent company-wide events

• Recognized as a Certified Great Place to Work®