Capella Space stands at the forefront of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite technology and signal intelligence. We provide customers in governments, academia, and commercial sectors with reliable information that enables unparalleled understanding of the world. Our mission is centered on delivering timely and reliable Earth imagery, supporting diverse applications in defense & intelligence, disaster response, energy, environmental monitoring and more. Utilizing cutting-edge technology, Capella Space designs, manufactures and operates an advanced constellation of SAR imaging satellites. Our market-leading SAR satellites are complemented by an unmatched data infrastructure and automated ordering and delivery platform for fast, reliable insights where and when customers need it most. 

Recognized for our technological prowess, Capella Space was honored as one of the 10 most innovative companies in Space in 2023 by FASTCOMPANY. Capella Space is an internationally trusted Earth Observation data provider, working closely with the U.S. Space Systems Command, U.S. Space Force, NASA, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, U.S. National Reconnaissance Office, the Canadian Government and more to make unclassified, high-resolution SAR data more accessible.  

What Makes Capella Unique? 

Capella Space is a highly collaborative team environment, providing an opportunity to work with some of the brightest minds in the space industry, though no prior space experience is needed.  We’re looking for people excited about tackling seemingly impossible challenges, learning new skills and concepts, and helping each other achieve success. Our mission and our products are meant to understand the whole world and help everyone in it - regardless of race, creed, or any other distinction. We encourage you to bring your unique perspective to help make us stronger, including applications from those who are traditionally underrepresented in tech. 

About Us: 
At Capella Space we are pioneers, dedicated to delivering innovative, high-reliability solutions that shape the future of end-to-end space observation systems. As we continue to expand our capabilities, we are looking for a Software Engineering leader to lead our ground software & data platform engineering teams, focusing on developing, deploying, and maintaining our complex, high-reliability, high availability, cloud-based ground software and data delivery platform. 

Role Overview: 
In this role, you will be responsible for overseeing the design, development, and operation of our cloud-based automated constellation operations system, comprising the entire ground segment, including data transport, storage, processing and delivery, customer interfaces & APIs, automated constellation tasking & scheduling, GNC & orbit control, and satellite operations.  

In addition, you will develop strategy for & guide software solution delivery efforts, including customer specific ground stations & international satellite system operations & support. 

You will lead a growing team of software engineers, system architects, and satellite operators, and set the strategic direction for our platform development in alignment with the company’s vision. This is a high-impact role that will have a direct influence on the technical direction, performance and reliability of our services that power our constellation of earth observation satellites. 

This role holds a leadership position within Capella Space, and you will be expected to contribute to the overall company strategy definition and effectively communicate with key stakeholders, both internal & external. 

Key Responsibilities: 

Leadership & Strategy: 

• Lead and mentor a high-performing team responsible for the architecture, development, and operation of 24/7, mission-critical cloud software.
• Direct system architects to define the future state of the mission critical platform.
• Define and drive the strategic vision for software engineering across the company, focusing on reliability, scalability, and satellite constellation performance.
• Collaborate with executive leadership to ensure software engineering goals align with broader business objectives and mission requirements.
• Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement across all software development efforts. 

High-Reliability Systems Development & Sustainment: 

• Lead the development and deployment of cloud-based software systems that meet high standards for high reliability, security, and performance.
• Oversee the engineering of complex, real-time, and mission-critical systems.
• Ensure the systems meet strict reliability and uptime requirements to support operations 24/7. 

Cloud Software Architecture & Infrastructure: 

• Oversee the architecting and scaling of cloud infrastructure to support the growth of mission-critical applications while ensuring high availability, security, and performance.
• Collaborate with cloud providers and internal DevOps teams to maintain a cloud infrastructure that can support continuous monitoring and optimization. 

Space Operations: 

• Oversee the mission success, safety, and performance of our constellation of earth observation satellites.
• Direct LEOP & commissioning activities, both for the Capella constellation & customer constellations.
• Develop & operate orbit control & formation flying projects & systems. 

Cross-Functional Collaboration: 

• Work closely with product management, operations, the PMO, and other engineering teams to ensure seamless integration of software solutions with hardware systems and mission operations.
• Partner with DevOps and SRE teams to ensure automated deployment, monitoring, and troubleshooting for cloud applications. 

Quality Assurance & Compliance: 

• Champion the implementation of rigorous software testing and validation processes to ensure the software’s operational reliability and compliance with aerospace industry standards.
• Ensure that software development processes meet relevant compliance and regulatory standards, including ITAR & CMMC – in collaboration with the in-house security & compliance teams. 

Talent Development & Team Building: 

• Build, mentor, and scale the software engineering team to meet the demands of complex & distributed software projects, including forward deployed systems & solutions.
• Promote a growth-oriented, inclusive culture that attracts, develops, and retains top-tier engineering talent.
• Provide hands-on leadership and guidance on complex software engineering challenges. 

Qualifications: 

Experience:

• 15+ years of experience in software engineering, with at least 5 years in a leadership role managing high-reliability, mission-critical systems.
• Proven experience in designing, building, and scaling complex cloud-based software systems.
• Deep knowledge of cloud technologies (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud), microservices, distributed systems, and containerized applications.
• Strong understanding of high-availability systems, fault tolerance, disaster recovery, and incident management.
• Experience with DevOps, CI/CD, and automation tools for large-scale cloud infrastructure.
• Fluency in the correct patterns of multiple-software team interactions, including sharing codebases, managing dependencies, and coordinated deployments. 

Technical Skills: 

• Must haves:
  • Experience building and operating cloud-based software systems
  • Experience operating and owning 24/7 high reliability, secure, operational systems with regional/global footprint
  • Strong hands-on software background around distributed software systems
  • Complex compute and large data storage/systems
  • Understanding of trends in cloud and on-premises systems, software, technologies
  • Ability to set a long-term strategic vision for an advanced, highly automated, mission critical platform
  • Experience staffing, delivering, and supporting software solutions – forks and extensions of singleton SaaS systems 

• Nice to have:
  • Experience with geospatial technologies & systems
  • Experience with space systems
  • Experience with remote ground stations
  • Experience with CMMC/FedRAMP
  • Technologies employed
  • AWS cloud (commercial/GOV/secure)
  • Infrastructure as code
  • Kubernetes
  • Python/C/C++
  • Experience with various databases including MongoDB, PostgreSQL, Influx, Redis, etc.
  • Grafana 

Leadership: 

• Strong leadership and team management skills, with a proven track record of building, leading, and scaling high-performance engineering teams.
• Exceptional communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to influence cross-functional teams and executive stakeholders.
• Ability to handle ambiguity, make strategic decisions, and manage complex technical initiatives.
• Ability and willingness to work in a dynamic startup environment with some level of uncertainty and change. 

Other: 

• Ability to obtain a US security clearance 

Compensation 

The annual salary range for this role as it is posted is $208,000.00 - $276,000.00.  The final job level and annual salary will be determined based on the education, qualification, knowledge, skills, ability, and experience of the final candidate(s), specific office location and calibrated against relevant market data and internal team equity.  Benefits listed in this posting may vary depending on the nature of your employment with Capella Space.    

Benefits/Perks 

In addition to an opportunity to take part in an innovative, collaborative and fast-growing business with a highly motivated and skilled team, we also take pride in taking care of our employees. Here are just a few ways that we show our appreciation:

• We provide extensive medical coverage, including strong vision and dental plans, flexible spending accounts, and additional supplemental health options.
• Stock option grants for new hires 
• 401K Plan to invest in your long-term retirement goals
• Generous Parental Leave 
• Paid Flexible Time Off Policy 
• Lifestyle Spending Account 
• Commuter & Parking Benefits 
• Mental Health Resources 
• Monthly Phone Stipend 
• Daily provided lunches and stocked kitchens. 
• Furry friends? We’ve got you covered with dog-friendly work environment & them with pet insurance options

Equal Opportunity Statement 

Capella Space is an equal opportunity employer, committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace, and upholding equitable hiring practices. 

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic under federal, state, or local law, including those with a criminal history, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the CA Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance. We actively encourage members of recognized minorities, women, Veterans, and those with disabilities to apply, and we work to create a welcoming and supportive environment for all applicants throughout the interview process. If you need assistance or require an accommodation during the job application process, please notify recruiting@capellaspace.com 

To learn more about us, explore our site: https://www.capellaspace.com/  and follow us on X and LinkedIn to see our SAR imagery!