Associate Staffing · 12 hours ago
Principal Software Engineer
Westminster, CO
Full-time
Hybrid
Lead/Staff
$180K/yr - $195K/yr
15+ years expAssociate Staffing is a rapidly growing, privately held space technology company advancing lunar exploration and developing innovative solutions for missions to the Moon and beyond. The Principal Software Engineer is responsible for architecting and leading the development of both ground and flight software supporting lunar and deep-space missions, guiding and mentoring engineers across various disciplines.
Staffing & Recruiting
No H1B
Security Clearance RequiredU.S. Citizen Only
Responsibilities
Serve as a senior technical authority for software architecture, design decisions, and technology selection
Define and guide software engineering standards, best practices, and architectural patterns across programs
Shape long-term strategy for software-domain mission integration and scalable system design
Act as a technical mentor and role model, providing guidance across experience levels
Apply software engineering principles across flight software, ground systems, and cloud-based or embedded autonomous systems
Lead software development across the full lifecycle, including requirements definition, implementation, testing, integration, and mission support
Architect solutions for new projects, conduct technical analyses, document results, and present findings to engineering and program leadership
Ensure high-quality development pipelines through rigorous testing practices and enforcement of standards
Collaborate with navigation, astrodynamics, and space systems engineers to deliver integrated mission solutions
Identify customer needs and technical gaps, propose software solutions, and clearly articulate value to stakeholders
Support proposal development by providing accurate technical inputs, estimates, and solution strategies
Contribute subject matter expertise to internal research and development initiatives aligned with company strategy
Mentor staff and senior engineers, including guidance on estimation, architecture, and technical decision-making
Support development of a cohesive, high-performing software engineering team
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical discipline
15+ years of experience in spacecraft software systems, system architecture, or mission control environments
Expert-level understanding of software development concepts, principles, and applied engineering practices
Demonstrated hands-on expertise in C/C++ and Python
Strong knowledge of embedded software development in resource-constrained environments and embedded Linux
Experience with Git-based version control, Agile development methodologies, Linux and Windows environments, cloud platforms (e.g., AWS), and containerization tools such as Docker
Strong communication, documentation, presentation, and interpersonal skills
Proven ability to work independently, collaborate across teams, and lead less experienced engineers
Preferred
Design and development of real-time embedded flight software and firmware for satellite systems, including NASA core Flight System (cFS)
Development of ground software for satellite systems, including modern web-based front-end frameworks such as React
Experience debugging and modifying complex systems under rigorous process and coding standards
Demonstrated commitment to mentoring junior engineers and interns
Company
Associate Staffing
Associate Staffing is a professional staffing firm providing top technology and financial talent to Fortune 500, 1000, and mid-market firms nationwide.
201-500 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Growth StageLeadership Team
Michael Norton
Chief Executive Officer
James Brickey
Under contract working onsite at Wells Fargo in ECMO
Company data provided by crunchbase