Staff Software Engineer, Space Special Programs

Anduril Industries

Confirmed live today High trust

Quick summary

Work type
On-site
Location
Chantilly, VAHerndon, VA
Salary
$220,000–$292,000 / yr
Posted
61 days ago
Freshness
Confirmed live today

Market check

Salary context

Above market

How this pay compares to similar roles

Similar $190k
This role $256k
$125k $310k
below market most similar roles pay here above market

This role pays more than 97% of similar roles. Most pay $165,000–$214,500 — the blue band above. At the midpoint, this role pays about $256k versus about $190k for comparable roles.

Based on 240 similar postings.

Employer

About Anduril Industries

Anduril Industries is a defense technology company that builds advanced hardware and software systems for national security, including autonomous drones, surveillance systems, and the Lattice AI command platform.

Anduril Industries currently has 901 open roles on FindRole.

Listed pay typically runs $166,000–$220,000 across 858 roles with salary data.

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View all roles at Anduril Industries

At a glance

TL;DR · Staff Software Engineer, Space Special Programs

Staff Software Engineer, Space Special Programs The Staff Software Engineer joins the Space Special Programs team to lead the software engineering lifecycle for spacecraft and space systems. This role involves architecting and implementing flight, ground test, and ground station software at both embedded and application levels. You will lead a team to develop deeply embedded software, data protocols, RF communication, machine learning, computer vision, and control algorithms for computationally-restricted environments. Key responsibilities include designing host-side software for GUIs, database interactions, and compression, while ensuring high-reliability standards like fault detection and data redundancy. You will use embedded C, device drivers, and FPGA-interfacing skills to solve complex space architecture problems. The work focuses on developing unique, mission-critical capabilities for spacecraft operating in LEO through GEO environments to ensure survival and success in challenging operational environments.

What does a Software Engineer earn in Virginia?

Median $165000 from 125 postings across 23 companies.

See salary data

What you'll do

  • Architect and design flight, ground, and payload software systems to meet specific mission requirements.
  • Lead the software engineering team in implementing embedded, host, and communication software.
  • Develop flight software for computationally-restricted environments including data protocols, RF communication, and control algorithms.
  • Write host-side code for user interfaces, database interactions, and machine-to-machine communication.
  • Establish internal guidelines and best practices for space flight software design, testing, and manufacturing.
  • Conduct peer-level design reviews and develop customer-facing system design documentation and presentations.
  • Drive product maturity through rapid prototyping, design verification, and qualification activities.
  • Mentor the engineering team and serve as a technical resource for complex troubleshooting.

What we're looking for

  • Bachelor’s degree in computer science, electrical/computer engineering, or a similar technical field.
  • 10+ years of software engineering experience developing embedded, host, and product-specific software.
  • 3+ years of experience leading a software engineering team working on small spacecraft.
  • Experience developing subsystem requirements, interfaces, and reusable software architectures for mission systems.
  • Experience writing embedded C code, device drivers, and implementing algorithms with limited computational and storage resources.
  • Experience writing host-level code for GUIs, database interactions, and protocol interfaces for spacecraft systems.
  • Experience on mature spacecraft development programs including operational and environmental testing.
  • Must be a U.S. Citizen and able to obtain and maintain a U.S. Top Secret security clearance.

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