Software Engineer (Level I, II, or III)

Description

Space Tango is an innovative space technology company based in Lexington, Kentucky. We develop automated facilities and payloads that enable research, development, and manufacturing in microgravity. Our mission is to manufacture health and technology products in space that create value and transformational solutions for our partners, customers, and humanity.

We are looking for a software engineer to join the team that develops and maintains the software behind our automated payloads, facilities, and mission operations. Working alongside electrical, mechanical, science, and mission operations teammates, our software team builds full-stack applications, backend services, user interfaces, automation tools, and mission software that enable autonomous operations in microgravity.

We welcome candidates of all levels of experience. The position's scope of responsibility will be based on relevant experience and technical capabilities.

This position is based at Space Tango’s headquarters in Lexington, Kentucky. Travel may be required to support launches, customer activities, partner integrations, and mission operations.

Candidates should be comfortable supporting occasional evenings, weekends, holidays, and other non-standard hours when required for launch campaigns, testing, or on-orbit operations. 

What You’ll Do

• Design, develop, integrate, test, and maintain software supporting Space Tango payloads, facilities, and mission operations.
• Build backend services, APIs, databases, automation tools, and user interfaces using Python and related technologies.
• Contribute to reliable, maintainable, and reusable software architectures across projects.
• Develop new capabilities while maintaining and improving software supporting active spaceflight missions.
• Collaborate across disciplines to translate engineering and scientific objectives into practical software solutions.
• Develop software that interfaces with hardware, robotics, laboratory automation, scientific instruments, and payload control systems.
• Support integration, verification, debugging, and troubleshooting throughout the project lifecycle.
• Create and maintain technical documentation, participate in code and design reviews, and follow Space Tango’s development processes and quality standards.
• Evaluate and apply appropriate software tools, automation, and AI-assisted development practices to improve productivity and software quality.
• At more experienced levels, lead technical efforts, mentor engineers, and contribute to software strategy and development standards.

Requirements

Qualifications, Skills, and Experience

• BS or MS in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Python development skills appropriate to your experience level.
• Experience developing software applications through professional work, internships, academic projects, or other substantial hands-on projects. 
• Knowledge of software engineering technical skills including multiple programming languages and core concepts, development frameworks and libraries, software architecture and design, data structures, databases and data management, operating systems and networking, cloud platforms, DevOps, security best practices, and general engineering troubleshooting and verification techniques    
• Strong problem-solving and debugging skills.  
• Ability to collaborate across multidisciplinary engineering teams. 
• Calm, disciplined execution during time-sensitive operations. 
• Ability to work effectively in a dynamic environment that includes changing needs and requirements and the ability to determine the urgency of a given task. 
• Commitment to team success and mission reliability.

 Helpful Experience

• Full-stack applications, backend services, APIs, and database design.
• Operating systems, networking, cloud platforms, DevOps, and software security practices.
• Robotics, automation, scientific instrumentation, or embedded systems.
• AI-assisted software development, prompt engineering, large language models, or agentic AI tools.
• Spaceflight payload development, integration, testing, or mission operations.
• NASA quality systems or other regulated technical environments.

Space Tango is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Space Tango is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

This position may require access to technology and information subject to U.S. export control laws, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). Employment is contingent upon the ability to obtain any necessary government authorizations to access and handle controlled technology and data. Candidates must be able to comply with all applicable export control regulations.