Cowboyspace

Head of Compute Software

San Carlos, California · Exec

Work authorization required$200k-$285kDetected 73 days ago

Distributed SystemsEmbedded SystemsAvionicsLeadershipCommunication

About the role

You will work closely with hardware, spacecraft, and mission teams to ensure seamless integration between software and the underlying compute platforms.

Lead the design and development of real-time, distributed, and fault-tolerant software systems for space environments
Own system architecture across operating systems, middleware, networking, and application layers
Build and lead a team of software engineers, setting technical direction, development standards, and execution velocity
Drive end-to-end software development from architecture and prototyping through deployment and in-orbit operations
Collaborate cross-functionally with hardware, GNC, RF, and spacecraft teams to ensure tight hardware/software integration
Develop systems for real-time control, autonomy, and high-throughput data processing onboard satellites
Optimize software for performance, reliability, and efficiency within constrained compute, power, and thermal environments
Guide build vs. buy decisions, tooling, and infrastructure for onboard and ground software systems
Represent compute software in design reviews (PDR, CDR) and executive-level discussions

10+ years of experience in software engineering, with a focus on distributed systems, embedded systems, or high-performance computing
Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related field
Experience designing and shipping complex software systems (e.g., distributed platforms, embedded systems, or real-time systems)
Experience leading technical projects or teams with increasing scope and ownership
Strong understanding of system architecture and hardware/software co-design

Background in edge computing or distributed systems operating in constrained, disconnected, or high-latency environments
Familiarity with operating systems, resource management, and performance optimization under strict hardware and power constraints
Experience designing or operating systems that must be highly reliable in failure-prone environments (e.g., intermittent connectivity, partial system failures, degraded modes)
Experience with real-time or near real-time distributed systems, including scheduling, orchestration, and low-latency processing
Background in networking systems, including handling unreliable links, custom protocols, or high-latency communication environments
Prior experience in high-growth startups or deeply technical organizations where speed and ownership are critical
Strong intuition for making tradeoffs between performance, reliability, and development velocity in novel environments
Compensation and

Equity in Cowboy Space Corp.
Employees and their eligible dependents may enroll in medical, dental, and vision insurance
401(k) retirement savings plan
Paid parental leave
The actual base salary offered will depend on factors such as job-related skills, experience, qualifications, and internal equity.
Define the technical vision and roadmap for onboard compute software across spacecraft platforms

We are looking for a Head of Compute Software to lead the architecture, development, and deployment of the software systems that power our space-based compute platforms.

This listing is sourced directly from Cowboyspace's careers page and normalized into a canonical job model.