Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors seeks a Senior Software Engineer, Ground & Control Services to build software that directly powers satellite operations and real-time space intelligence. Your work will bridge low-level interfaces and modern cloud infrastructure, forming the autonomous backbone for a live satellite constellation.

What You'll Do

Design, develop, and maintain software enabling autonomous satellite operations, health monitoring, and real-time tasking.
Create services that integrate with ground stations and satellite communication protocols.
Build cloud-native microservices to power scheduling, telemetry, and control logic.
Collaborate with systems, operations, flight, and mission planning teams to shape and refine technical requirements.
Write clean, testable, safety-conscious code while following modern development practices.
Participate in technical design reviews, code reviews, and sprint planning.
Contribute to launch and early operations for newly deployed satellites.
Join on-call rotations to support real-time incident response and system troubleshooting.

What We're Looking For

Bachelor’s degree in computer science, engineering, or a related field, or equivalent hands-on experience.
Minimum 5 years of professional software development experience.
Proficiency in one or more of the following languages: Go, Python, C++.
Solid experience with cloud infrastructure and microservices (e.g., AWS, GCP, Azure).
Familiarity with CI/CD tools, automated testing frameworks, and Git-based workflows.
Strong problem-solving skills and ability to understand end-to-end complex systems.
Excellent communication and collaboration within multi-disciplinary teams.
Must be a U.S. citizen to comply with government regulations.

Nice to Have

Master’s degree in a technical field.
Background in satellite operations, real-time control systems, or aerospace domains.
Experience with Terraform, Ansible, Kubernetes, or similar infrastructure tools.
Understanding of system fault tolerance, recovery, and safety-critical software.
Experience in telemetry or ground control systems.

Technical Stack

Languages: Go, Python, C++
Cloud: AWS, GCP, Azure
Infrastructure Tools: Terraform, Ansible, Kubernetes

Team & Environment

You will collaborate cross-functionally with engineers across domains, including systems, operations, flight, and mission planning teams.

Benefits & Compensation

Compensation range: $135,000–$155,000 in the Seattle, WA area; may vary by location and experience.
Full medical, dental, and vision coverage — 100% employer-paid for employees.
Monthly $100 contribution toward out-of-pocket healthcare expenses.
15 days PTO, 11 paid holidays, 4 floating holidays, 1 day of volunteer leave annually.
Paid parental leave and disability benefits.
401(k) with employer match and both pre-tax and Roth options.
Flexible Spending Accounts and Employee Stock Purchase Program.
Access to Employee Assistance and Travel Assistance Programs.
Employer matching donations and support for professional development.
Choose your work setup: Mac or PC — and enjoy some company swag.