Software Engineer III - Build Engineer

Sierra Space Careers: Dare to Dream

About the RoleThe Software Engineer III role involves designing, developing, and testing software applications for space systems and technologies. This advanced position requires expertise in at least one programming language, an advanced understanding of software development principles, and the ability to design and architect complex software systems. The role includes writing clean, maintainable code, collaborating with team members to understand project requirements, and contributing to the development of innovative software solutions. Additionally, this position involves mentoring and guiding other engineers, providing technical leadership and support.

Sierra Space’s Defense division focuses on the design, build, and operations of small satellites in support of commercial services and national security space.

As a Build Engineer III, your primary responsibility will be coordinating, planning, and driving the technical direction of a Continuous Integration / Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) pipeline for space flight software and flight software products. Your design will ensure the integrity and quality of the flight software as the team adds additional components to the flight software baseline. Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:

• Developing an understanding of the flight software product and the build process that the development team uses;

• Developing an understanding of the flight software testing requirements and current testing structures;

• Designing and architecting a CI/CD workflow according to the flight software build process and test requirements;

• Planning, scheduling, and coordinating changes to the CI/CD workflow to ensure minimal disruption to the developer team;

• Migrating the current configuration management system from Github to Gitlab, and communicating changes to the pipeline to the development team; and

• Communicating with both internal program stakeholders as well as external customers on pipeline-related activities.

The Build Engineer must have a strong working knowledge of software development environments and configuration management systems and interpersonal skills for communicating with team, program, and customer stakeholders.  The candidate must also be comfortable working in an Agile Scrum environment.

About You 
 
Our mission is driven by the unwavering passion to push the boundaries of what is possible. We seek those who Dare to Dream — to envision the extraordinary and pursue it relentlessly – to join us on this transformational journey.  

We’re looking for dreamers who align with our values, vision, and audacious goals – while also meeting the minimum qualifications below. The preferred qualifications are a bonus, not a requirement.

Minimum Qualifications: 

• Requires a bachelor's degree in a related field (or equivalent work experience in lieu of degree or a master's +3 yrs experience). 

• Typically, 5+ years of related experience. 

• Expertise in one to multiple programming languages and advanced understanding of software development principles. 

• Ability to design and architect complex software systems. 

• Experience with different software development methodologies such as Agile and Scrum/Kanban. 

• Strong problem-solving skills. 

• Ability to mentor and guide other engineers.

• The ability to obtain and maintain a Top-Secret U.S. Security Clearance is required.

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Experience with kernel-level programming. 

• Ability to design and implement CI/CD pipeline testing.

• Experience with Github or equivalent configuration management system.

• Proficiency in programming languages (Python, C++, Java) and their ecosystems. 

• Familiarity with scripting languages (Bash, PowerShell) and automation tools (Ansible, Puppet, Chef). 

• Experience with Agile or Scrum/Kanban methodologies and tools (JIRA, Confluence, Jenkins). 

• Strong analytical skills, performance profiling, and debugging complex systems. 

• Excellent communication and teamwork skills, and efficient with collaborative tools (GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket) and development ceremonies (daily standup, backlog grooming, work planning, task estimation, retrospectives, etc.). 

• Knowledge of database management systems (MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB). 

• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud) and cloud-native development. 

• Familiarity with containerization (Docker) and orchestration (Kubernetes). 

• Understanding of network protocols, security principles, and secure coding practices. 

• Ability to write and maintain technical documentation. 

• Strong problem-solving skills and experience with CI/CD pipelines and automated testing. 

• Experience with continuous integration and automated test. 

• Knowledge of and experience implementing Software Design Patterns. 

• Familiarity with SysML/UML to create software designs. 

Compensation

Physical/Mental/Emotional Requirements:

• Frequently walk, sit, stand, climb stairs and steps

• Frequently repeat same hand, arm, and finger motion many times to include finger and hand dexterity

• Rarely lifting or carrying up to 20 lbs.

Working Conditions:

• Rarely exposed to outdoor elements (high/low temperatures, sun, rain/snow, etc.)

• Rarely exposed to fumes or hazardous chemicals/materials

• Rarely exposed to loud noises

IMPORTANT NOTICE:

This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a Top-Secret U.S. Security Clearance. U.S. Citizenship status is required as this position needs an active U.S. Security Clearance for employment. Non-U.S. Citizens may not be eligible to obtain a security clearance.  The Department of Defense Consolidated Adjudications Facility (DoD CAF), a federal government agency, handles the adjudicative aspects of the security clearance eligibility process for industry applicants. Adjudicative factors which affect the outcome of the eligibility determination include, but are not limited to, allegiance to the U.S., foreign influence, foreign preference, criminal conduct, security violations and illegal drug use.

Elevate Your Career

At Sierra Space we are at the very doorstep of unlocking the future and the work in front of us is hard, but it is truly important and meaningful. Achieving our mission requires dedication, relentless pursuit of a dream and an unwavering passion for pushing the boundaries to accomplish what others might believe to be impossible. We seek those who too, Dare to Dream and will join us in a pursuit to achieve the extraordinary.

Application Deadline: This role will remain posted until a qualified pool of candidates is identified.

Please note: Sierra Space does not accept unsolicited resumes from contract agencies or search firms. Any unsolicited resumes submitted to our website or to Sierra Space team members not through our approved vendor list or Talent Acquisition will be considered property of Sierra Space, and we will not be obligated to pay any referral fees.

Sierra Space Corporation is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need special assistance or a reasonable accommodation related to applying for employment with Sierra Space or at any stage of the recruitment process, please contact us.