Executive Ghost Investigator Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Job Summary:
Firefly Aerospace is a space and defense technology company on a mission to reliably and repeatedly launch, land, and operate space systems from Earth to the Moon and beyond. As the Blue Ghost Flight Software Manager, you will lead the flight software team responsible for developing, integrating, verifying, and supporting mission-critical software for Firefly’s Blue Ghost lunar landers.
Responsibilities:
• Lead the Blue Ghost flight software team supporting lunar lander development, integration, test, and mission operations
• Own all aspects of team staffing including recruitment, hiring, onboarding, workforce planning, and contractor support
• Conduct performance evaluations and drive career development through mentorship and coaching of software engineers at all levels
• Set flight software objectives and communicate priorities to team members, program leadership, and cross-functional stakeholders
• Manage flight software execution across requirements, architecture, implementation, integration, verification, validation, release, and operational support
• Drive adoption, extension, and mission-specific application of Firefly’s flight software framework, for Blue Ghost lander missions
• Establish and improve flight software development processes, coding standards, review practices, test expectations, and release discipline
• Coordinate with GNC, Embedded Software, avionics, electrical, systems engineering, simulation, mission operations, and test teams to deliver integrated spacecraft capabilities
• Interface with program managers and mission stakeholders to allocate team responsibilities, establish schedules, and manage software deliverables
• Support mission readiness reviews, test campaigns, rehearsals, anomaly investigations, and flight operations
• Develop and manage team budget inputs, annual operating plans, resource forecasts, and software capability roadmaps
• Identify technical gaps, execution risks, staffing needs, and investment priorities for Blue Ghost flight software
• Foster a healthy team culture and maintain high morale in a demanding technical and operational environment
Qualifications:
Required:
• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, computer engineering, aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, or related technical field
• 10+ years of experience developing embedded, real-time, aerospace, spacecraft, launch vehicle, defense, robotics, or other mission-critical software
• 5+ years of technical team leadership experience including direct management of engineers and technical staff
• Demonstrated experience delivering software for complex hardware systems through integration, verification, and operational use
• Strong technical understanding of embedded software architecture, real-time systems, command and telemetry, fault management, device interfaces, and software/hardware integration
• Experience establishing software engineering standards, development processes, test practices, and release discipline
• Proven ability to recruit, hire, develop, and retain high-performing technical talent
• Demonstrated success building team capabilities through mentorship, training, and career development
• Experience managing team schedules, priorities, budgets, resource planning, and workforce forecasting
• Excellent communication skills with ability to convey complex technical concepts to executives, customers, and non-software stakeholders
• Ability to foster a collaborative team culture while meeting demanding mission schedules
Preferred:
• Experience with C or C++ in Linux, embedded Linux, RTOS, or bare-metal environments
• Experience with JPL’s F-Prime software framework, or similar component-based flight software frameworks
• Experience developing flight software for spacecraft, lunar landers, launch vehicles, satellites, or deep-space missions
• Experience with NASA, JPL, or other government aerospace software development practices
• Experience with spacecraft subsystems including avionics, GNC, propulsion, power, thermal, communications, and payload interfaces
• Experience with fault detection, isolation, and recovery, autonomy, sequencing, command handling, telemetry, and spacecraft mode management
• Experience with software verification for safety-critical or mission-critical systems, including unit testing, integration testing, hardware-in-the-loop testing, simulation, and test-as-you-fly campaigns
• Experience with Python, CMake, GitLab CI, static analysis, code coverage, GoogleTest/GoogleMock, or similar software development tools
• Experience supporting mission operations, anomaly investigations, or real-time engineering support during spacecraft flight
• Experience developing strategic vision, technical roadmaps, and upgrade initiatives for flight software teams
• Advanced degree in computer science, computer engineering, aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, or related technical field
Company:
Firefly Aerospace is a space company that develops and operates launch vehicles, lunar landers, and orbital vehicles for commercial mission. Founded in 2014, the company is headquartered in Cedar Park, USA, with a team of 501-1000 employees. The company is currently Late Stage.