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Ground Software Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Front Door Defense

$175 - $225/hr

Staff Ground Software Engineer Lead the design and implementation of next‑gen Mission Control ground systems Location: Irvine, California Compensation: $175,000 - 225,000 USD / year About The Role ...

AST SpaceMobile

Ground Software Engineer (Senior)

Lanham, MD · On-site +1

$122K - $161K/yr

Position Overview We are seeking a Senior Ground Software Engineer with deep fullstack development experience to help design, build, and maintain software and infrastructure that supports ...

Inversion

Senior Ground Software Engineer

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$139K - $201K/yr

As a Senior Software Engineer (Ground Software) at Inversion, you will have an instrumental impact on the interface and operation of our next-generation re-entry vehicles. You will architect, build ...

K2 Space

Senior Ground Software Engineer

Seattle, WA

$150K - $200K/yr

The Role As a Senior Software Engineer on our Ground Software team, you are responsible for creating the software that is used to build, test, and fly our satellites and customer payloads. You will ...

AST SpaceMobile

Ground Software Engineer (Senior)

Lanham, MD · On-site

$122K - $161K/yr

Position Overview We are seeking a Senior Ground Software Engineer with deep full-stack development experience to help design, build, and maintain software and infrastructure that supports mission ...

K2 Space

Senior Ground Software Engineer

Los Angeles, CA

$150K - $200K/yr

The Role As a Senior Software Engineer on our Ground Software team, you are responsible for creating the software that is used to build, test, and fly our satellites and customer payloads. You will ...

Inversion

Senior Ground Software Engineer

Vista, CA · On-site

$139K - $201K/yr

As a Senior Software Engineer (Ground Software) at Inversion, you will have an instrumental impact on the interface and operation of our next-generation re-entry vehicles. You will architect, build ...

E-Space

Senior Ground Software Engineer

Saratoga, CA · On-site

$135K - $178K/yr

They are seeking a Senior Ground Software Engineer to collaborate with engineering teams to build mission-critical software for satellite operations, developing backend systems using Python in a ...

E-Space

Senior Ground Software Engineer

Saratoga, CA · On-site

$135K - $178K/yr

They are seeking a Senior Software Engineer to join their Ground Software team, responsible for building mission-critical software for satellite constellation operations and developing highly ...

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Ground Software Engineer information

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$63.5K

$147.5K

$205.5K

How much do ground software engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 4, 2026, the average yearly pay for ground software engineer in the United States is $147,524.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $120,000.00 and $173,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a ground software engineer?

Ground Software Engineers are professionals who design, develop, and maintain software systems that support space missions from the ground. Their work typically involves building tools for mission control, telemetry processing, satellite communication, and data management. These engineers ensure that spacecraft can be monitored, commanded, and controlled from Earth, often collaborating closely with hardware engineers and mission operators. They play a crucial role in mission success by enabling real-time data analysis, automation, and troubleshooting for space operations.

What skills and qualifications are needed to thrive as a ground software engineer?

To thrive as a Ground Software Engineer, you need strong programming skills (often in languages like C++, Java, or Python), a background in computer science or engineering, and knowledge of satellite ground systems. Familiarity with software development tools, real-time operating systems, and experience with mission control systems or telemetry processing platforms are typically required. Strong problem-solving abilities, attention to detail, and effective communication are crucial soft skills for this role. These skills and qualities ensure reliable software that supports mission-critical ground operations and fosters collaboration within multidisciplinary teams.

What challenges does a ground software engineer face when integrating new systems with existing ground infrastructure?

Ground Software Engineers often encounter challenges when integrating new software with legacy ground systems, such as ensuring compatibility between different hardware interfaces and communication protocols. They may also need to address issues related to real-time data processing, security requirements, and system scalability. Collaboration with cross-functional teams—including hardware engineers, network specialists, and mission operations personnel—is essential to identify potential integration issues early and develop effective solutions.

What is the difference between Ground Software Engineer vs Satellite Software Engineer?

AspectGround Software EngineerSatellite Software Engineer
CredentialsBachelor's or higher in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related fields; experience with embedded systems and real-time softwareSimilar credentials; focus on embedded systems, real-time software, and aerospace standards
Work EnvironmentGround stations, control centers, labs, often in aerospace or defense industriesSatellite onboard systems, spacecraft, aerospace facilities
Employer & IndustryAerospace, defense, satellite communication companiesSatellite manufacturers, space agencies, aerospace firms
Search & Comparison IntentPeople comparing roles in satellite ground control and software developmentRoles related to satellite onboard software development

While both roles involve embedded and real-time software skills, Ground Software Engineers focus on developing and maintaining ground station systems and control software, whereas Satellite Software Engineers work on onboard satellite systems and firmware. The roles often overlap in skills but differ in environment and specific responsibilities.

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Ground Software Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Ground Software Engineer job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 89% Full Time, 8% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 88% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $147,524 per year, or $70.9 per hour.

Software Engineer, Ground Software

Muon Space

San Jose, CA • On-site

Full-time

Re-posted 19 days ago

Job description

Job Summary:
Muon Space is an end-to-end Space Systems Provider that designs, builds, and operates LEO satellite constellations delivering mission-critical data. They are seeking a Software Engineer (Back-end) to join their Ground Software team, responsible for building cloud infrastructure, web services, and applications for mission planning and control software.
Responsibilities:
• Build a world class Mission Planning & Control System in the cloud, using tools like Docker and FastAPI
• Participate in designing our cloud architecture: choosing which technologies we will use, how we will organize the system, and when we should build systems in-house vs buy them off the shelf, to maximize the impact of our team
• Manage the infrastructure we will use to deploy our cloud applications, using tools like Kubernetes, Helm, and AWS Lambda
• Build the spacecraft-to-cloud data integration: processing and archiving the command history and telemetry, using tools like Kafka, InfluxDB, and Grafana
• Build the APIs and tooling to integrate our cloud with remote antenna ground station networks
• Architect systems to achieve low latency and fault tolerance
• Deploy infrastructure and tools to workstations, on-premises data centers, and cloud environments
Qualifications:
Required:
• B.S., M.S., or Ph.D. in computer science or related field, or equivalent experience
• 4+ years experience as a software engineer in a team environment
• Strong programming experience in Python for web development
• Experience with cloud-native software development in at least one major cloud provider (AWS, GCP, Azure) using containers
• Excellent communication and presentation skills
• Excited to work in a fast-paced environment with new opportunities each week
Preferred:
• Experience with the AWS / Govcloud ecosystem
• Experience managing CI/CD in cloud-based development, staging, and production environments
• Have a passion for simple architectures and clean APIs
• Strong Linux fundamentals and comfortable with Linux development and deployment environment
• IT and Information security (authentication, encryption)
• Experience smoothly deploying continuously evolving data services to customers
Company:
Muon Space designs, builds, and operates satellite constellations for national security, civil, and commercial applications. Founded in 2021, the company is headquartered in Mountain View, USA, with a team of 201-500 employees. The company is currently Growth Stage.

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