Research Software Engineer Jobs in Kentucky (NOW HIRING)

Description

Space Tango is an innovative space technology small business based in Lexington, Ky. Space Tango's mission is to manufacture health and technology products in space that create value and transformational solutions.  Space Tango provides space-based automated facilities and payloads to support research and development and small-scale manufacturing needs of our partners and customers in the Low Earth Orbit environment and beyond.  As a leader in automated systems, Space Tango pursues pathways to on-orbit production.  Our vision is to inspire, innovate, and create a better future for humanity by utilizing the environment of space. 

The Software Engineer III position serves as a technical lead responsible for the design, development, integration, testing, and continual improvement of software systems to execute the intended goals of specific spaceflight projects and Internal Research And Development (IRAD) projects. This role develops full-stack applications, backend services, user interfaces, automation tools, and mission software that enable research, manufacturing, and autonomous operations in microgravity. The position serves as the Software Engineering functional team representative for specific projects throughout the lifecycle process from concept ideation through return from flight and ensuring that assigned projects adhere to the Space Tango architecture, processes, and quality standards.

Travel may be required to support launches, customer activities, partner integrations, and mission operations. Because Space Tango's business centers around spaceflight missions, candidates should be comfortable supporting non-standard work schedules, including occasional evenings, weekends, holidays, and other non-nominal hours when required for launch campaigns, testing, or on-orbit operations. The Lead Engineer position also includes a technical specialty/focus area in which the individual is expected to be the company's subject matter expert. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Design, develop, integrate, test, maintain, and enhance full-stack software supporting Space Tango payloads, facilities, and mission operations.  
• Develop modern backend services, APIs, databases, automation tools, and user interfaces using Python and related technologies.  
• Design software architectures that are reliable, scalable, maintainable, and reusable across multiple projects.  
• Develop new software capabilities while maintaining and enhancing existing software platforms supporting active spaceflight missions.  
• Collaborate with science, software, electrical, mechanical, and mission operations teams to translate technical and scientific objectives into practical software solutions.  
• Support software integration, verification, testing, debugging, and troubleshooting throughout the project lifecycle. 
• Develop software that interfaces with hardware systems, robotics, laboratory automation, scientific instruments, and payload control systems.  
• Apply prompt engineering, automation, and modern software tools to improve engineering productivity and software quality.  
• Evaluate emerging software technologies and recommend improvements to Space Tango's software architecture, development practices, and engineering processes.  
• Serve as a technical lead by establishing software best practices, mentoring engineers, conducting design reviews, and contributing to long-term software strategy. 

Requirements

Qualifications, Skills, and Experience 

Required: 

• BS or MS in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, or related technical discipline 
• 4+ years of professional software development experience 
• Strong Python development experience 
• Experience developing full-stack software applications.  
• Extensive knowledge of software engineering technical skills including multiple programming languages and core concepts, development frameworks and libraries, software architecture and design, data structures, databases and data management, operating systems and networking, cloud platforms, DevOps, security best practices, and general engineering troubleshooting and verification techniques    
• Strong problem-solving and debugging skills.  
• Ability to collaborate across multidisciplinary engineering teams. 
• Willingness to support non-nominal hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays, as required for launches, testing, and mission operations. 

Preferred: 

• Experience with robotics, automation, scientific instrumentation, or embedded systems.  
• Experience with computer vision, scientific imaging, or image processing.  
• Experience with AI-assisted software development, prompt engineering, large language models (LLMs), or agentic AI tools.  
• Experience in spaceflight payload design from concept to implementation in microgravity. 
• Familiarity with NASA mission operations, quality systems, or regulated technical environments. 

Interpersonal Skills 

• Ability to manage and track multiple priorities while maintaining a focus towards common project goals. 
• Strong attention to detail and creative and innovative problem-solving skills. 
• Calm, disciplined execution during time-sensitive operations. 
• Ability to work effectively in a dynamic environment that includes changing needs and requirements and the ability to determine the urgency of a given task. 
• Proven project and technical management skills. 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for both a technical and non-technical audience. 
• Willingness to teach and learn new skills and techniques to/from both external and internal sources. 
• Commitment to team success and mission reliability. 

Space Tango is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Space Tango is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status. 

This position may require access to technology and information subject to U.S. export control laws, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). Employment is contingent upon the ability to obtain any necessary government authorizations to access and handle controlled technology and data. Candidates must be able to comply with all applicable export control regulations.