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Software Manager Jobs (NOW HIRING)

NDT Global GmbH & Co.

$120 - $140/hr

NDT Global GmbH & Co. is seeking a Software Manager to lead a product engineering team. You will ensure that products evolve with a solid technical foundation and meet business goals.

Pivotal

User Facing Software Manager

Palo Alto, CA · On-site

$175K - $186K/yr

Qualifications * Bachelor's degree in Data Science, Software Engineering, Systems Engineering ... Deep understanding of telemetry, sensors, logging, and data management for hardware-in-the-loop or ...

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Software Manager information

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$74.5K

$142.8K

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How much do software manager jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 9, 2026, the average yearly pay for software manager in the United States is $142,832.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $129,000.00 and $169,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a software manager do?

A Software Manager oversees software development teams, ensuring projects are completed on time and meet quality standards. They coordinate between team members, manage resources, and communicate with stakeholders about progress and requirements. Additionally, they may be responsible for hiring, mentoring, and evaluating team performance. Their role bridges the gap between technical staff and upper management to align technology goals with business objectives.

What is a software manager?

A software manager oversees the development, installation, and maintenance of new or upgraded software for an organization. As a software manager, you coordinate with staff to determine client needs and expectations, establish budget and timelines, and ensure that employees use the product correctly. You may also train company employees on how to utilize the software after it is installed and help troubleshoot problems that arise.

What is the difference between Software Manager vs Software Engineer?

AspectSoftware ManagerSoftware Engineer
Required CredentialsBachelor's or higher in CS or related field; management experienceBachelor's or higher in CS or related field; coding skills
Work EnvironmentOversees teams, manages projects, strategic planningDevelops software, writes code, tests applications
Employer & Industry UsageUsed in tech companies, startups, large enterprisesUsed across all tech sectors, startups, corporate IT

The main difference between a Software Manager and a Software Engineer lies in their roles. Software Managers focus on team leadership, project management, and strategic planning, while Software Engineers are primarily responsible for coding and developing software. Both roles require technical knowledge, but their responsibilities and work focus differ significantly.

How does a software manager typically balance hands-on technical work with leadership responsibilities?

Software Managers often juggle both technical and leadership duties, but the balance can vary depending on the organization and team size. In many cases, Software Managers spend a significant portion of their time on people management tasks such as mentoring team members, conducting code reviews, planning sprints, and facilitating communication between stakeholders. However, they may also remain involved in architectural decisions or critical technical challenges to stay connected with the team's work. Effective Software Managers prioritize delegating coding tasks to their team while focusing on enabling productivity, resolving blockers, and ensuring project alignment with business goals.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a software manager, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Software Manager, you need a strong background in software development, project management, and leadership, often supported by a degree in computer science or a related field. Familiarity with Agile methodologies, version control systems like Git, and project management tools such as Jira is typically required. Exceptional communication, problem-solving, and team-building skills set outstanding managers apart in this role. These competencies are essential for delivering projects on time, fostering effective collaboration, and driving high-performing engineering teams.
More about Software Manager jobs
What cities are hiring for Software Manager jobs? Cities with the most Software Manager job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Software jobs? The most popular types of Software jobs are:
Who are the top companies hiring for Software Manager jobs? The top employers for Software Manager jobs are:
What states have the most Software Manager jobs? States with the most job openings for Software Manager jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Software Manager jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Software Manager jobs are:
Software Manager jobs near you
Infographic showing various Software Manager job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 88% Full Time, 11% Part Time, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 85% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 13% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $142,832 per year, or $68.7 per hour.

Ground Software Manager, Spacecraft

Firefly Aerospace

Cedar Park, TX • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, PTO

Re-posted 2 days ago

Firefly Aerospace rating

6.9

Company rating: 6.9 out of 10

Based on 10 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

66th of 72 rated aerospace companies

Job description

ABOUT FIREFLY AEROSPACE
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 partner of choice for critical space missions, Firefly is the first commercial company to launch a satellite to orbit with 24-hour notice and the first company to achieve a successful Moon landing. Headquartered in north Austin, Texas, Firefly is looking for passionate, hardworking innovators to join our team and help fuel our successful trajectory into space.
SUMMARY
As the Manager, Spacecraft Ground Software at Firefly Aerospace, you will lead the organization responsible for designing, developing, deploying, and operating the software systems that enable Firefly's spacecraft throughout assembly, integration and test, launch, and on-orbit mission operations. You will establish the long-term technical vision for Firefly's spacecraft ground segment software suite while managing the engineering organization responsible for spacecraft command and control, mission operations software, telemetry processing, mission planning, data processing pipelines, operator interfaces, and the software platforms that enable mission operations.
This role combines organizational leadership with deep technical systems expertise. You will serve as the primary technical authority for Firefly's enterprise spacecraft ground software architecture, driving the evolution of a common, scalable ground software platform that supports multiple spacecraft programs, customers, and mission types. You will lead a growing engineering organization responsible for delivering highly reliable mission-critical software supporting lunar missions, national security programs, and future exploration initiatives.
Working closely with spacecraft operations, flight software, systems engineering, assembly, integration and test (AI&T), IT infrastructure, networking, cybersecurity, and enterprise engineering teams, you will ensure Firefly's spacecraft ground software suite provides secure, scalable, and operationally robust capabilities throughout every phase of a mission-from vehicle integration and testing through launch, on-orbit operations, and mission completion.
RESPONSIBILITIES
  • Lead the Spacecraft Ground Software organization in the design and development of software systems supporting spacecraft integration, testing, mission rehearsals, launch campaigns, commissioning, and on-orbit mission operations.
  • Establish the long-term technical vision and architecture for Firefly's enterprise spacecraft ground software ecosystem.
  • Build, mentor, and grow a high-performing engineering organization through recruiting, hiring, technical leadership, career development, and performance management.
  • Drive the evolution of service-oriented and distributed software architectures supporting mission-critical spacecraft operations.
  • Drive architectural standardization and reusable software platforms across Firefly spacecraft programs to reduce mission-specific development and improve operational consistency.
  • Partner with spacecraft operations, flight software, systems engineering, AI&T, IT infrastructure, networking, cybersecurity, and enterprise engineering teams to develop integrated operational solutions.
  • Oversee execution across the complete software lifecycle, including requirements development, architecture, implementation, verification, validation, deployment, operations, and sustainment.
  • Lead software systems engineering activities, translating mission concepts and operational requirements into scalable technical architectures and execution plans.
  • Ensure reliable spacecraft commanding, telemetry processing, mission planning, data processing, visualization, automation, and operator workflows across all spacecraft programs.
  • Guide deployment strategies spanning development environments, hardware-in-the-loop test beds, integration facilities, mission operations centers, cloud infrastructure, and operational venues.
  • Establish engineering processes including architecture reviews, design reviews, configuration management, release management, verification, operational readiness, and continuous improvement.
  • Coordinate closely with mission operations during rehearsals, launch campaigns, anomaly resolution, and real-time spacecraft operations.
  • Develop technical roadmaps supporting future multi-mission, multi-tenant, highly available, and cloud-enabled ground software architectures.
  • Foster a culture centered on engineering excellence, operational reliability, mission success, safety, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

QUALIFICATIONS
Required
  • BS in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related technical discipline.
  • 10+ years of experience developing, architecting, or delivering software systems supporting spacecraft, aerospace, defense, robotics, or other mission-critical operational environments.
  • 5+ years of engineering management experience with direct responsibility for technical teams.
  • Strong background in software systems engineering, software architecture, or technical leadership for large distributed software systems.
  • Experience designing and deploying service-oriented, distributed, or microservice-based software architectures.
  • Demonstrated experience translating operational concepts into software architectures, interface definitions, technical roadmaps, and execution plans.
  • Experience managing software programs throughout the complete engineering lifecycle, including requirements development, architecture, verification, validation, deployment, operations, and sustainment.
  • Strong understanding of cloud-based and on-premises deployment architectures for mission-critical software systems.
  • Experience collaborating across multidisciplinary organizations including software, systems engineering, operations, IT, and cybersecurity.
  • Proven ability to recruit, mentor, and develop high-performing engineering teams.
  • Excellent communication skills with the ability to communicate technical concepts across engineering disciplines, customers, and executive leadership.

Desired
  • Experience supporting national security space programs or classified spacecraft missions.
  • Experience leading the development or operation of spacecraft ground segments for operational missions.
  • Experience with mission planning systems, flight dynamics software, spacecraft scheduling, command generation, or mission automation systems.
  • Experience designing telemetry processing pipelines and transforming raw spacecraft telemetry into derived engineering and science data products.
  • Familiarity with spacecraft communications protocols and standards including CCSDS telemetry, telecommand, CFDP, SLE, SDLS, or related technologies.
  • Experience with cloud-native software deployment using Kubernetes, Docker, AWS, or similar technologies.
  • Experience with high-volume telemetry systems, streaming data platforms, messaging architectures, or time-series databases.
  • Experience with networking, enterprise identity management, cybersecurity frameworks, and secure deployment of operational software systems.
  • Experience supporting mission readiness reviews, mission rehearsals, launch campaigns, anomaly investigations, and real-time mission operations.
  • Advanced degree in Computer Science, Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related technical discipline.
  • Active security clearance or eligibility to obtain one.

Firefly offers outstanding benefits for our employees, including generous health, dental and vision plans with low plan deductibles, parental leave, educational reimbursement, short term disability, and flexible PTO options.
To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.
Firefly Aerospace, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Firefly is governed based on 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.

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