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Space Cowboy Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Aetherflux

Flight Software Engineer

Seattle, WA · On-site

$200K - $250K/yr

San Carlos, CA or Seattle, WA (on-site) Cowboy Space Corp. is building the infrastructure to power and connect the orbital economy. Our satellites operate in Low Earth Orbit to collect sunlight and ...

Aetherflux

Senior Fluids Engineer

Seattle, WA · On-site

$160K - $185K/yr

Cowboy Space Corp. is building the infrastructure to power and connect the orbital economy. Our satellites operate in Low Earth Orbit to collect sunlight and enable a new class of capabilities-from ...

Aetherflux

Head of Compute Software

San Carlos, CA · On-site

Head of Compute Software About Cowboy Space Corp.: Cowboy Space Corp. is building the infrastructure to power and connect the orbital economy. Our satellites operate in Low Earth Orbit to collect ...

Aetherflux

Sr. Controls Engineer

Seattle, WA · On-site

$165K - $190K/yr

Cowboy Space Corp. is building the infrastructure to power and connect the orbital economy. Our satellites operate in Low Earth Orbit to collect sunlight and enable a new class of capabilities-from ...

New

Aetherflux

Controls Engineer

Seattle, WA · On-site

$160K - $200K/yr

Cowboy Space Corp. is building the infrastructure to power and connect the orbital economy. Our satellites operate in Low Earth Orbit to collect sunlight and enable a new class of capabilities-from ...

Aetherflux

Structures Lead

Seattle, WA · On-site

$150K - $225K/yr

Cowboy Space Corp. is building the infrastructure to power and connect the orbital economy. Our satellites operate in Low Earth Orbit to collect sunlight and enable a new class of capabilities-from ...

Aetherflux

RAS Validation Lead

San Carlos, CA · On-site

$150K - $225K/yr

RAS Validation Lead - Orbital Data Center Cowboy Space Corp. is building the infrastructure to power and connect the orbital economy. Our satellites operate in Low Earth Orbit to collect sunlight and ...

Aetherflux

Senior Aerothermal Analysis Engineer

Seattle, WA · On-site

$118K - $163K/yr

Cowboy Space Corp. is building the infrastructure to power and connect the orbital economy. Our satellites operate in Low Earth Orbit to collect sunlight and enable a new class of capabilities-from ...

Aetherflux

FPGA Software

San Carlos, CA · On-site

Cowboy Space Corp. is building the infrastructure to power and connect the orbital economy. Our satellites operate in Low Earth Orbit to collect sunlight and enable a new class of capabilities-from ...

Posted today

Aetherflux

RF Engineer, Avionics

San Carlos, CA · On-site

Cowboy Space Corp. is building the infrastructure to power and connect the orbital economy. Our satellites operate in Low Earth Orbit to collect sunlight and enable a new class of capabilities-from ...

Power Plant Hampton Roads

Dishwasher - PBR Hampton

Hampton, VA · On-site

$11.25 - $14.75/hr

... cowboy and cowgirl's nighttime oasis. Dishwasher Responsibilities include, but not limited to: * Maintaining the dish room and dish machine, and assists with cleaning other areas of the space as ...

Schlesinger's Steakhouse

Host

Newport News, VA

$12 - $15/hr

Maintain Inviting Space: Keep the host area tidy and organized at all times. * Present ... like Cowboy Cut Ribeye, New York Strip, Filet Mignon and Porterhouse. Schlesinger's also has ...

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Space Cowboy information

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How much do space cowboy jobs pay per hour?

As of Jul 17, 2026, the average hourly pay for space cowboy in the United States is $20.39, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $17.31 and $20.19 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Space Cowboy vs Space Pilot?

AspectSpace CowboySpace Pilot
Required CredentialsMinimal formal education, often self-taught or informal trainingCommercial or military pilot licenses, specialized training
Work EnvironmentSpace-themed entertainment, promotional events, or private space venturesSpacecraft operation, space agencies, commercial spaceflight
Industry UsageEntertainment, marketing, private space tourismAerospace, space agencies, commercial spaceflight companies

While both roles involve space-related activities, a Space Cowboy typically works in entertainment or promotional settings with informal training, whereas a Space Pilot operates spacecraft professionally, requiring formal licenses and training within the aerospace industry.

What jobs make $3,000 a day?

In the context of a Space Cowboy, high-paying roles such as experienced commercial pilots, private spacecraft operators, or specialized aerospace consultants can earn around $3,000 daily. These positions typically require advanced technical skills, certifications, and experience in the space or aviation industry.

What jobs pay $500,000 a year in the US?

In the context of a space cowboy or related roles, high-paying jobs such as aerospace executives, senior pilots, or specialized engineers in the space industry can reach or exceed $500,000 annually. These positions typically require advanced technical skills, extensive experience, and often involve leadership or specialized knowledge in aerospace technology or operations.

How much do space cowboys make?

Space cowboys, a fictional or themed role often associated with space-themed entertainment or events, do not have standardized salaries. If referring to actual space-related careers such as astronauts or aerospace professionals, salaries vary widely, with astronauts earning from around $66,000 to over $160,000 annually depending on experience and agency. For entertainment or promotional roles, compensation depends on the employer and project scope.

What are Space Cowboys?

Space Cowboys are fictional or stylized characters often depicted in science fiction media as adventurous individuals who explore and navigate outer space, typically in a manner reminiscent of traditional cowboys from the American West. They might be bounty hunters, pilots, or explorers who operate independently or in small crews, facing danger and seeking excitement among the stars. The term is popularized by movies, TV shows, and anime, most notably 'Cowboy Bebop.' While not a real-world occupation, the concept captures the spirit of adventure and rugged individualism applied to futuristic space settings.

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

I'm sorry, but 'Space Cowboy' is not a recognized real-world professional occupation, so I cannot provide an employment-related response.

What do space cowboys do?

A space cowboy is a fictional or themed role often associated with sci-fi settings, involving activities like piloting spacecraft, managing interstellar cargo, or engaging in space-related adventures. In real-world contexts, the term is sometimes used creatively for roles in space-themed entertainment or marketing, but it does not refer to an actual job with specific responsibilities.
More about Space Cowboy jobs
What states have the most Space Cowboy jobs? States with the most job openings for Space Cowboy jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Space Cowboy jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Space Cowboy jobs are:
Space Cowboy jobs near you
Infographic showing various Space Cowboy job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 17% Internship, 33% Full Time, 25% Part Time, 24% Nights, and 1% Summer. Highlights an 100% Physical job distribution, with an average salary of $42,416 per year, or $20.4 per hour.

Flight Software Engineer

Aetherflux

Seattle, WA • On-site

$200K - $250K/yr

Full-time

Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Posted 7 days ago

Job description

Location: San Carlos, CA or Seattle, WA (on-site)
Cowboy Space Corp. is building the infrastructure to power and connect the orbital economy. Our satellites operate in Low Earth Orbit to collect sunlight and enable a new class of capabilities-from powering on-orbit compute, to transmitting energy via infrared lasers (space-to-earth and space-to-space), powering on-orbit compute to delivering secure, high-bandwidth optical data. By rethinking how energy and data are generated and distributed in space, we're unlocking entirely new ways to operate both in orbit and on Earth.
Founded in 2024 by Baiju Bhatt (co-founder of Robinhood), Cowboy Space Corp. is backed by leading investors and built by a team from top aerospace and defense organizations. We're moving quickly to solve complex technical challenges and build a new category of space infrastructure.
The Role
We're looking for a Senior Flight Software Engineer to own the software that flies on our spacecraft. You'll be responsible for the payload flight software-written in Rust-spanning attitude and pointing state machines, on-board command handling, and telemetry and data storage. Today this work is distributed across several engineers; we need a senior technical owner to unify the architecture, set the patterns and conventions the team builds on, and drive the software toward a near-term on-orbit demonstration.
Responsibilities
  • Serve as the technical lead and owner for payload flight software, from architecture through on-orbit operations
  • Design, develop, and test flight software in Rust for attitude and pointing state machines, command handling, and telemetry/data storage
  • Define the software architecture, coding patterns, and conventions adopted across the flight software team
  • Establish and uphold the bar for flight-quality software: determinism, fault tolerance, testability, and safe behavior under failure
  • Design and implement fault detection, isolation, and recovery (FDIR) behaviors at the software level
  • Build and maintain automated test infrastructure, including simulation and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing
  • Collaborate closely with GNC, avionics, electrical, and systems engineers to define interfaces and system behavior
  • Support spacecraft integration, environmental test campaigns, and launch and early-orbit operations
  • Investigate anomalies across hardware/software boundaries, perform root cause analysis, and drive fixes to closure
  • Mentor engineers on the team and review designs and code to raise overall software quality
  • Help drive the team toward a near-term on-orbit demonstration, making pragmatic scope and risk tradeoffs along the way

Basic Qualifications
  • 5+ years of experience (or equivalent practical experience) developing flight software or software for other high-reliability, safety-critical systems
  • Experience with software that has flown on orbit, or equivalent deployment experience demonstrating judgment about what flight-quality software requires
  • Strong systems programming skills in Rust, C, or C++, with willingness to work primarily in Rust
  • Experience with real-time and embedded systems, including resource-constrained and fault-tolerant designs
  • Experience designing and implementing state machines, command/telemetry handling, or similar spacecraft software functions
  • Experience with hardware/software integration and testing on real hardware
  • Demonstrated ability to lead technically: setting architecture, establishing conventions, and mentoring other engineers

Preferred Qualifications
  • Bachelor's or advanced degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field
  • Prior experience as a technical lead or architect for a spacecraft flight software effort
  • Production Rust experience, particularly in embedded or systems contexts
  • Experience with attitude determination and control or pointing systems from the software side
  • Experience with FDIR design, redundancy management, and autonomous fault response
  • Experience building simulation, software-in-the-loop, and hardware-in-the-loop test environments
  • Experience supporting launch, commissioning, and on-orbit operations, including anomaly investigation
  • Familiarity with radiation effects and other space-environment considerations for software design
  • Experience thriving in fast-paced, high-ownership startup environments with rapid iteration cycles

Compensation and Benefits:
The salary range for this position is $200,000 - $250,000 annually. The actual base salary offered will depend on factors such as job-related skills, experience, qualifications, and internal equity.
  • Equity in Cowboy Space Corp.
  • Employees and their eligible dependents may enroll in medical, dental, and vision insurance
  • 401(k) retirement savings plan
  • Paid time off
  • 10 paid holidays per calendar year
  • Paid parental leave
  • Relocation assistance if applicable
  • Daily lunch in the office and a fully stocked kitchen with beverages and snacks

ITAR Requirements
  • Export Control Requirement: To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), applicants 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. Learn more about ITAR here.

Disclaimer
This job description is a summary of the primary duties and responsibilities of the job and position. It is not intended to be a comprehensive or all-inclusive listing of duties and responsibilities. Contents are subject to change at Cowboy Space Corp.'s discretion.
Cowboy Space Corp. is an equal employment opportunity employer. We consider individuals for employment or promotion according to their skills, abilities and experience. Cowboy Space Corp. is committed to complying with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religious creed, age, national origin, ancestry, physical, mental or developmental disability, sex (which includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and medical conditions relating to pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding), veteran status, military status, marital or registered domestic partnership status, medical condition (including cancer or genetic characteristics), genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, as well as any other category protected by federal, state or local laws.

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