Principal Engineer – Test Systems Software

Here at The Exploration Company, we are developing, producing, and operating Nyx, a modular and reusable space orbital vehicle that can eventually be refuelled in orbit and that can carry cargo - and potentially humans in the longer run.

We're looking for a hands-on Principal Engineer to lead the technical direction of our Test Bench Control System software platform. You will combine deep software engineering expertise with architectural ownership and product-level thinking to ensure our platform reliably supports integrated engine hot-fire testing — with an architecture that can extend to broader test and ground operations as the program matures.

You will own the software platform that sits between test engineers and the real-time control layer: enabling operators to author, review, and deploy test sequences and configurable safety parameters onto PLC hardware — while providing the live data visualization, command interfaces, and traceability infrastructure that test campaigns depend on.

Key Responsibilities

In your capacity as a Principal Engineer, Test Systems Software you will:\n\n

Define and evolve the platform architecture spanning test sequence authoring, PLC configuration deployment, real-time data acquisition, and operator interfaces

Write production-grade code across the full stack while owning the technical roadmap and driving major architectural decisions

Translate test requirements and operational needs into feature specifications, managing scope and delivering incrementally toward operational capability

Build high-throughput data pipelines for real-time ingestion, processing, and visualization of high-rate sensor data

Design the full lifecycle for both operational sequences and configurable safety parameters

Define data acquisition standards including device configuration management and calibration traceability

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