Job
- Level
- Lead
- Job Field
- Software, Back End
- Employment Type
- Full Time
- Contract Type
- Permanent employment
- Salary
- 72.500 to 112.500€ Gross/Year
- Location
- Munich
- Working Model
- Onsite
Job Summary
In this role, you will develop the software platform for our test bench control system, realizing test sequences and safety-critical data visualization for engine hot-fire tests.
Job Technologies
Your role in the team
- 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.
- In your capacity as a Principal Engineer, Test Systems Software you will:
- 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.
- Architect for high reliability, observability, and operational robustness in environments where software faults carry significant hardware and safety consequences.
- Collaborate with Test Bench Engineers, Propulsion, and Systems Engineering to align software capabilities with campaign requirements.
- Lead a multidisciplinary team of five - setting engineering standards, guiding code reviews and design reviews, and balancing development velocity with the rigorous quality bar required for safety-critical infrastructure.
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Our expectations of you
Qualifications
- The ideal candidate will have:
- Deep understanding of distributed systems, API design, and inter-process communication in low-latency environments.
- Vertrautheit mit Testbankinfrastruktur - Instrumentierungssysteme, Sensornetzwerke, Befehls-/Antwort-Workflows und prozedurale Automatisierung.
- Strong grasp of safety-critical software design: deterministic execution, fail-safe defaults, configuration validation, and safe deployment practices in systems where errors carry hardware consequences.
- Product ownership mindset with strong analytical thinking, technical judgment, and attention to detail.
- Motivation to thrive in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment with high accountability for system readiness.
Experience
- 5+ years of professional software engineering experience with demonstrated architectural ownership and technical leadership.
- Strong backend expertise (e.g., Python, C#, or similar) with experience in real-time or near-real-time data processing pipelines.
- Experience with modern frontend technologies (TypeScript, Vue/React, WebSockets) for operator interfaces and live data dashboards.
- Experience with containerization and orchestration (Docker, Kubernetes) for deploying and operating distributed service architectures.
- Experience designing software systems that integrate with PLCs or similar real-time controllers - understanding the boundaries between deterministic control and higher-level application logic.
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What we offer
- Relocation assistance is provided for those willing to relocate including visa sponsorship where applicable.
- Compensation Range: €72.5K - €112.5K.
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Topics that you deal with on the job
Job Locations
This is your employer
The Exploration Company
The Exploration Company was founded in 2021 as a German-French space startup based in Gauting near Munich. The company is working on the modular and reusable spacecraft Nyx, designed for missions to new space stations in Earth and lunar orbits. It is the first European space company to sign a Space Act Agreement with NASA.
Description
- Company Type
- Startup
- Working Model
- Onsite
- Industry
- Aviation, Space Travel
Principal Engineer - Test Systems Software
- Salary
- 72.500 to 112.500€ Gross/Year
- Location
- Munich
- Working Model
- Onsite
- Diversity
- Open for all genders
- English Only
- English only required
