Senior Flight Software Test Engineer

Capella Space stands at the forefront of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite technology and signal intelligence. We provide customers in governments, academia, and commercial sectors with reliable information that enables unparalleled understanding of the world. Our mission is centered on delivering timely and reliable Earth imagery, supporting diverse applications in defense & intelligence, disaster response, energy, environmental monitoring and more. Utilizing cutting-edge technology, Capella Space designs, manufactures and operates an advanced constellation of SAR imaging satellites. Our market-leading SAR satellites are complemented by an unmatched data infrastructure and automated ordering and delivery platform for fast, reliable insights where and when customers need it most. 

Recognized for our technological prowess, Capella Space was honored as one of the 10 most innovative companies in Space in 2023 by FASTCOMPANY. Capella Space is an internationally trusted Earth Observation data provider, working closely with the U.S. Space Systems Command, U.S. Space Force, NASA, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, U.S. National Reconnaissance Office, the Canadian Government and more to make unclassified, high-resolution SAR data more accessible.  

What Makes Capella Unique? 

Capella Space is a highly collaborative team environment, providing an opportunity to work with some of the brightest minds in the space industry, though no prior space experience is needed.  We’re looking for people excited about tackling seemingly impossible challenges, learning new skills and concepts, and helping each other achieve success. Our mission and our products are meant to understand the whole world and help everyone in it - regardless of race, creed, or any other distinction. We encourage you to bring your unique perspective to help make us stronger, including applications from those who are traditionally underrepresented in tech. 

About the Role & Team

As a Test Engineer on the Flight Software team, you will be responsible for developing and maintaining the test environment that verifies our flight software to support running robust software on our satellite fleet in space! You will interact daily with flight software engineers, ground software engineers, FPGA developers, and various other subsystem owners to develop, maintain, and implement new test scripts and test system features for validating the flight software. You will have a demonstrable track record of working with complex systems, understanding systems architecture, and setting test plans to ensure the flight software is tested in an extensive manner.

Role Responsibilities 

• Design, implement, and execute test plans to identify issues, bugs, and defects before software release.
• Lead the creation and execution of detailed, comprehensive, and well-structured test plans and test cases.
• Develop and peer review software test code, specifically automated Python test scripts to be leveraged in the Continuous Integration environment.
• Perform software test trade studies such as: test management tools, continuous integration testing techniques and methodologies, software simulation platforms, etc.
• Manage (and execute) analysis of test results and test report generation
• Implement automated testing tools and frameworks to optimize the testing and verification processes.
• Report bugs and errors to development teams and provide insightful feedback to assist in the decision-making process.
• Liaise with internal flight software team members when necessary to clarify requirements or discuss testing strategies.
• Develop requirements and testing strategies in coordination with the flight software team.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (Program Management, Software Development, Flight Operations, etc.) to ensure quality throughout the software development lifecycle.
• Participate in Agile sprint planning, stand ups, and ticket tracking.
• Develop documentation and provide cross-training to other team members. 
• Troubleshoot and resolve software test issues in a timely manner. 

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, computer engineering, electrical engineering, or related field of study.
• Familiarity with software test development and testing methodologies.
• Knowledge of Linux operating system environments and standard Linux tools.
• Strong knowledge of programming scripted languages (Python, shell script, etc.) and some experience with compiled languages (C, C++).
• Must be able to work both independently and in a team environmen