Lead Software Engineer, Full Stack - Top Secret Clearance

SpaceX
Hawthorne, CA$160k – $225kPosted 24 March 2026

Job Description

SpaceX was founded under the belief that a future where humanity is out exploring the stars is fundamentally more exciting than one where we are not. Today SpaceX is actively developing the technologies to make this possible, with the ultimate goal of enabling human life on Mars. LEAD SOFTWARE ENGINEER, FULL STACK - TOP SECRET CLEARANCE As a Lead Software Engineer in Special Programs, you will lead a team of software engineers to design, develop, and test key aspects of software solutions that support the exploration and validation of future technologies used in all SpaceX flight systems. You will have full ownership of the direction and delivery of a suite of scalable, high-performance web applications that span the design, build, test and operations pipeline for cutting-edge innovations that will expand SpaceX's capabilities in ground and space systems. This is a high-impact role where you will work across the engineering groups to build a high-throughput distributed system to develop and demonstrate cutting-edge software and hardware. Aerospace experience is not required to be successful here - rather, we look for smart, motivated software engineers who enjoy taking on complex challenges, work well in dynamic environments, and care about software best practices. Our software is critical to future mission successes, and we have no shortage of interesting challenges that require innovative, cutting-edge solutions. RESPONSIBILITIES: Own the outcomes and delivery of a software engineering team contributing to full stack software solutions used for analysis, prototypes, ground software and operator user interfaces in support of flight systems Manage technical results, performance evaluations and professional growth for all your reports Develop and maintain a roadmap with clear, achievable short-term and long-term goals Work closely with customer and SpaceX teams to ensure that operational use cases task analyses are clearly efficiently implemented in an intuitive and modern UI/UX Foster a culture of excellence, emphasizing high-quality work, peer support, and cross-functional collaboration Identify and eliminate roadblocks, empower team ownership, and motivate individuals to succeed Lead architecture discussions, design decisions, and code reviews Ensure adherence to software development processes and industry best practices Oversee all phases of software development, from design and implementation to testing, mission integration, and operations BASIC QUALIFICATIONS: Bachelor's degree in computer science, mathematics, computer engineering, or electrical engineering 5+ years of experience in full stack software development Experience with JavaScript or TypeScript libraries including either React or Lit Professional experience developing applications using programming languages such as Python, Rust or C++ 1+ years of experience with database systems such as Postgres, MySQL, or Oracle 1+ years of professional leadership experience Active Top-Secret, Top-Secret SCI, or DOE Level Q clearance PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE: Expert knowledge of JavaScript and Python Demonstrated focus and interest in designing, architecting, and implementing excellent, high-quality software Experience with highly available concurrent systems Experience with high-performance computing systems Experience with automated build and test frameworks such as Bamboo, Ansible, and Jenkins Experience with containerized solutions such as Docker and Kubernetes Experience with developing intuitive, web-based UI/UX to manage critical operations. Experience with working with US government counterparts to convert operational needs requirements into a full stack software solution. Professional experience with Linux or Unix systems and tools Strong skills in debugging, performance optimization, data throughput analysis and unit testing Strong creative and innovative problem-solving skills Ability to work effectively in a dynamic environ ... (truncated, view full listing at source)
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