Director, Flight Software Engineering in Houston, Texas - #73734 | VanderHouwen

Description

Job Id: 73734

Director, Flight Software Engineering
Our client is seeking a Director, Flight Software Engineering to lead and scale a high-performing flight software organization supporting complex, safety-critical aerospace programs. This strategic technical leader will establish engineering standards, strengthen cross-functional collaboration, and guide the development of reliable software for spacecraft and other mission-critical systems. The ideal candidate combines deep flight software expertise with proven organizational leadership and experience operating in highly regulated, high-stakes environments.

This role is on-site in Houston, Texas.

Director, Flight Software Engineering Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a multidisciplinary flight software engineering organization, fostering technical excellence, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Establish the strategic direction, engineering standards, development processes, and governance practices for a centralized flight software organization.
• Provide technical leadership across the full software development lifecycle, including requirements, architecture, implementation, integration, verification, validation, and certification.
• Oversee the development of real-time embedded software, spacecraft flight software, guidance/navigation/control systems, fault management, and avionics interfaces.
• Ensure software development aligns with applicable aerospace, safety-critical, cybersecurity, quality, and mission assurance requirements.
• Build and mentor engineering leadership teams while supporting employee development, succession planning, and organizational growth.
• Coordinate software engineering resources across multiple programs, improving scalability, consistency, knowledge sharing, and overall execution.
• Partner with program and technical leadership on risk management, design reviews, anomaly resolution, software readiness, and critical project milestones.
• Collaborate with government organizations, customers, industry partners, and internal stakeholders to deliver mission-critical software solutions.
• Identify opportunities to advance engineering capabilities through automation, modern development tools, digital engineering, model-based methods, and improved testing practices.
• Communicate technical progress, risks, resource needs, and strategic priorities to executive and program leadership.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and organizational capability gaps to guide long-term investment and engineering strategy.

Director, Flight Software Engineering Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in flight software, embedded systems, spacecraft development, aerospace engineering, or other human-rated or safety-critical systems.
• 8+ years of engineering leadership experience, including responsibility for managers and/or large multidisciplinary technical teams.
• Extensive experience developing or overseeing flight software for complex aerospace or mission-critical systems through multiple stages of the development lifecycle.
• Strong knowledge of real-time embedded systems, software architecture, GNC software, fault management, avionics interfaces, and safety-critical software development.
• Demonstrated ability to establish and implement engineering standards, processes, governance structures, and technical best practices across multiple teams or programs.
• Experience working within highly regulated aerospace environments and familiarity with applicable government, safety, software assurance, and human-rated system requirements.
• Proven ability to align technical resources and priorities across multiple programs within a matrixed or centralized engineering organization.
• Experience collaborating with government agencies, customers, external partners, and cross-functional stakeholders on complex technical initiatives.
• Master’s degree or Ph.D. in engineering, computer science, or a related discipline is preferred.
• Strong strategic thinking, judgment, problem-solving, and communication skills, with the ability to make sound decisions in high-pressure technical environments.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver results in fast-paced, ambiguous, and highly accountable environments.
• Passion for aerospace and advanced technology, with an entrepreneurial mindset and a commitment to technical innovation.
• Willingness to work evenings and weekends as needed to support critical project milestones.

Salary: $200K-$210K/year + Bonus. (DOE)

Benefits
Benefits are available to eligible full-time employees and include coverage for medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short and long term disability, and matching 401k.

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