---
title: 'Flight Software Engineer II, Space Systems at Katalyst Space Technologies'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/flight-software-engineer-ii-space-systems-katalyst-space-technologies-195b4r0x4q11'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-12'
---

# Flight Software Engineer II, Space Systems at Katalyst Space Technologies

- **Company:** Katalyst Space Technologies
- **Location:** Broomfield Colorado, United States
- **Posted:** 2026-08-17
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-12
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/katalyst/jobs/6144881004

## Job description

Katalyst Description:

Katalyst is an American technology company focused on dynamic space operations.  We are building a fleet of dual-use multipurpose robotic space vehicles to create the future where maneuvering, upgrading, refueling, resupply and exploration are as routine as they are on Earth. Getting to space and overcoming the gravity well is only half the story. What you do there is the future. We are not building the trains. We are building the machines that lay down the tracks. By developing the foundational capabilities that make sustained, responsive operations possible, we enable a new era of space exploration that strengthens national security and ensures freedom of action in an increasingly contested domain.

Katalyst Culture:

Working at Katalyst is intense, hands-on, and deeply rewarding. You’ll take real ownership and see your work move from concept to operations in an environment where the problems are hard and the impact is real. We value humility, craftsmanship, and doing things the right way, even when it’s harder. You’ll work closely with thoughtful, driven teammates who push each other to do their best.

What You’ll Do

- Develop and own embedded flight software for modules including from requirements and architecture through implementation, integration, qualification, launch, and on-orbit operations.
- Implement real-time software for payload control, sensor commanding, data acquisition and processing, telemetry, time synchronization, health monitoring, and spacecraft interfaces.
- Translate mission and payload requirements into clear software interfaces, state machines, command/telemetry definitions, fault responses, and testable software requirements.
- Integrate flight software with avionics, GNC, communications, power, payload hardware, ground software, and mission operations, resolving timing, data, and interface issues at the system level.
- Build and maintain unit, integration, hardware-in-the-loop, and end-to-end test capabilities; use telemetry, logs, and instrumentation to diagnose anomalies and drive root-cause closure.
- Design for deterministic behavior, resource constraints, fault tolerance, graceful degradation, safe-state behavior, and reliable recovery in a mission-critical embedded environment.
- Own software quality through code reviews, configuration management, test evidence, release discipline, and contributions to design reviews and flight-readiness decisions.

What We’re Looking For

Required

- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
- 3+ years of experience developing embedded or flight software for spacecraft, aerospace, defense, robotics, autonomous systems, or other mission-critical products.
- Demonstrated ownership of embedded software from requirements and architecture through implementation, integration, verification, deployment, and operational support.
- Strong proficiency in C and/or C++, with solid fundamentals in real-time and embedded software, concurrency, memory/resource management, state machines, interfaces, and debugging.
- Experience with RTOS-based or embedded Linux systems, device drivers, board support packages, bootloaders, or low-level hardware interfaces.
- Hands-on experience integrating software with hardware, sensors, processors, communication buses, and test equipment in laboratory or hardware-in-the-loop environments.
- Strong technical communication skills and the ability to work effectively across flight software, payload, avionics, GNC, systems, ground software, test, and operations teams.
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, highly collaborative environment where ownership, initiative, and sound engineering judgment are essential.

## Your Ideal Background

## Preferred

- Experience developing spacecraft flight software or payload software through environmental qualification, launch, and on-orbit operations.
- Experience with spacecraft or embedded interfaces such as CAN, SpaceWire, Ethernet, RS-422/485, SPI, I2C, UART, or similar buses and protocols.
- Experience with sensor or payload data pipelines, time synchronization, telemetry/command systems, onboard processing, or data reduction in resource-constrained environments.
- Experience with fault detection, isolation and recovery (FDIR), watchdogs, redundancy, safe-state design, and robust software behavior under off-nominal conditions.
- Experience with modern software engineering practices including version control, automated testing, CI/CD for embedded systems, static analysis, and configuration-controlled releases.

Additional Requirements: Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed.

Compensation and Benefits: Your base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience. The anticipated salary range for this role is $115,000 - $155,000 annually.

Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at Katalyst. You will also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of the Employee Stock Option and Equity Plan, as well as a relocation bonus and other discretionary bonuses. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, and unlimited Paid Time Off.

At Katalyst our work on projects involving the U.S. Department of Defense requires adherence to International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 C.F.R. Parts 120-130, which requires compliance with U.S. export laws before allowing employees to perform certain positions. Currently, our available roles necessitate access to ITAR-controlled information, and as a result, Katalyst would have to ensure any non-US person is authorized access to ITAR information before the commencement of employment. We are committed to equal employment opportunities and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.

## About Katalyst Space Technologies

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Katalyst Space Technologies builds robotic spacecraft and modular payloads for in‑orbit servicing, satellite upgrades, and space domain awareness.
- **Entity Type**: Private (raised $12M in June 2026)
- **Headquarters**: Flagstaff, Arizona, United States (additional offices in Broomfield, Colorado, and Washington, D.C.)
- **Founded**: 2019
- **Founders**: Ghonhee Lee, Nicholas Liapis, Kaleb Beebout, Vanessa Clark (joined via acquisition of Atomos Space)

## Core Business
- **Primary industries**: In‑orbit servicing & assembly, space transportation & logistics, space domain awareness.
- **Target customers**: Government agencies, defense organizations, commercial satellite operators (MEO, GEO, XGEO / Cislunar markets).
- **Mission**: To make in‑space operations routine and break the long cycle times, rigid architectures, and inflexibility that dominate the satellite industry.

## Products & Services
- **NEXUS**: A multi‑mission robotic spacecraft with a patented Split Stewart Platform for grappling, docking, and servicing spacecraft not originally designed for docking. Includes full sensor suite for rendezvous and proximity operations, large solar arrays, and enough delta‑V to reach the Moon and back without refueling.
- **SIGHT**: Real‑time space domain awareness (SDA) system for orbital hazard identification, collision avoidance, and independent power, comms, and data processing.
- **SHIELD**: Defensive counterspace capability for anomaly inspection, close‑range imaging, and defensive maneuvers.
- **Hardware Payload Bays**: Two payload bays for transporting and installing mission hardware upgrades on unprepared satellites.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation**: Not disclosed
- **Key Metric**: Total funding of $12M (June 2026), including a seed round of $880,635 (May 2024)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Not publicly listed; acquired Atomos Space (April 2025) and Atomos Nuclear and Space Corporation.
- **Growth Signals**: Headcount grew 111% YoY to ~49 employees; opened offices in Broomfield, CO and Washington, D.C.; Katalyst’s LINK robotic spacecraft integrated with Pegasus XL and ready for launch (June 2026); NEXUS passed a key testing milestone ahead of a first‑of‑its‑kind GEO servicing demo mission (May 2026).

## Competitive Advantages
- **Patented Split Stewart Platform** – a lighter, stiffer robotic arm system that can grapple a wide range of structures, including satellites not designed for docking.
- **Full‑stack validation** – tests sensors, software, actuators, propulsion, and robotics at a state‑of‑the‑art testbed, not just simulation.
- **Ability to upgrade unprepared satellites** – delivers hardware on mission‑relevant timelines, bypassing 10+ year design cycles.
- **High delta‑V propulsion** – enables LEO‑to‑Moon round trips without refueling.

## Strategic Focus
- First‑of‑its‑kind GEO servicing demonstration mission for 2026–2027.
- Scaling the NEXUS spacecraft platform across multiple mission types (servicing, refueling, inspection, defense).
- Deepening government and defense partnerships for space domain awareness and counterspace capabilities.
- Expanding the team (13 active job postings) and operational footprint to support growing mission cadence.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Demanding, fast‑moving, hands‑on environment where employees own real problems from concept through flight. Emphasizes craftsmanship, humility, and doing things right even when difficult.
- **Work model**: Likely on‑site at one of three offices (Flagstaff, Broomfield, Washington D.C.); some roles may offer hybrid flexibility.
- **Benefits**: Competitive compensation plus equity, medical/dental/vision insurance, flexible time off, meaningful ownership from day one.
- **Engineering culture**: Deep focus on spacecraft design, GNC, flight software, and robotics; heavy background from Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, Atomos Space, and Amazon. Active recruiting for senior and principal engineers.

## Sources
1. [katalystspace.com](https://www.katalystspace.com/)
2. [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/katalyst-space)
3. [spaceindex.io](https://spaceindex.io/companies/katalyst-space-technologies)
4. [job-boards.greenhouse.io](http://job-boards.greenhouse.io/katalyst)

## Other roles at Katalyst Space Technologies

- [Robotics Software Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/robotics-software-engineer-katalyst-space-technologies-broomfield-colorado-zjpm1qm2km23) — Broomfield Colorado, United States
- [Flight Software Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/flight-software-engineer-katalyst-space-technologies-broomfield-colorado-nnvtxneh32t1) — Broomfield Colorado, United States
- [Engineering Intern (Electrical / Mechanical / GNC / Software)](https://feeny.ai/job/engineering-intern-electrical-mechanical-gnc-software-katalyst-space-44egmjhc8sy3) — Broomfield Colorado, United States
- [Recent Graduate - Software Engineer I](https://feeny.ai/job/recent-graduate-software-engineer-i-katalyst-space-technologies-broomfield-t9npcsx10gtw) — Broomfield Colorado, United States
- [Recent Graduate - Mechanical Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/recent-graduate-mechanical-engineer-katalyst-space-technologies-broomfield-rbm77zd635nb) — Broomfield Colorado, United States
- [Recent Graduate - Electrical Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/recent-graduate-electrical-engineer-katalyst-space-technologies-broomfield-x00q175v1p1m) — Broomfield Colorado, United States
- [Recent Graduate - Guidance, Navigation, and Control Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/recent-graduate-guidance-navigation-and-control-engineer-katalyst-space-85d0jd58fmkf) — Broomfield Colorado, United States
- [Senior Electrical Engineer, Avionics](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-electrical-engineer-avionics-katalyst-space-technologies-broomfield-t09ycmn5fdsd) — Broomfield Colorado, United States
- [Avionics Technician](https://feeny.ai/job/avionics-technician-katalyst-space-technologies-broomfield-colorado-59a4q26h82vk) — Broomfield Colorado, United States
- [Sr. Mechanical Engineer, Spacecraft Mechanisms](https://feeny.ai/job/sr-mechanical-engineer-spacecraft-mechanisms-katalyst-space-technologies-88fq1dmsc8qd) — Broomfield Colorado, United States