Software Engineer (Lunar Communications & Teleoperation)

Software Engineer (Lunar Communications & Teleoperation)
Location: Hawthorne, California, United States
Employment Type: Full-Time | On-Site
Package: $100,000 – $175,000 Base + Equity + Benefits + Flexible PTO

Are you ready to build the software that will connect Earth to robotic systems operating on the Moon? Join a fast-paced space robotics company developing a full-stack ISRU platform that will gather icy regolith from the Lunar South Pole and fuel humanity’s next steps beyond Earth. You’ll play a direct role in enabling the first lunar refuelling infrastructure ever built.

In this role, you’ll own the end-to-end communications chain linking ground station consoles to lunar rovers, ensuring reliable telemetry and command flow across extreme distances and through a commercial lander relay. You’ll also build the teleoperation system that allows human operators to drive rovers with ~3-second latency-supporting rescue operations when autonomy reaches its limits. You’ll guide your system from concept through integration, testing, and real lunar surface operations.

This position suits a software engineer with strong Python and C/C++, experience in networked and video-based systems, and the ambition to deliver mission-critical software that supports humans becoming a multi-planet species.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the software chain from ground station consoles through the lander relay to lunar rovers.
• Build teleoperation interfaces that operate reliably with high-latency video streams.
• Develop robust, maintainable communications software supporting mission-critical operations.
• Collaborate closely with autonomy and avionics teams to ensure smooth mode transitions and hardware/software alignment.
• Implement systems for video capture, encoding, and streaming during remote operations.
• Contribute to architecture discussions, code reviews, simulation environments, and test campaigns.
• Support deployed systems during testing and mission ops.

Essential Skills and Experience

• Strong experience in Python and C/C++.
• Background in network software, long-range wireless systems, and real-time or near-real-time data transport.
• Experience working with video encoding/streaming pipelines.
• Degree in Computer Science or equivalent professional experience.
• Proven ownership of software systems from design through test and deployment.
• Excellent communication and problem-solving abilities.
• A desire to work hands-on with robotic hardware and build software for extreme environments.
• Must meet EAR requirements (U.S. Citizen, Permanent Resident, Refugee, or Asylee).

If you’re ready to build the communications systems that will command robots on the Moon, apply now or send your resume to jake.payne@newspacetechnical.com