Ground Segment Software Engineer in Berlin

Ground Segment Software Engineer – Space Systems

Berlin, Germany | Full-time (40 hours/week)

NewSpace Technical are partnered with an innovative and fast-growing company operating within the space technology sector, developing advanced technologies and systems for space applications.

The company is looking for an experienced Ground Segment Software Engineer with 5+ years of experience to take technical ownership of the architecture and development of a key ground segment software system supporting a spacecraft programme.

Working alongside a multidisciplinary engineering team and international project partners, you will be responsible for designing and developing software that supports spacecraft and payload operations, mission planning, telemetry monitoring, data processing and mission data management.

You will play a key role in defining the software architecture, establishing interfaces with other ground segment systems and ensuring seamless integration across the wider mission infrastructure.

This role offers ownership across the full software lifecycle, from architecture and detailed design through implementation, integration, testing and operational readiness.

You will work closely with software, systems, payload and operations teams, taking responsibility for delivering a reliable and scalable ground segment solution within an ambitious development programme.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and maintain the ground segment software architecture, including interfaces with other mission systems.
• Develop and maintain software requirements in collaboration with payload, systems engineering and operations teams.
• Design and develop mission and payload planning tools, translating operational objectives and coverage requirements into actionable commands while considering system constraints and priorities.
• Design and implement data processing pipelines, including time correlation and the association of spacecraft state information (position, attitude and timing) with mission data.
• Generate and validate SPICE kernels and deliver processed data products to downstream systems.
• Develop spacecraft and payload health and status monitoring capabilities, including telemetry ingestion, limit checking, trending and alerting.
• Design and maintain data archiving systems covering raw, intermediate and processed mission data.
• Define and document system interfaces through Interface Control Documents (ICDs), software design documentation and test plans.
• Support ground segment integration, end-to-end testing and validation activities.
• Prepare technical documentation and contribute to major project reviews, including PDR, CDR and TRR.
• Take full ownership of the ground segment software system, from initial architecture and development through to operational readiness.

Required Experience & Qualifications

• Degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering or a related technical discipline.
• 5+ years of experience developing software for space mission ground segments, spacecraft operations or satellite systems.
• Experience architecting and delivering complex software systems involving multiple interfaces and integrations.
• Strong programming skills in Python and/or C++ within a Linux environment.
• Experience with mission planning, telemetry processing, spacecraft operations or ground segment software.
• Working knowledge of spacecraft navigation and timing concepts, including reference frames, time systems, ephemerides and attitude.
• Experience with data management, including databases and large-scale data storage and archiving.
• Familiarity with software engineering best practices, including version control, CI/CD and automated testing.
• Strong technical documentation and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively alongside international engineering teams and external partners.
• Fluency in English (C1 or higher).
• Ability and willingness to relocate to Berlin, Germany. Existing EU residency is advantageous.
• Hands-on experience with NASA NAIF SPICE, including kernel generation and tools such as SpiceyPy or C/CSPICE.
• Experience with LiDAR, photogrammetry, image processing or other point-cloud data processing.
• Knowledge of CCSDS and ECSS standards, particularly ECSS-E-ST-70 (ground systems and operations) and ECSS-E-ST-40 (software).
• Experience developing or working with mission control and payload operations software, such as SCOS-2000, OpenMCT or YAMCS.
• Experience with containerisation and cloud or on-premise deployment technologies, including Docker and Kubernetes.
• Previous experience working within a startup or New Space environment.