Ground Software Engineer (Senior)

AST SpaceMobile and our global partners are building the first and only space-based cellular broadband network to be accessible by standard smartphones. Called SpaceMobile, this ultra-powerful network is being designed to provide connectivity at 4G/5G speeds everywhere on the planet – on land, at sea and in flight.

Position Overview

We are seeking a Senior Ground Software Engineer with deep full‑stack development experience to help design, build, and maintain software and infrastructure that supports mission‑critical ground systems and operations. This role plays a key part in developing reliable, scalable systems used for monitoring, communication, and control of space‑based assets.

The ideal candidate is a strong individual contributor and technical leader who thrives in complex, highly regulated environments, takes ownership of system design decisions, and proactively drives improvements through automation and best practices. This is a hybrid, U.S.-based role with occasional travel.

Key Responsibilities

Design, develop, and maintain full‑stack software applications supporting ground and mission operations

Architect and support networked systems used for secure communication between distributed systems

Debug, troubleshoot, and resolve issues across application, infrastructure, and networking layers

Collaborate with cross‑functional engineering teams to identify gaps and improve operational workflows through automation

Contribute to system architecture decisions and lead development efforts for new tools and platforms

Serve as a technical leader within the ground software team while remaining hands‑on as an individual contributor

Provide technical guidance, code reviews, and uphold industry best practices across software and DevOps processes

Qualifications

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience.

Experience

A minimum of 8–10 years of professional experience in software engineering or application development.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience building systems within regulated or compliance‑driven environments

Advanced experience implementing DevOps practices in complex production environments

Experience developing platform‑agnostic applications (web and mobile)

Strong front‑end design and development expertise

Familiarity with modern UI/UX design and prototyping tools

Experience with scripting and automation across multiple operating systems

Exposure to formal security or compliance frameworks commonly used in enterprise or government‑adjacent settings

Soft Skills

Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to collaborate effectively across distributed teams

Proven ability to lead initiatives while remaining a hands‑on technical contributor

Excellent written and verbal communication skills

High level of ownership, initiative, and self‑direction

Meticulous attention to detail to ensure reliability and accuracy in mission‑critical systems

Technology Stack

Programming languages such as Python, Java, C/C++, Go, or similar

Full‑stack and API frameworks (e.g., Node‑based or Python‑based frameworks)

Front‑end frameworks such as React, Angular, or Vue

Cloud environments (primarily AWS)

Containerization and orchestration tools (e.g., Docker)

Relational and non‑relational databases

Version control and CI/CD tooling

Centralized logging and monitoring platforms

Linux and Windows operating systems

Physical Requirements

Ability to work in a standard hybrid office environment

Prolonged periods of computer use for software design, development, and troubleshooting

Ability to participate in virtual meetings across time zones

Occasional travel as required

This job description may not be inclusive to the duties and responsibilities listed. Additional tasks may be assigned to the employee from time to time or the scope of the job may change as needed by business demands .

AST SpaceMobile is an Equal Opportunity, at will Employer; employment is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.