Director of Software Engineering

Overview

Orbital Sidekick (OSK) is revolutionizing how the world understands and interacts with our planet. We are the leading hyperspectral satellite data and analytics company building the most advanced space-based infrastructure and proprietary "Spectral Intelligence™" platform. Our constellation of Global Hyperspectral Observation Satellites (GHOSt™) delivers persistent monitoring capabilities, capturing 500 bands of light to reveal the chemical fingerprints of targets on Earth. We provide actionable insights to critical sectors including Energy, Mining, Agriculture & Forestry, Environmental & Emergency Monitoring, and Defense & Security, helping our clients optimize sustainable operations, mitigate risk, and enhance situational awareness globally.

OSK is seeking a Director of Software Engineering to lead our core engineering teams responsible for SIGMA (our scalable customer-facing platform) and the Data Pipeline (our science and data processing engine). You will drive engineering excellence across both domains, balancing strategic leadership with hands-on execution. This role is intentionally structured as a hybrid :

75% individual contributor — Directly designing, building, and maintaining OSK’s core platforms.

25% leadership — Guiding a small but impactful engineering team to deliver high-quality outcomes.

The leader will be expected to move quickly and take calculated risks to deliver customer value, while maintaining a long-term view on scalability. You will also own OSK’s Jira and Scrum processes, ensuring engineering rigor, operational transparency, and consistent, reliable delivery.

This is a hands-on technical leadership role for someone passionate about geospatial platforms, data pipelines, and scalable, production-grade systems.

What You’ll Do (Technical Execution, 75%)

• Design, develop, and maintain core systems across SIGMA (platform, APIs, customer delivery) and the Data Pipeline (imagery processing, derived analytics).
• Write production-quality code, with a strong focus on Python for pipeline and platform development.
• Support a team to deliver advanced geospatial products that are robust, scalable, and secure with a focus on data flows, APIs, infrastructure, and observability.
• Own and operate OSK’s Jira Agile / Scrum process including backlog management, sprint planning, reporting, and delivery cadence.
• Ensure excellence in system reliability, security, scalability, and maintainability.
• Contribute directly to codebases, technical documentation, and architectural decisions.

What You’ll Do (Leadership & Collaboration, 25%)

What You’ll Bring

Bonus Points If You Have

What We Offer

$175,000 - $200,000 a year

Compensation includes a competitive equity package. Final pay will depend on candidate's skills, geographic location, qualifications, and experience as defined during the interview process.

Location : San Francisco, CA (Hybrid model with a strong emphasis on collaboration in the office).

ITAR Requirements : U.S. Government space technologies export / ITAR regulations apply here, applicant must be a U.S. Citizen or a lawful permanent resident of the U.S., or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Orbital Sidekick is committed to building a community where everyone belongs and we invite people from all backgrounds to apply. We are an equal opportunity employer committed to providing employment opportunities regardless of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, age, military or veteran status, or any other protected classification, in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.

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