Software Engineer - Mission Dev

About Nominal

Nominal is a venture-backed company with offices in Los Angeles, Austin, and New York City. We’re focused on building software and data solutions for organizations that test and validate complex systems—think drones, rocket engines, satellites, and nuclear reactors. Supported by leading investors like General Catalyst, Founders Fund, Lux Capital, and more, we’re gaining strong traction in the commercial and government aerospace and defense industrial base, including working directly with the Department of Defense.

Our team includes engineers and operators from SpaceX, Palantir, Anduril, Lockheed Martin, and NASA, all working toward a common goal: making it faster and easier for hardware engineers to push the boundaries of advanced technology safely and efficiently. Our platform helps engineering teams accelerate test data review and analysis, scaling testing campaigns to save time and cut costs.

This role is ideal for software engineers passionate about making an impact by developing mission-critical solutions deployed directly to customer sites. The Mission Dev role balances technical skill, problem-solving, and end-user engagement to deliver robust solutions for complex, data-intensive systems. You’ll work closely with customers, iterate on solutions in real-time, and have the opportunity to impact vital systems and technologies across the aerospace and defense sectors.

🚀 About the role

• Build, deploy, and scale solutions directly at customer sites, addressing high-priority operational needs with fast-paced, iterative development.
• Collaborate with blended growth and engineering teams to implement, test, and refine solutions in real-world environments, including challenging field conditions.
• Establish metrics, logging, and monitoring tools to enhance the reliability and transparency of our software at scale.
• Partner with end-users, transforming their feedback into impactful features that balance user needs with engineering constraints.
• Travel to customer sites (e.g., rocket test stands, and aircraft testing facilities) as needed to support mission-critical deployments.

🙌 We’d love to hear from you if you have

• 1+ years of relevant, post-college work experience.
• Strong engineering background, preferred in fields such as Computer Science, Mathematics, Software Engineering, and Physics.
• Strong coder with shown proficiency in programming languages such as Python, Java, Rust, TypeScript/JavaScript, or similar.
• Ability and interest to travel up to 25%, as needed to work on-site with clients, applying technical solutions to real-world, high-impact challenges.

⚡ Skills that accelerate us

• Solution-oriented: Experience collaborating with customers to solve complex problems in dynamic, evolving environments.
• Technical versatility: Background in data processing, analysis, and big data technologies, with experience navigating intricate codebases.
• Adaptability: Previous experience in startup or entrepreneurial environments, where agility, problem-solving, and end-to-end ownership are essential.
• Data-centric mindset: Familiarity with technologies like Apache Arrow, Flink, Kafka, or Arrow Flight; experience with cloud-based and on-premise deployments a plus.

✨ Benefits/Perks

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance with 100% of premiums covered
• Unlimited PTO /sick leave
• Free lunch, snacks, and coffee
• Learning stipend
• Quarterly company retreats

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.