Software Engineer, Mission Dev - Federal

About The Role

Mission Dev is one of the most unique roles at Nominal. You'll write production-grade code, embed with federal customers on-site, and own the bridge between what our platform offers today and what a government program needs to succeed. That might mean deploying Nominal onto a classified network for a Navy flight test squadron, building a custom telemetry pipeline for a DoD autonomy program, or standing up integrations at a NASA test facility, then watching an engineer use what you shipped yesterday and iterating on the spot. You'll work inside the constraints that come with federal environments: accreditation processes, air-gapped networks, strict cybersecurity requirements, and government acquisition timelines. The role requires someone who can deliver high-quality software without losing velocity in these environments.

What We’re Looking For

• 5+ years of experience in software engineering, forward-deployed engineering, or a technical role that combined building with customer-facing work.
• Experience working with or inside U.S. federal agencies, particularly DoD, and with deploying software on U.S. government networks.
• Track record of shipping production software in dynamic or ambiguous environments.
• Strong systems thinking — you can understand complex technical ecosystems end-to-end.
• Clear communicator, comfortable writing technical documentation and presenting to executive stakeholders.
• Willingness to travel up to 50%.
• Curiosity about hardware systems and willingness to learn the physical domains our customers operate in.

Why Nominal

• Mission-critical impact with top-tier federal and commercial customers
• Backed by world-class investors
• Work alongside elite engineers from SpaceX, Palantir, Anduril, and more
• Build and deploy real systems powering rockets, aircraft, autonomous systems, and national security infrastructure

Benefits/Perks

• 100% coverage of medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Unlimited PTO and sick leave
• Free lunch, snacks, and coffee
• 🚀 Professional Development Stipend
• 🛠️ In-office hardware lab with a $250 project stipend
• ✈️ Annual company retreat

Career Opportunities

• Learn more about the ITAR here.

Compensation

The base pay range for this role is $150,000 – $215,000 per year.