Principal Engineer - Test Systems Software

Principal Engineer - Test Systems Software

The Exploration Company

Bordeaux or Munich

We're looking for a hands-on Principal Engineer to lead the technical direction of our Test Bench Control System software platform. You will combine deep software engineering expertise with architectural ownership and product-level thinking to ensure our platform reliably supports integrated engine hot-fire testing — with an architecture that can extend to broader test and ground operations as the program matures.

You will own the software platform that sits between test engineers and the real-time control layer: enabling operators to author, review, and deploy test sequences and configurable safety parameters onto PLC hardware — while providing the live data visualization, command interfaces, and traceability infrastructure that test campaigns depend on.

Key Responsibilities

In your capacity as a Principal Engineer, Test Systems Software you will:

• Define and evolve the platform architecture spanning test sequence authoring, PLC configuration deployment, real-time data acquisition, and operator interfaces;
• Write production-grade code across the full stack while owning the technical roadmap and driving major architectural decisions;
• Translate test requirements and operational needs into feature specifications, managing scope and delivering incrementally toward operational capability;
• Build high-throughput data pipelines for real-time ingestion, processing, and visualization of high-rate sensor data;
• Design the full lifecycle for both operational sequences and configurable safety parameters;
• Define data acquisition standards including device configuration management and calibration traceability;
• Architect for high reliability, observability, and operational robustness in environments where software faults carry significant hardware and safety consequences;
• Collaborate with Test Bench Engineers, Propulsion, and Systems Engineering to align software capabilities with campaign requirements;
• Lead a multidisciplinary team of five — setting engineering standards, guiding code reviews and design reviews, and balancing development velocity with the rigorous quality bar required for safety-critical infrastructure.

What we would love to see from you

The ideal candidate will have:

• 5+ years of professional software engineering experience with demonstrated architectural ownership and technical leadership;
• Strong backend expertise (e.g., Python, C#, or similar) with experience in real-time or near-real-time data processing pipelines;
• Experience with modern frontend technologies (TypeScript, Vue/React, WebSockets) for operator interfaces and live data dashboards;
• Experience with containerization and orchestration (Docker, Kubernetes) for deploying and operating distributed service architectures;
• Deep understanding of distributed systems, API design, and inter-process communication in low-latency environments;
• Experience designing software systems that integrate with PLCs or similar real-time controllers — understanding the boundaries between deterministic control and higher-level application logic;
• Familiarity with test bench infrastructure — instrumentation systems, sensor networks, command/response workflows, and procedural automation;
• Strong grasp of safety-critical software design: deterministic execution, fail-safe defaults, configuration validation, and safe deployment practices in systems where errors carry hardware consequences;
• Product ownership mindset with strong analytical thinking, technical judgment, and attention to detail;
• Motivation to thrive in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment with high accountability for system readiness.

Bonus qualifications:

• Experience in aerospace, defense, or other safety-critical domains — particularly propulsion test operations or environmental test systems;
• Familiarity with Beckhoff TwinCAT or IEC 61131-3 programming;
• Knowledge of data acquisition hardware and software ecosystems (e.g., Beckhoff, Siemens, Measurement Computing);
• Experience with hardware interface protocols and device communication (e.g., serial, CAN, Ethernet-based industrial protocols).