Software Safety & Mission Assurance Specialist

At Kepler Communications, we're not just imagining the future of on-demand space connectivity - we're leading it!

Our mission is to provide real-time on-orbit connectivity for critical missions, enabling a new era of data-driven intelligence and innovation. With 33 satellites launched to date, Kepler operates the first commercial optical data relay constellation, enabling real-time, continuous space communications while supporting advanced on-orbit compute and hosted payload capabilities.

Industry-leading technology is only part of the story. What sets Kepler apart is our team: bold thinkers, skilled builders, and passionate problem-solvers who thrive on pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in space. We believe great ideas come from diverse perspectives, and we’re committed to creating an environment where you can grow, lead, and make a global impact. If you’re ready to reach higher, move faster, and do work that shapes the future space economy - this is your launchpad. Come build the future with Kepler! What We Offer: * Competitive compensation with a robust equity plan to share in our success. * Comprehensive coverage for health, dental, and vision insurance - including dependents. * Unlimited vacation, supportive parental leave policy, and company-wide holiday shutdown. * Semi-annual company-wide parties and frequent in-office team events. * Relocation packages available for approved roles. * $1,500 annual professional development fund to support your growth. * Fully stocked Toronto office kitchen with snacks, drinks, games and top-notch kitchen appliances. * Town Halls, Celebration Calls, and Company-wide events to stay connected and engaged. * We’re a certified Great Place to Work®, five years in a row!

The Software Safety & Mission Assurance Specialist serves as the independent Software Assurance authority for one or more satellite programs, providing objective oversight of software products, development processes, suppliers, and verification activities throughout the program lifecycle.

This position integrates the disciplines traditionally associated with Software Product Assurance (SPA) and Software Quality Assurance (SQA) into a single engineering function responsible for ensuring software is developed, verified, and released in accordance with mission assurance objectives, customer requirements, and applicable industry standards.

Working independently from Software Engineering while partnering closely with Systems Engineering, Software Engineering, Cybersecurity, Product Assurance, Operations, and Program Management, the Software Safety & Mission Assurance Specialist provides independent technical assessment of software risk, verifies compliance with established processes and standards, and supports informed program decisions regarding software readiness for flight.

Key Responsibilities:

Software Product Assurance

• Develop, implement, and maintain the Software Product Assurance strategy throughout the software lifecycle

• Evaluate software requirements, design, implementation, verification, validation, and operational readiness for compliance with program and mission assurance requirements. Review architecture of the software

• Assess software safety, criticality reliability, security, maintainability, and configuration integrity using a risk-based approach

• Evaluate software contributions to system hazards and support software safety analyses including Software Hazard Analysis, STPA, FTA, and software criticality assessments

• Assess residual software risk and provide independent recommendations regarding software acceptance operational use

Software Quality Assurance

• Verify compliance with approved software development processes, quality management systems, customer requirements, and applicable industry standards

• Conduct independent process and product audits throughout the software lifecycle

• Verify implementation of peer reviews, configuration management, coding standards, testing, release controls, and defect management processes

• Monitor software quality metrics and trends to identify emerging risks and opportunities for continuous improvement

• Support corrective and preventive actions (CAPA), root cause investigations, and organizational process improvement initiatives

Verification, Validation & Test Oversight

• Assess software verification and validation strategies for completeness, independence, appropriate rigor, and traceability

• Review verification plans, procedures, coverage analyses, and test evidence

• Witness formal verification activities when required

• Verify that software anomalies are appropriately dispositioned prior to release

• Support Independent Verification & Validation (IV&V) activities as applicable

Configuration & Change Assurance

• Participate as an independent member of Software Change Control Boards (CCBs)

• Evaluate the mission assurance impact of proposed software changes

• Verify configuration baseline integrity prior to formal software releases

• Assess software release readiness and configuration status accounting

Supplier Assurance

• Evaluate supplier software development processes and assurance activities

• Participate in supplier audits, technical reviews, and product evaluations

• Assess supplier compliance with contractual, regulatory, and mission assurance requirements

• Monitor supplier corrective actions and associated risk mitigation activities

Mission & Operational Assurance

• Support software acceptance, deployment, commissioning, and operational readiness

• Participate in anomaly investigations affecting flight or ground software

• Assess operational software trends, recurring defects, and mission impacts

• Support mission readiness reviews and post-flight lessons learned activities

Required Skills and Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Aerospace Engineering, or related technical discipline

• 7+ years of experience supporting software development within aerospace, defense, automotive, medical, or other safety-critical industries

• Experience with software development lifecycle processes and software verification and validation

• Experience performing software process audits, quality assessments, or assurance activities

• Working knowledge of software configuration management and change control

• Experience operating within regulated engineering environments

Bonus Points:

Experience supporting spacecraft, launch vehicle, satellite, or other spaceflight programsKnowledge of:

• ECSS-Q-ST-80

• ECSS-E-ST-40

• ECSS-Q-ST-20

• NPR 7150.2

• NASA-STD-8739.8

• NASA-STD-8719.13

Experience with:

• AS9100 or ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems

• Software Hazard Analysis

• STPA

• Fault Tree Analysis (FTA)

• Software criticality analysis

• Software FMEA

• Agile software development in safety-critical environments

• DOORS, Jama, Polarion, Jira, Confluence, Git, GitLab, Bitbucket, Azure DevOps

• SonarQube, Coverity, or equivalent static analysis tools

Salary Range: $80,781 - 130,781 CAD

Actual total compensation will be determined at the Company’s discretion and is based on a variety of job-related factors, which may include, but are not limited to, relevant knowledge, skills, experience, performance, and education and/or training. The Company encourages all qualified applicants to apply, even if the posted salary range does not align with their expectations, as it does not reflect our total compensation package.
Job Type: This is for a current vacancy

Employment Equity & Accommodation Statement Kepler Communications is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. We welcome applications from all qualified individuals, including women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible minorities, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities. If you require accommodation during any stage of the recruitment process, please contact our People & Culture team at accommodation@kepler.space, and we will work with you to meet your needs.