Application Security Engineer - Ground Software

As an Application Security Engineer at Firefly Aerospace, you will safeguard the mission-critical software systems that enable our spacecraft operations from the ground. You will bring full-stack engineering expertise together with deep knowledge of security practices to ensure our ground software and space assets remain resilient against threats.

In this role, you will design, implement, and enforce security policies, conduct vulnerability assessments, and integrate secure development practices across the ground software stack-including web applications, backend services, databases, and cloud infrastructure. You will collaborate closely with engineering, IT, and operations teams to embed security controls into every phase of the software lifecycle, ensuring Firefly missions remain safe and secure from pre-launch to lunar landing.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Design, implement, and maintain security controls for spacecraft ground software systems, spanning front-end, back-end, databases, and cloud services.
• Perform software scanning, code reviews, and vulnerability assessments using industry-standard tools and processes.
• Define and enforce secure coding practices across development teams.
• Integrate static and dynamic application security testing (SAST/DAST) into CI/CD pipelines.
• Collaborate with developers to remediate vulnerabilities and design secure architectures.
• Translate and implement government and national software security standards (e.g., NIST, DoD STIGs).
• Architect and maintain identity and access management (IAM), role-based access controls, and secure API authentication.
• Work with DevOps to deploy hardened software in containerized and cloud environments (Docker, Kubernetes, AWS).
• Support audits, security reviews, and Authority to Operate (ATO) processes for classified and mission-critical systems.

• BS in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Cybersecurity, or related technical field.
• 5+ years of experience in software engineering with a focus on application security.
• Proficiency in modern programming frameworks (React, Node.js, Python).
• Hands-on experience with vulnerability scanning and application security testing tools (e.g., SonarQube, Snyk, Fortify, Veracode, OWASP ZAP).
• Strong understanding of secure coding practices (OWASP Top 10, CWE Top 25).
• Knowledge of government and national security standards (e.g., NIST 800-53, DoD STIGs, FIPS 140-3).
• Experience with container and cloud security (Docker, Kubernetes, AWS IAM, Secrets Management).
• Familiarity with CI/CD security integration
• Strong understanding of authentication and authorization, with the ability to apply encryption correctly (vetted libraries, TLS, secrets handling).
• Experience working in high-reliability, safety-critical, or regulated environments.

Desired:

• Advanced degree or equivalent hands-on experience in a related technical field.
• Experience deploying software to classified or government systems.
• Prior involvement in achieving or maintaining an Authority to Operate (ATO).
• Background in mission-critical or aerospace ground systems.
• Hands-on experience supporting incident response from the remediation side with root-cause analysis, coordinating fixes, and hardening.
• Active security clearance (Secret or higher) or eligibility to obtain one.
• Security certifications such as CISSP, CSSLP, CEH, or GIAC.

Firefly Aerospace is a space and defense technology company that enables our world to launch, land, and operate in space - anywhere, anytime. As the partner of choice for critical space missions, Firefly is the only commercial company to launch a satellite to orbit with 24-hour notice and the only company to achieve a successful Moon landing. Our launch vehicles, lunar landers, and orbital vehicles provide government and commercial customers with full mission services from low Earth orbit to the Moon and beyond. Headquartered in north Austin, Texas, Firefly is looking for passionate, hardworking innovators to join our team and help fuel our successful trajectory into space.