Nominal builds software that lets hardware teams test, iterate, and deploy as fast as software teams.
The Role
The Software Engineer on Mission Dev will build custom applications, design data pipelines, and collaborate closely with clients to solve complex challenges. Responsibilities include direct customer engagement and contributing to team growth.
Summary Generated by Built In
About Nominal
Nominal is building the connected test and operations platform powering the world's most advanced hardware systems, from spacecraft and autonomous vehicles to next-generation defense programs. Our platform gives hardware engineering teams a single place to ingest data, analyze performance, automate test execution, and collaborate across every phase of development, so they can move faster without sacrificing safety or precision. We're a fast-moving team that owns problems end-to-end, works across disciplines, and thrives at the intersection of hardware and software.
We serve top-tier commercial and defense customers, from autonomy leaders like Anduril and Shield AI to next-generation aerospace teams like Hermeus and REGENT, and performance engineering teams like Pratt Miller Motorsports, alongside mission partners within the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force on programs where failure isn’t an option. We’re backed by Sequoia, General Catalyst, Founders Fund, Lux Capital, and Lightspeed. Our team draws from SpaceX, Palantir, Anduril, Applied Intuition, and other leading companies, united by a common mission: giving hardware engineers the tools to build the future with speed, safety, and confidence.
The Mission Dev Team
The Mission Dev team operates at the intersection of cutting-edge software engineering and critical customer missions. As a Software Engineer on Mission Dev, you won’t just support customers — you’ll embed with them to solve their hardest data challenges head-on.
Think like a startup cofounder or an early-stage CTO: you’ll dive into ambiguous problem spaces, own solutions end-to-end, and iterate rapidly to deliver impactful results. This role demands grit, strong engineering foundations, creativity, and the ability to thrive in dynamic environments where you’ll be responsible for everything from understanding core user needs to writing code for data integrations and custom applications.
You’ll be a pivotal force within Nominal’s Mission organisation, directly applying your technical expertise to ensure our customers succeed with the platform and achieve their mission objectives. If you’re a builder who loves solving complex problems, seeing your code directly shape mission outcomes, and forging paths in new territory, this is where you’ll excel.
🫡 About the role
- Build and deploy custom applications, scripts, and extensions to meet specific customer requirements and unlock new capabilities — with a bias towards action and rapid prototyping.
- Design and implement resilient data pipelines and integration workflows to connect diverse customer systems with Nominal’s offerings, often in complex or novel environments.
- Work closely with our Sales and Mission Ops teams to ensure seamless customer handoffs, provide deep technical expertise during pre-sales conversations, and scope customer engagements effectively.
- Gather customer feedback and insights from the field to inform product development, influence Nominal’s roadmap, and improve our offerings.
- Contribute to team growth by sourcing, interviewing, and onboarding new engineers.
🎯 What we’re looking for
- Experience designing, building, and shipping software in fast-changing or ambiguous environments.
- Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills with a proactive, “get things done” mindset.
- A customer-centric approach and genuine passion for solving real-world problems with technology.
- Excitement to be an early, foundational member of the team building software tools for exceptional hardware engineering teams.
- Ability and willingness to travel up to 25–50% to spend time with end users on-site (e.g., rocket test stands, spacecraft clean rooms, automated manufacturing facilities).
⚡ Skills that supercharge us
- Solution-oriented: Experience collaborating directly with customers to solve complex, technical challenges.
- Adaptability: Previous experience in startup or entrepreneurial environments where agility, problem-solving, and ownership are key.
- [Bonus] Security clearance: Active or eligible to obtain UK SC/DV clearance (or equivalent).
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.
ITAR Requirements
To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.
Skills Required
- Experience designing, building, and shipping software in fast-changing or ambiguous environments
- Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills
- Customer-centric approach and passion for technology
- Willingness to travel up to 25-50%
- Active or eligible for UK SC/DV clearance (bonus)
Nominal Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Nominal and has not been reviewed or approved by Nominal.
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Healthcare Strength — 100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision coverage is repeatedly described as covering both employees and dependents, indicating unusually strong healthcare provisioning. Additional mentions of “Platinum” coverage reinforce the sense of a high-tier plan offering.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Unlimited PTO and paid holidays/sick time are presented as part of the core package, suggesting broad time-off benefits on paper. Parental leave is also framed as fully paid in several places, reinforcing overall leave breadth.
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Wellbeing & Lifestyle Benefits — Wellness stipends, daily gourmet lunch (and sometimes dinner), and periodic retreats are consistently highlighted as meaningful lifestyle perks. Learning/development and other small stipends further round out a perks-heavy total rewards posture.
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The Company
What We Do
Nominal builds the essential software stack that enables hardware teams to test and iterate as rapidly as software teams. Nominal empowers engineers to continuously monitor, validate, and deploy innovations, transforming how mission-critical hardware is built and operated.
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