Software is the central nervous system for True Anomaly's engineering and product thesis. Software bridges the gap between military objectives, theoretical astrodynamics and the human and autonomous control of spacecraft and ground systems in time and space. True Anomaly is seeking a dedicated Senior Full Stack Software Engineer to drive feature development and architectural decisions across our React/TypeScript frontend and Elixir backend, shaping the evolution of our spacecraft modeling, simulation, and ground control software.
This is a high-autonomy, high-accountability role. You'll own entire feature domains from conception to production across the full stack, drive architectural decisions that affect both the frontend experience and backend infrastructure, and set the standard for code quality that junior and mid-level engineers will follow. You won't wait to be assigned work; you'll identify what needs to be done, propose solutions, and drive them to completion. When you see tech debt on either side of the stack, you'll flag it, scope it, and champion the work to address it. When patterns aren't serving us, you'll propose better ones and lead their adoption.
You do not need to have experience building space ground systems or experience in aerospace. You'll have ownership of challenging, greenfield problems and a chance to fundamentally impact the outcome of future conflict (and the future of the company), all while enjoying world-class benefits including platinum healthcare, flexible work hours/location, highly competitive compensation and a generous stock options package.
RESPONSIBILITIES- Own and deliver complex features end-to-end across the full stack, from 2D and 3D web-based frontend interfaces through distributed Elixir backend services, from technical design through production deployment and iteration
- Drive architectural direction across frontend and backend systems, establishing patterns and conventions that scale across the team and codebase, with particular attention to the boundaries and contracts between layers
- Proactively identify and address technical debt, performance bottlenecks, and reliability risks across the stack
- Set the quality bar through rigorous code review, championing testing practices in both React and Elixir, and writing code that serves as a reference implementation for the team
- Mentor and elevate junior and mid-level engineers through pairing, design discussions, and constructive code review that teaches, not just approves, helping engineers grow their skills on whichever side of the stack they're less experienced in
- Collaborate as a technical partner with product, design, QA, space operators, and astrodynamics algorithm engineers, contributing to system-wide architectural decisions with a perspective that spans the full stack
- Ship efficiently and iteratively, breaking complex cross-stack work into well-scoped increments while maintaining a bias toward completion over perfection
- Document decisions and patterns, ensuring the team's collective knowledge grows and onboarding becomes easier over time
WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE IN THIS ROLE - You see a PR from a junior engineer that implements a feature on the frontend but introduces an inefficient API call pattern; you don't just fix the frontend; you suggest a backend change that solves the problem at its root and explain the tradeoffs
- You notice the same data transformation happening in both the Elixir backend and the React frontend; you determine the right layer for it, consolidate, and document the decision for the team
- You're assigned a feature and the requirements are ambiguous; you proactively clarify with product and design, propose a technical approach that accounts for both frontend UX and backend system design, and share it with the team before diving into implementation
- You see downtime as an opportunity, not a break; you're the kind of engineer who notices a flaky integration between the frontend and a WebSocket endpoint and decides to finally fix both sides
- You disagree with an architectural decision; you articulate your concerns constructively, propose alternatives with tradeoffs, and commit fully once a decision is made
- You're thinking beyond your current ticket; you understand how frontend features depend on backend services and vice versa, and you surface risks, coupling issues, or opportunities early
QUALIFICATIONS - 7+ years of software development experience with meaningful depth across both frontend and backend development
- Expert-level command of HTML/CSS and modern TypeScript/JavaScript, including nuanced understanding of performance implications and browser internals
- Deep expertise in modern React, including advanced patterns (compound components, render props, custom hooks architecture), state management strategies, and performance optimization techniques
- Strong proficiency in Elixir and OTP, including deep understanding of BEAM internals, process architecture, supervision strategies, and fault-tolerant system design
- Strong testing philosophy and hands-on experience across the stack, including Vitest, React Testing Library, and end-to-end testing on the frontend; ExUnit, property-based testing, and integration testing for distributed systems on the backend; you understand what to test, not just how
- Proven experience designing and evolving component libraries, design systems, service architectures, and API boundaries Fluency with gRPC, RESTful, and WebSocket-based services, including designing APIs that serve both frontend and backend needs effectively
- Strong database experience with PostgreSQL, including schema design, query optimization, and understanding of data modeling tradeoffs
- Track record of working in Git-based workflows with high standards for commit hygiene, PR quality, and collaborative review processes
- U.S. Citizen and eligible for DoD Secret or TS/SCI clearance
PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE - Bachelor's degree in computer science or similar discipline
- Experience as a technical lead or primary implementor on a product with real users and production constraints, with responsibility spanning both frontend and backend
- Experience building and shipping complex, data-dense applications with demanding performance requirements (large datasets, real-time updates, complex visualizations) across the full stack
- Deep experience with Three.js, React Three Fiber, or other web-based 3D libraries, including performance profiling and optimization
- Deep understanding of OTP including BEAM scheduling, GenServers, run queues, pg, the Actor model, and advanced patterns like dynamic supervisors, registries, and distributed process groups
- Experience with monitoring, observability, and distributed tracing in production systems (e.g., OpenTelemetry, Prometheus, Grafana)
- Experience in UI/UX design collaboration and tools like Figma, able to speak the language of design and advocate for engineering constraints
- Strong collaboration and communication skills that let you thrive in a culture that values respectful, professional, and constructive conflict
COMPENSATION- Base Salary: $180,000 - $265,000
- Equity + Benefits including Health, Dental, Vision, HRA/HSA options, PTO and paid holidays, 401K, Parental Leave
Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, location, and experience.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS- Work Location-This is an onsite role, we are seeking candidates based near Denver, CO or Long Beach, CA.
- Work environment-the work environment; temperature, noise level, inside or outside, or other factors that will affect the person's working conditions while performing the job.
- Physical demands-the physical demands of the job, including bending, sitting, lifting and driving.
This position will be open until it is successfully filled. To submit your application, please follow the directions below.
#LI-Onsite
To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.
