Colorado hosts one of the largest concentrations of aerospace employers in the country, spanning defense programs in Colorado Springs, spacecraft manufacturing along the Front Range corridor, and propulsion testing in Berthoud. Over 2,300 positions are open across defense installations, prime contractors, and commercial space ventures.
The state offers technical and operational positions at every career stage. Teams are recruiting for early-career flight software roles, mid-level mechanical design, operations engineering, and executive engineering leadership across multiple Colorado cities.
Where Colorado Space Work Happens
Colorado space activity clusters around two primary geographic corridors: the Denver-Boulder metro area and the Colorado Springs region.
Colorado Springs and Defense Space
Colorado Springs serves as the operational center for military space operations and orbital defense. Peterson Air Force Base and Buckley Air Force Base run active infrastructure support and civilian operational teams, hiring roles such as Cost Analyst through the United States Space Force.
Defense technology contractors and federally funded research and development centers maintain heavy technical footprints in Colorado Springs. The Aerospace Corporation hires senior leadership such as the Systems Director - Joint Warfighting Operations and technical specialists like the Human Spaceflight Engineer. Defense companies building tactical space systems also base engineering operations here: Anduril Industries is recruiting for a Chief Software Engineer, Space Ground Systems, Boeing Millennium Space Systems employs on-console talent including the Mission Operations Engineer, Colorado Springs - Millennium Space Systems, and True Anomaly is hiring a temporary Lead Operations Engineer.
The Front Range: Denver, Boulder, Louisville, and Golden
North of Colorado Springs, the Front Range focuses on commercial satellite development, space hardware, and propulsion testing. Sierra Space develops space vehicles and environmental systems out of Louisville, hiring mid-career hardware talent such as the P26817 Mechanical Engineer II.
In Littleton, Rocket Lab manages business and operations roles including the Business Development Engineer II alongside student positions such as the Government Operations Intern Summer 2027. Golden hosts satellite bus and robotics providers: Rendezvous Robotics is seeking an entry-level Flight Software Engineer (Early Career), while Loft Orbital trains students through positions like the Summer 2027 Internship – Satellite Programs. In Broomfield, Karman Plus accepts general talent through an Open Application, while Ursa Major tests propulsion systems further north in Berthoud, where they look for a 2027 Summer Facilities & Capital Projects Intern.
Salaries for Colorado Space Roles
Compensation for Colorado space jobs reflects seniority, security clearance needs, and technical disciplines.
Engineering Salaries
- Entry-level flight software engineers can expect base salaries around $85,000 to $115,000, as shown by the Flight Software Engineer (Early Career) role at Rendezvous Robotics.
- Mid-level engineering pay spans $75,000 to $145,000. Examples include the Business Development Engineer II at Rocket Lab ($75,000 to $103,000), the Mission Operations Engineer, Colorado Springs - Millennium Space Systems at Boeing ($82,000 to $145,000), the Human Spaceflight Engineer at The Aerospace Corporation ($86,600 to $129,800), and the P26817 Mechanical Engineer II at Sierra Space ($94,203 to $129,550).
- Senior and executive technical staff command higher brackets: True Anomaly lists $150,000 to $250,000 for a Lead Operations Engineer, The Aerospace Corporation provides $168,200 to $252,400 for a Systems Director - Joint Warfighting Operations, and Anduril Industries offers $220,000 to $292,000 for its Chief Software Engineer, Space Ground Systems.
Internships and Operations Pay
Student internships across engineering and operations pay hourly rates. Rocket Lab offers $22 per hour for its Government Operations Intern Summer 2027, while Loft Orbital lists $30 per hour for its Summer 2027 Internship – Satellite Programs.
Civilian operations and program administration roles at military installations range from hourly service roles to salaried finance roles. The United States Space Force lists $18.70 to $24.26 per hour for child care personnel and $91,870 to $142,022 per year for a Cost Analyst.
The Technical Work and Skills in Demand
Space roles in Colorado concentrate heavily in four functional disciplines:
- Ground Segment and Mission Operations: Managing spacecraft post-launch requires building telemetry pipelines, running command uplink architectures, and executing on-orbit tests. Positions like the Chief Software Engineer, Space Ground Systems and Mission Operations Engineer, Colorado Springs - Millennium Space Systems focus on distributed software, command-and-control frameworks, and real-time operations console support.
- Flight Software and Embedded Systems: Spacecraft buses and automated rendezvous systems require low-level software that interfaces directly with sensors and thrusters. The Flight Software Engineer (Early Career) role requires familiarity with embedded C/C++, real-time operating systems (RTOS), and orbital motion mechanics.
- Mechanical and Structural Design: Hardware manufacturing teams require computer-aided design, finite element analysis, thermal analysis, and cleanroom integration expertise. Roles such as Sierra Space's P26817 Mechanical Engineer II design structural frames, mechanisms, and pressurized structures capable of withstanding launch vibrations.
- Defense Architecture and Mission Strategy: Defense positions such as the Systems Director - Joint Warfighting Operations require expertise in space domain awareness, orbital warfare concepts, and coordination across Department of Defense commands.
Open Space Roles in Colorado
The table below details open positions based across Colorado facilities:
| Role | Company | Location | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Software Engineer, Space Ground Systems | Anduril Industries | Colorado Springs, CO | $220,000 – $292,000 / year |
| Systems Director - Joint Warfighting Operations | The Aerospace Corporation | Colorado Springs, CO | $168,200 – $252,400 / year |
| Lead Operations Engineer | True Anomaly | Colorado Springs, CO | $150,000 – $250,000 / year |
| Cost Analyst | United States Space Force | Peterson AFB, CO | $91,870 – $142,022 / year |
| P26817 Mechanical Engineer II | Sierra Space | Louisville, CO | $94,203 – $129,550 / year |
| Human Spaceflight Engineer | The Aerospace Corporation | Colorado Springs, CO | $86,600 – $129,800 / year |
| Mission Operations Engineer, Colorado Springs - Millennium Space Systems | Boeing | Colorado Springs, CO | $82,000 – $145,000 / year |
| Flight Software Engineer (Early Career) | Rendezvous Robotics | Golden, CO | $85,000 – $115,000 / year |
| Business Development Engineer II | Rocket Lab | Littleton, CO | $75,000 – $103,000 / year |
| Summer 2027 Internship – Satellite Programs | Loft Orbital | Golden, CO | $30.00 / hour |
| Government Operations Intern Summer 2027 | Rocket Lab | Littleton, CO | $22.00 / hour |
| 2027 Summer Facilities & Capital Projects Intern | Ursa Major | Berthoud, CO | Unlisted |
| Open Application | Karman Plus | Broomfield, CO | Unlisted |