Senior Flight Software Engineer

Description

The company builds next-generation space stations and space infrastructure, working in small steps, leaning on hardware, and keeping costs low.

Its multi-module station is being built to keep people in space continuously for the US and its allies. It will support microgravity research and manufacturing and open a space economy for government, corporate, and private customers.

A 2025 demonstration mission succeeded, making the company the only operational commercial space station company to fly and run its own spacecraft. The first station is due to launch in 2027 as the world's first commercial space station, with more modules to follow. The company has also announced a high-power satellite line built on station components and lessons from the demonstration mission.

The company is based in Long Beach, California, has more than 1,000 employees and over a billion dollars in private capital, and has built the facilities to make and operate the next US space station. Future plans include habitats and systems for the Moon and Mars, dedicated stations for government partners, and other crewed systems.

This role reports to the Senior Manager, Flight Software. You will help build the systems needed to design and build artificial-gravity, human-rated space stations.

The team treats finding and fixing errors as a good thing. It makes everyone's work better and strengthens the team as processes and products improve.

Responsibilities

• Write fault-tolerant code for safety-critical systems.
• Work with avionics engineers to integrate flight code with avionics hardware.
• Build highly reliable flight software with the Flight Software team for every Haven mission.
• Work across GNC, thermal, propulsion, power, and ECLSS to implement algorithms and bring them into the flight software.
• Write driver-level code for the radios, sensors, and actuators onboard all missions.
• Build and maintain the telemetry and commanding systems used to communicate with the vehicles.
• Write unit and integrated tests and set up a continuous integration framework for flight.
• Review code in peer reviews against best practices and established standards.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, computer engineering, electrical engineering, or another engineering discipline.
• 5+ years of professional C++ coding.
• Preferred: fault-tolerant and safety-critical software design.
• Preferred: software development for complex systems such as spacecraft, aircraft, or autonomous vehicles.
• Preferred: work in a continuous build and test environment.
• Preferred: embedded systems experience.
• Preferred: satellite communications or telemetry systems experience.
• Preferred: hands-on work with serial protocols such as UART, CAN, I2C, SPI, and/or Ethernet (TCP/UDP).
• Preferred: understanding of Linux kernel software and drivers.
• Preferred: network programming experience.
• Preferred: familiarity with oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and digital multimeters.
• Preferred: familiarity with the Atlassian Suite (JIRA, Bitbucket, Confluence).
• Preferred: familiarity with Git, CMake, and GNU tools.
• Preferred: ability to work in a Linux environment.

Conditions

Full-time, exempt position based in Long Beach.

Salary range of $159,000 to $220,000 USD.

Level and pay are matched to the selected candidate's experience and demonstrated capability, and applicants across experience levels are welcome.

Base pay depends on job knowledge, education, skills, experience, business needs, and market demand. Pay is one part of total compensation, which also includes company equity.

Be available for evening or weekend work when critical mission milestones arrive.

Benefits

• Health coverage with medical, dental, and vision plans that extend to dependents.
• Generous paid time off: up to 20+ days of vacation for exempt staff and up to 10+ days for non-exempt staff, with unused vacation cashed out annually.
• Paid parental leave.
• Short- and long-term disability insurance and life insurance.
• Access to a 401(k) retirement plan.
• ClassPass credits.
• Personalized mental healthcare through Spring Health.
• Other discounts and perks.
• Food perks: free snacks, drip coffee, onsite barista, cold drinks, and dinner, with subsidized lunch.