Associate Flight Software Test & Tools Engineer

Socket.dev; Irvine (CA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

100% Company-paid medical, dental, and

vision coverage

401(k) Match

Flexible Time Off (FTO)

Education Reimbursement

Parental Leave

Job summary

Terran Orbital is seeking an Associate Flight Software Test & Tools Engineer to join our Flight Software Engineering team in Irvine, CA. You will support test execution, tooling, and automation across simulation, flight‑replica, and hardware‑in‑the‑loop environments.

This role emphasizes technical growth, test framework automation, and building reliable flight software validation workflows while collaborating with software, firmware, and FPGA engineers. U.S.

Qualifications

• B.S. in CS/CE/EE or related field.
• 0+ years of experience (internships, academic projects welcome).
• Interest in testing C/C++ applications for embedded, high‑performance, or safety‑critical systems.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Support creation and execution of test plans for thorough evaluation of flight software.
• Assist in integrating and testing software in simulation, flight‑replica, flight‑vehicle, and hardware‑in‑the‑loop environments.
• Help develop automated flashing, deployment, and testing workflows for physical devices.
• Contribute to documenting testing procedures, results, and repeatable workflows.
• Create and track bug reports and release tickets with the development team.
• Support the development of software verification artifacts and compliance documentation.
• Collaborate with software, firmware, and FPGA engineers and coordinate release activities with Configuration Management.
• Track performance metrics to improve test efficiency and reliability.

Skills

C/C++ testing

Strong communication

US citizenship

DoD clearance eligibility

Education

B.S. in Computer Science/Engineering

Tools

Linux

GNU tools

VirtualBox

Docker

CMake/Makefiles

Job description

Join a team where your impact reaches beyond the stars! At Terran Orbital, you’re not just part of the system – you’re a vital force propelling our mission forward. As trailblazers in satellite manufacturing and aerospace innovation, we shatter boundaries daily to deliver groundbreaking solutions that power our nation’s defense and commercial missions. We are a unique, fast growing, and trusted team dedicated to swiftly and efficiently designing, building, launching, and operating state of the art satellites for advanced mission constellations. If you’re driven by purpose, inspired by challenges, and ready to leave your mark on the universe, you’ll find a home and endless opportunities for growth here. Together, let’s redefine what is possible in orbit and beyond!

Terran Orbital is seeking an experienced Associate Flight Software Test & Tools Engineer to join our dynamic team. Reporting to the Manager, Flight Software Engineering, the Associate FSW Test & Tools Engineer will support our dynamic Flight Software Engineering team. This role is ideal for early‑career engineers who want to build a strong foundation in software testing, embedded systems tooling, automation frameworks, and flight software validation workflows. Engineers in this role focus primarily on test execution, test development support, build tools, and automation infrastructure rather than day‑to‑day feature coding. This position is designed as a technical support and growth role within the broader Flight Software organization. You will contribute directly to delivering high‑quality, reliable flight software for innovative satellite missions.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Support creation and execution of test plans for thorough, consistent, and independent evaluation of flight software
• Assist in integrating and testing software in simulation, flight‑replica, flight‑vehicle, and hardware‑in‑the‑loop environments
• Help develop automated flashing, deployment, and testing workflows for physical devices
• Contribute to documenting testing procedures, results, and repeatable workflows
• Create and track bug reports and release tickets in coordination with the development team
• Support the development of software verification artifacts and compliance documentation
• Collaborate closely with software, firmware, and FPGA engineers and coordinate release activities with Configuration Management
• Assist in tracking performance metrics to support continuous improvement in test efficiency and reliability
• Learn and support installation, configuration, and troubleshooting of embedded and non‑embedded toolchains from various vendors
• Participate in automation of testing processes and iterative improvement of test frameworks
• Help maintain and enhance software build pipelines (e.g., GitHub Actions, CI/CD systems)
• Incorporate DevSecOps principles into build and test systems to reduce software risk\

Required Qualifications and Skills

• B.S. in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field
• 0+ years of experience (internships, academic projects, or personal projects are welcome)
• Interest in testing C/C++ applications for embedded, high‑performance, or safety‑critical systems
• Highly motivated, responsible, and eager to learn in a fast‑paced engineering environment
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• U.S. Citizenship with ability to obtain and maintain DoD security clearance

Preferred Qualifications and Skills

• Experience with Linux and GNU tools (make, gcc, gdb)
• Familiarity with virtualization/container tools (VirtualBox, VMWare, Docker, Hyper‑V, or Vagrant)
• Exposure to C++ build systems such as CMake or Makefiles
• Basic experience with vulnerability or static analysis tools (cppcheck, dependency-track, CodeQL, JFrog, etc.)
• Experience building software for embedded processors or microcontrollers
• Experience with scripting languages such as Bash or Python
• Experience collaborating on team‑based software projects (school, internships, open source, etc.)

Your actual level and base salary will be determined case‑by‑case and may vary based on the job‑related qualification, knowledge, skills, education, and experience. In addition to base salary, we offer 100% covered medical, dental, and vision coverage, a 401(k) match, Flexible Time Off (FTO), covered life insurance, maternity and paternity leave, tuition reimbursement, employee referrals, and lots of swag!

Salary Range

$80,000 — $120,000 USD

Full‑time positions only:

Benefits

• 100% Company-paid comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your dependents
• 401(k) Match
• Flexible Time Off (FTO)
• Education Reimbursement
• Competitive Paid Parental Leave

About Terran Orbital

Terran Orbital is a leading manufacturer of satellite products primarily serving the aerospace and defense industries. Terran Orbital provides end‑to‑end satellite solutions by combining satellite design, production, launch planning, mission operations, and on‑orbit support to meet the needs of the most demanding military, civil, and commercial customers. Learn more at www.terranorbital.com

Physical Demands

An employee must meet the physical demands described to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. In performing the duties of this job, the employee is routinely required to sit or stand for long durations of time, in addition to bending, reaching, and walking. This would require the ability to lift or move objects up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift or move objects up to 25 pounds. This position is generally sedentary, with substantial computer usage.

Work Environment

The job operates in a professional office environment but in a manufacturing company. This job routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, and scanners.

Disclaimers

To comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, the applicant 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. In addition, please note that this position may require a current United States National Security clearance or eligibility for such a clearance.

Terran Orbital is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. We consider applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or membership in any other group protected by federal, state, or local law.

If you need assistance or accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us at [e-mail].

Terran Orbital does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters, employment agencies, or staffing firms. To conduct business with Terran Orbital, a Master Services Agreement (MSA) must be executed and confirmed prior to submitting any information relating to a potential candidate. Without a signed MSA, Terran Orbital shall not be responsible to any individual or entity for any payment relating to any form of fee or compensation.

And, in the event that a resume or candidate is submitted by a recruiter, an employment agency, or a staffing firm without a fully executed MSA, Terran Orbital has the unrestricted right to pursue and hire any of those candidate(s) without any legal or financial responsibility to the recruiter, agency, and/or firm.