Autonomy Software Engineer – SD

York Space Systems; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

York Space Systems seeks a talented Autonomy Software Engineer to advance space vehicle onboard autonomy. You will design and implement embedded flight software in C/C++ for spacecraft systems, and translate designs into high-quality, maintainable code that can be deployed across platforms.

The role emphasizes building reusable components, state machines for autonomous workflows, and testing against realistic mission scenarios.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a related field.
• 4+ years of software engineering experience with embedded software.
• Proficiency in C/C++ and experience in embedded Linux.
• Experience with Git in a collaborative environment.
• Mentor engineers and drive code quality through reviews and design discussions.
• Strong communication and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop embedded flight software in C/C++ for spacecraft systems.
• Translate designs and requirements into high-quality, maintainable software.
• Build reusable code and scalable services across the platform.
• Construct state machine models for autonomous mission workflows.
• Engineer algorithms to promote scalability and automation.
• Contribute to software architecture, requirements, and interfaces.
• Support on-orbit operations, debugging, and anomaly resolution.
• Develop unit and integration tests against simulation tools.
• Participate in agile ceremonies and team planning.

Skills

C/C++

Embedded Linux

Git

Mentor engineers

Communication

Problem-solving

Autonomy

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Docker

CI/CD pipelines

Job description

York is seeking a talented, cross-domain software engineers to join a small, empowered strategic development team focused on rapid prototyping and advanced development across York’s software portfolio. This team operates ahead of program need proving out new capabilities, de-risking emerging technology, and maturing prototypes to the point where they can transition into production programs. Scope spans across York software: Full stack web development, onboard embedded and real-time software, ground and cloud applications and tooling, and autonomy and machine learning.

We are looking for an Autonomy Software Engineer who is passionate about pushing the boundaries of modern technology to advance space vehicle onboard autonomy…

Not all skills below are required, we encourage you to apply if you have an interest in learning!

Responsibilities

• Design and develop embedded flight software in C/C++ for spacecraft systems
• Translate designs and requirements into high-quality, maintainable software that meets both functional and visual standards
• Build reusable code for components, shared libraries, and scalable services for use across the platform
• Construct state machine models for autonomous mission workflows
• Engineer algorithms and business logic to promote scalability and automation
• Contribute to software architecture, requirements, and interface definitions
• Support on-orbit operations, debugging, and anomaly resolution
• Develop unit tests and documentation for internal users and customers
• Develop integration tests against simulation tools to validate behavior against realistic mission scenarios
• Participate in agile ceremonies including sprint planning, standups, and retrospectives
• Other duties as assigned

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field
• 4+ years of software engineering experience with a strong focus on embedded software development
• Proficiency in C/C++
• Experience working in embedded Linux environments
• Experience with modern messaging frameworks and API technologies used in distributed systems
• Experience with Git in a collaborative, multi-contributor environment
• Demonstrated ability to mentor engineers and drive code quality through reviews and design discussions
• Proven ability to collaborate across engineering, design, and operational stakeholders
• Exceptional problem-solving skills with the ability to navigate ambiguous requirements independently and drive to resolution
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including presenting technical concepts to non-technical audiences
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment
• Active security clearance or ability to obtain one
• Willingness to work full-time in our Austin, TX office

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience identifying mission states, mapping rules between states, and proving which states are symmetric or unreachable
• Experience with embedded Linux systems (drivers, networking, system-level debugging)
• Experience with spacecraft, aerospace, or safety-critical systems
• Experience with container-based installation and deployment strategies, including Docker and CI/CD pipeline integration
• Experience supporting on-orbit operations or live systems
• Familiar with vehicle simulation tools and methodologies, including modeling spacecraft dynamics, guidance and control behaviors, and mission‑specific scenarios