Autonomy Software Engineer - Spacecraft Onboard Systems

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

Job summary

York Space Systems is seeking an Autonomy Software Engineer to advance spacecraft onboard autonomy and related software across flight, ground, and cloud components. You will design embedded flight software in C/C++, translate requirements into robust code, and build scalable services used across the platform.

The role involves collaborating with engineering, design, and operations, mentoring peers, and contributing to architecture and test tooling while supporting on-orbit operations and mission

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 Laurel, MD office

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

Skills

C/C++

Embedded software

Embedded Linux

Git

Mentoring engineers

Technical communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Git

Docker

CI/CD pipelines

Job description

York Space Systems is seeking an Autonomy Software Engineer to advance spacecraft onboard autonomy and related software across flight, ground, and cloud components. You will design embedded flight software in C/C++, translate requirements into robust code, and build scalable services used across the platform.

The role involves collaborating with engineering, design, and operations, mentoring peers, and contributing to architecture and test tooling while supporting on-orbit operations and mission