Embedded Software Engineer

LinuxCareers; Golden (CO); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) plan and equity options

Flexible Time Off

Paid holidays (12)

Catered lunches and snacks

Relocation assistance when applicable

Parental leave (14 weeks/10 weeks)

Job summary

Loft Orbital is seeking an Embedded Software Engineer in Golden, Colorado to develop HALs, drivers, and BSPs for spacecraft electronics. You’ll work with hardware, FPGA, and systems engineers to integrate and debug complex hardware, writing robust C/C++ code for embedded Linux and RTOS platforms.

You will lead bring-up, improve interfaces, and implement tests to validate software on target hardware, enabling reliable flight-ready systems.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional embedded software development in C/C++.
• Experience designing HALs and low-level device drivers.
• Experience with BSPs, register-level programming and hardware configuration.
• Proven board bring-up and hardware/software integration skills.
• Experience with embedded Linux and/or RTOS platforms.
• Familiarity with UART, SPI, I2C, DMA, Ethernet, LVDS or SpaceWire.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain HALs, drivers, and BSPs.
• Optimize hardware interfaces, peripherals, and data transfer.
• Lead board bring-up and hardware/software integration.
• Write reliable C/C++ software for embedded Linux and RTOS.
• Debug using hardware docs, tooling, and target testing.
• Create unit and integration tests for the hardware.
• Collaborate with hardware/FPGA teams to deliver flight-ready solutions.

Skills

C/C++ programming

Embedded systems

HALs and drivers

Board bring-up

GDB/JTAG debugging

Tools

GDB

JTAG

Oscilloscope

Logic Analyzer

Job description

Loft Orbital builds and operates reliable, shareable satellites for customers seeking faster access to orbit. As an Embedded Software Engineer, you will develop low-level software that brings spacecraft hardware to life, focusing on hardware abstraction layers, device drivers, and hardware interfaces while collaborating with hardware, FPGA, and systems engineers to integrate and debug complex electronics.

What You'll Do

• Design, develop, and maintain hardware abstraction layers (HALs), device drivers, and board support packages (BSPs)
• Develop and optimize hardware interfaces, peripherals, and data transfer mechanisms
• Lead hands-on board bring-up, hardware/software integration, and low-level debugging
• Write reliable, maintainable C/C++ software for embedded Linux and/or RTOS platforms
• Diagnose complex issues using hardware documentation, debugging tools, and direct hardware testing
• Develop unit and integration tests to validate software on target hardware
• Collaborate with hardware, FPGA, and systems engineers to deliver robust, flight-ready solutions

What You Need

• 5+ years of professional embedded software development experience in C and/or C++
• Strong hands-on experience designing and developing HALs and low-level device drivers
• Experience with BSPs, register-level programming, and hardware/peripheral configuration
• Proven experience with board bring-up, hardware/software integration, and low-level debugging
• Experience with embedded Linux and/or RTOS platforms
• Understanding of hardware interfaces and protocols such as UART, SPI, I²C, DMA, Ethernet, LVDS, or SpaceWire
• Experience with debugging tools such as GDB, JTAG, logic analyzers, or oscilloscopes
• Ability to read schematics and datasheets and troubleshoot issues across hardware and software
• Strong problem-solving skills, ownership, and ability to work across multidisciplinary teams

Nice to Have

• Linux kernel internals, kernel-space driver development, and device trees
• Embedded Linux build systems such as Yocto or Buildroot
• ARM-based SoCs and FPGA integration
• Aerospace, spaceflight, or safety-critical software experience
• Radiation mitigation techniques, including Single Event Upset (SEU) handling
• Embedded virtualization or hypervisor experience

100% company-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance option for employees and dependents; Flexible Spending (FSA) and Health Savings (HSA) Accounts with employer HSA contribution; 100% employer-paid Life, AD&D, Short-Term, and Long-Term Disability insurance; Flexible Time Off policy and 12 paid holidays; 401(k) plan and equity options; daily catered lunches and snacks; international exposure to team in France; fully paid parental leave (14 weeks primary caregiver, 10 weeks secondary); Carrot Fertility benefits; off-sites and social events; relocation assistance when applicable