Firmware Engineer III

Firefly Aerospace, Inc.; Cedar Park (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Unlimited PTO

3‑month sabbatical every 5 years

Medical, dental, vision insurance

Mental health services

Paid military leave

Relocation benefits

Educational reimbursement

Family/relocation toward Cedar Park

Stock bonuses

Job summary

Firefly Aerospace, Inc. is seeking an experienced embedded firmware engineer to design, develop, and test flight software for our spacecraft. You will work with a team of engineers across hardware and software to deliver reliable firmware for real‑time embedded systems.

The role emphasizes C/C++, Linux, RTOS environments, and close collaboration with hardware teams to optimize power, performance, and memory while ensuring robust integration for space missions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in a related engineering or computer science field.
• 5+ years of embedded firmware development experience in Linux environments.
• Proven track record delivering embedded firmware in bare‑metal or RTOS environments (e.g., FreeRTOS, Zephyr).
• Strong C/C++ skills for embedded systems; assembly a plus.
• Experience with I2C, SPI, UART, CAN, USB, Ethernet; debugging tools like JTAG/SWD.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and test embedded firmware for spacecraft hardware in Linux environments.
• Architect and implement low‑level drivers and system‑level firmware for real‑time applications.
• Collaborate with hardware engineers to ensure robust integration.
• Optimize firmware for power, performance, and memory.
• Participate in code reviews and maintain high‑quality firmware documentation.
• Contribute to FPGA integration or OS builds using Yocto/Buildroot.

Skills

C/C++ programming

Embedded systems

Team collaboration

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science

Tools

Linux

FreeRTOS/Zephyr

I2C

SPI

UART

CAN

Ethernet

USB

Yocto/Buildroot

JTAG/SWD debugging

Job description

At Firefly, we’re focused on making space attainable for everyone – including you! Each team member’s passion, dedication, and innovative ideas have a direct impact on fueling our successful trajectory into space. And there’s no shortage of meaningful projects to work on at Firefly. With launch, lunar, and orbital vehicles, Firefly has a diverse line of business with opportunities to get hands‑on experience launching rockets, operating in space, and landing on the Moon.

What does SciTec bring to the Firefly family?
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What does SciTec bring to the Firefly family?
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Peep our Elytra orbiter being assembled in the ...

Peep our Elyta orbiter being assembled in the ...

672 3

Start your week with another Manufacturing Minute! ...

Start your week with another Manufacturing Minute! ...

418 11

This World Space Week, remember to look up and ...

This World Space Week, remember to look up and ...

The engine powering Alpha`s first stage is truly ...

The engine powering Alpha`s first stage is truly ...

844 4

More cleanroom space. More spacecraft in ...

More cleanroom space. More spacecraft in ...

691 4

Our Values

Headquartered in the Lone Star State, Firefly’s hardworking team reflects Texas’ GO BIG culture in everything we do. We build big, achieve big, and dream big. We’re building launch vehicles and spacecraft to provide rapid, reliable space access. We’ve achieved some incredible wins, including the first successful commercial Moon landing. And we’re dreaming bigger than this planet with ambitions to Mars, Venus, and beyond. Our core values are what drive us along the way.

Passion

Fireflies believe in perseverance, responsiveness, and mentoring others with a focus on inspiring a better future.

Accountability

Fireflies act with integrity and take ownership of our actions, commitments, decisions, and outcomes.

Fireflies work in alignment across teams and communicate clearly with mutual respect for one another.

Fireflies deliver high-quality work through technical rigor and timely disciplined execution for our customers.

We take care of our Fireflies with some of the best benefits in the industry. Our mission to make space for everyone starts with our employees and allowing them to make space for their family, their career, and their future.

Space for You

• Unlimited PTO for exempt employees
• 3-month sabbatical for every 5 years of service
• Medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance
• Mental health services
• Paid military leave

Space for Your Family

• 12 weeks paid maternity leave
• 4 weeks paid spouse leave
• $20k towards family planning: fertility, surrogacy, adoption
• Dog friendly workplace

Space for Your Career

• $10k/year towards trade school or college
• Ongoing coaching to advance leadership skills
• Employee-ownership with stock bonuses
• 4% Safe Harbor 401(k) matching
• $10k bonus for home purchase in Cedar Park, Texas

Job Openings

From launch technicians to propulsion engineers, Firefly has open roles across the company. We’re looking for passionate, bright innovators to join our team and help make space an achievable dream for everyone.

Firefly Aerospace is a space and defense technology company that enables our world to launch, land, and operate in space – anywhere, anytime. As the partner of choice for critical space missions, Firefly is the only commercial company to launch a satellite to orbit with 24-hour notice and the only company to achieve a successful Moon landing. Our launch vehicles, lunar landers, and orbital vehicles provide government and commercial customers with full mission services from low Earth orbit to the Moon and beyond. Headquartered in north Austin, Texas, Firefly is looking for passionate, hardworking innovators to join our team and help fuel our successful trajectory into space.

Firefly Aerospace is a space and defense technology company on a mission to reliably and repeatedly launch, land, and operate space systems from Earth to the Moon and beyond. As the partner of choice for critical space missions, Firefly is the first commercial company to launch a satellite to orbit with 24-hour notice and the first company to achieve a successful Moon landing. Headquartered in north Austin, Texas, Firefly is looking for passionate, hardworking innovators to join our team and help fuel our successful trajectory into space.

SUMMARY

In this role you will help design, develop, test, and integrate the embedded flight software for Firefly spacecraft. You will work in a group of software engineers through all stages of spacecraft software development processes and collaborate with other engineering teams.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Design, develop, and test embedded firmware for microcontrollers and microprocessors in bare-metal or RTOS environments.
• Architect and implement low-level drivers, communication protocols (I2C, SPI, UART, CAN, etc.), and system-level firmware for real‑time applications.
• Collaborate with hardware engineers to define system architecture, debug hardware/firmware interactions, and ensure seamless integration.
• Optimize firmware for power efficiency, performance, and memory constraints in resource‑limited embedded systems.
• Participate in code reviews, maintain high-quality code standards, and document firmware designs and processes.
• Contribute to system‑level debugging, performance profiling, and validation of embedded systems.
• Optionally, support FPGA integration, including firmware interfacing with FPGA designs, or contribute to custom OS builds using tools like Yocto or Buildroot.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.
• 5+ years of professional experience in embedded firmware development in Linux environments.
• Proven track record of delivering real‑world industry projects involving embedded firmware developed as bare-metal or RTOS applications (e.g., FreeRTOS, Zephyr, or similar).
• Strong programming skills in C/C++ for embedded systems, with experience in assembly language as a plus.
• Experience with communication protocols (I2C, SPI, UART, CAN, USB, Ethernet, etc.) and real‑time system constraints.
• Familiarity with debugging tools (JTAG, SWD, oscilloscopes, logic analyzers) and embedded development environments.
• Experience developing C++ applications for embedded systems.
• Proficiency in CI/CD workflow development for embedded firmware projects (e.g., Teamcity, GitLab CI, or similar).
• Experience with FPGA development, including firmware integration with FPGA designs.
• Familiarity with custom OS builds using Yocto, Buildroot, or similar embedded Linux build systems.

Primary Level Salary Range:

Firefly Aerospace is a space and defense technology company on a mission to reliably and repeatedly launch, land, and operate space systems from Earth to the Moon and beyond. As the partner of choice for critical space missions, Firefly is the first commercial company to launch a satellite to orbit with 24-hour notice and the first company to achieve a successful Moon landing. Headquartered in north Austin, Texas, Firefly is looking for passionate, hardworking innovators to join our team and help fuel our successful trajectory into space.

SUMMARY

In this role you will help design, develop, test, and integrate the embedded flight software for Firefly spacecraft. You will work in a group of software engineers through all stages of spacecraft software development processes and collaborate with other engineering teams.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Design, develop, and test embedded firmware for microcontrollers and microprocessors in bare-metal or RTOS environments.
• Architect and implement low-level drivers, communication protocols (I2C, SPI, UART, CAN, etc.), and system-level firmware for real‑time applications.
• Collaborate with hardware engineers to define system architecture, debug hardware/firmware interactions, and ensure seamless integration.
• Optimize firmware for power efficiency, performance, and memory constraints in resource‑limited embedded systems.
• Participate in code reviews, maintain high‑quality code standards, and document firmware designs and processes.
• Contribute to system‑level debugging, performance profiling, and validation of embedded systems.
• Optionally, support FPGA integration, including firmware interfacing with FPGA designs, or contribute to custom OS builds using tools like Yocto or Buildroot.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.
• 5+ years of professional experience in embedded firmware development in Linux environments.
• Proven track record of delivering real‑world industry projects involving embedded firmware developed as bare-metal or RTOS applications (e.g., FreeRTOS, Zephyr, or similar).
• Strong programming skills in C/C++ for embedded systems, with experience in assembly language as a plus.
• Experience with communication protocols (I2C, SPI, UART, CAN, USB, Ethernet, etc.) and real‑time system constraints.
• Familiarity with debugging tools (JTAG, SWD, oscilloscopes, logic analyzers) and embedded development environments.
• Experience developing C++ applications for embedded systems.
• Proficiency in CI/CD workflow development for embedded firmware projects (e.g., Teamcity, GitLab CI, or similar).
• Experience with FPGA development, including firmware integration with FPGA designs.
• Familiarity with custom OS builds using Yocto, Buildroot, or similar embedded Linux build systems.

Firefly offers outstanding benefits for our employees, including generous health, dental and vision plans with low plan deductibles, parental leave, relocation benefits, educational reimbursement, short term disability, and flexible PTO options.

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you 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.

Firefly Aerospace, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Firefly is governed based on merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.