Flight Software Engineer (Early Career)

Rendezvous Robotics INC.; Golden (CO); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Medical, vision, dental coverage

Disability insurance

Life insurance

Paid parental leave

3 weeks paid vacation and 10+ paid hol

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Rendezvous Robotics INC. in Golden, CO, is building the next generation of spacecraft using electromagnetic self‑assembling tiles. We seek early‑career software/CS engineers who will learn to design for space while contributing to flight software and embedded Linux on flight computers.

If you’re graduating in 2027 or have two years or less of relevant experience, you’re welcome to apply. We value hands‑on projects and real‑world problem solving as we teach you spacecraft‑level software.

Qualifications

• BS or MS in computer science, computer engineering, electrical engineering, or a related field, completed by summer 2027
• Two years or less of relevant professional experience (internships and co‑ops don’t count toward this)
• Real programming ability in C or C++, from coursework, research, or projects
• You’ve written software that talks to physical hardware, like a microcontroller, a sensor, a motor, or a robot
• Comfort working in Linux from the command line, with git
• A working understanding of what happens underneath your code: memory, pointers, and how a program actually runs on a processor

Responsibilities

• Getting up to speed on writing software for space (fault tolerance, radiation upsets, updating a vehicle that’s already in orbit)
• Flight software in C++ and C, from device drivers and firmware up through the components that wire subsystems together
• The embedded Linux on our flight computers: building images, debugging on target, and keeping the services on it healthy
• Microcontroller firmware for the sensors and actuators that move and dock our vehicles
• Tests, CI, and hardware‑in‑the‑loop setups that catch problems before they reach a vehicle
• Bringing new boards into the software stack alongside the avionics team

Skills

C/C++ programming

Linux (command line)

Git version control

Hardware interfacing

Memory management / pointers

Embedded software development

Python for tooling

Education

BS or MS in computer science, computer engineering, electrical engineering, or a related field

Tools

STM32

ESP32

RTOS

CMake

CI

ROS

F Prime

Job description

Today, everything we send to space is constrained by what fits inside a rocket fairing. That's a fundamental bottleneck to building more capable spacecraft. Rendezvous Robotics is solving this problem with electromagnetic self-assembling tiles: modular spacecraft components that rendezvous, dock, and latch to assemble bigger and more powerful spacecraft than anything that can be folded to fit into a rocket.

We're a small team based in Golden, Colorado, executing on a clear path from flight demonstration to our first operational systems. Our work spans hardware, software, and systems engineering. We are looking for the best people in the world who want to build the next generation of advanced spacecraft.

This is an early career role for software and computer engineers. If you're graduating in 2027, you'd start in summer 2027. If you're already working and have two years or less of relevant experience, you're just as welcome, and you could start sooner. We care about what you've built and how you approach a hard problem. You probably haven't worked on a spacecraft yet, and that's fine. We'll teach you how to design for space. We're looking for people who have built real things and who keep asking questions until they understand why something works.

Responsibilities & Ownership

• Getting up to speed on writing software for space (fault tolerance, radiation upsets, updating a vehicle that’s already in orbit)
• Flight software in C++ and C, from device drivers and firmware up through the components that wire subsystems together
• The embedded Linux on our flight computers: building images, debugging on target, and keeping the services on it healthy
• Microcontroller firmware for the sensors and actuators that move and dock our vehicles
• Tests, CI, and hardware‑in‑the‑loop setups that catch problems before they reach a vehicle
• Bringing new boards into the software stack alongside the avionics team

Basic Qualifications

• BS or MS in computer science, computer engineering, electrical engineering, or a related field, completed by summer 2027
• Two years or less of relevant professional experience (internships and co‑ops don’t count toward this)
• Real programming ability in C or C++, from coursework, research, or projects
• You’ve written software that talks to physical hardware, like a microcontroller, a sensor, a motor, or a robot
• Comfort working in Linux from the command line, with git
• A working understanding of what happens underneath your code: memory, pointers, and how a program actually runs on a processor

Preferred Qualifications

• Leadership in an engineering student organization such as Formula SAE, a rocketry club, a CubeSat or satellite team, a robotics team, or Solar Car, especially if you owned the software or electronics for a vehicle and saw it through to competition or flight
• An internship or co‑op in embedded, aerospace, robotics, or automotive software
• Microcontroller firmware (STM32, ESP32, or similar), on an RTOS or bare metal
• Serial buses (UART, SPI, I2C) and bringing up a new device from its datasheet
• Python for test and tooling, plus CMake and CI
• Flight software or robotics frameworks such as F Prime or ROS

Compensation and Benefits

Your actual base salary will be determined on a case‑by‑case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience. In addition to the base salary, you may also be eligible for long‑term incentives in the form of stock options. You will receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, short‑ and long‑term disability insurance, life insurance, and paid parental leave. You may also accrue 3 weeks of paid vacation and will be eligible for 10 or more paid holidays per year.

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.

Rendezvous Robotics is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Rendezvous Robotics is governed on the basis of 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.