Lead Flight Software Engineer

Stealth Mode; El Segundo (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A stealth-mode Aerospace & Defense startup in El Segundo, CA is seeking a Lead Flight Software Engineer to lead the architecture and deployment of their embedded flight software stack. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in real-time systems, flight software development, and a strong foundation in C/C++. With a talented founding team from industry leaders like SpaceX, this position offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of aerospace technology.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in real-time embedded software.
• Experience with flight software for aerospace or defense.
• Strong understanding of sensor/actuator interfaces.

Responsibilities

• Architect and implement real-time embedded flight software.
• Own the full software lifecycle.
• Mentor junior engineers and help scale the software team.

Skills

Embedded Software Development

C/C++ Programming

RTOS Concepts

Debugging on Real Hardware

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering

Tools

Oscilloscopes

Logic Analyzers

JTAG/SWD Tools

Job description

Join to apply for the Lead Flight Software Engineer role at Stealth Mode

1 week ago Be among the first 25 applicants

Join to apply for the Lead Flight Software Engineer role at Stealth Mode

Get AI-powered advice on this job and more exclusive features.

About The Company

We are a stealth-mode Aerospace & Defense startup headquartered in El Segundo, CA. Our founding team hails from SpaceX, Anduril, and Lockheed Martin, and we are backed by Joint Staff-level military leadership and several Silicon Valley firms. With a world-class business development & leadership team already in place, we are well positioned to capitalize on already overwhelming demand.

About The Company

We are a stealth-mode Aerospace & Defense startup headquartered in El Segundo, CA. Our founding team hails from SpaceX, Anduril, and Lockheed Martin, and we are backed by Joint Staff-level military leadership and several Silicon Valley firms. With a world-class business development & leadership team already in place, we are well positioned to capitalize on already overwhelming demand.

Job Overview

We’re seeking a Lead Flight Software Engineer to drive the architecture, development, and deployment of the embedded flight software stack for our first life saving system. You’ll be responsible for building a safe, secure, and performant flight software platform. As a founding engineering leader, you’ll shape not just the product, but the engineering culture, processes, and technical trajectory of the company.

Key Responsibilities

• Architect and implement real-time embedded flight software for guidance, navigation, and control systems
• Own the full software lifecycle: requirements, architecture, implementation, verification, deployment, and field test
• Interface with hardware, GNC, autonomy, and test teams to integrate firmware and flight software into a mission-ready stack
• Lead code reviews, system simulations, and HITL testing
• Develop fault-tolerant architectures and hardware abstraction layers that support rapid iteration without compromising safety
• Guide build systems, CI/CD pipelines, and dev environments for embedded development
• Mentor junior engineers and help scale the software team
  
  

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related
• 8+ years of experience writing real-time embedded software in C/C++
• Experience leading development of flight software for aerospace, defense, or autonomous systems
• Strong understanding of RTOS concepts, state machines, sensor/actuator interfaces (SPI, I2C, UART, CAN), and control loops
• Experience debugging on real hardware using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and JTAG/SWD tools
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree or higher in a relevant engineering discipline
• Familiarity with GNC algorithms, simulation, and Hardware-in-the-Loop (HITL) testing
• Familiarity with Rust or Python for testing and tooling is a plus
• Experience with embedded Linux and NVIDIA Jetpack Linux
• Experience with NixOS for reproducible image deployment

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Engineering and Information Technology

• Industries

  Software Development

Referrals increase your chances of interviewing at Stealth Mode by 2x

Get notified about new Lead Software Engineer jobs in El Segundo, CA.

Expression of Interest - Feature Animation, Story Department

Los Angeles Metropolitan Area 12 hours ago

Data Analyst, Disney Advertising Data and Measurement Science

Senior Full Stack Software Engineer (Remote)

Los Angeles, CA $150,000.00-$170,000.00 8 hours ago

Los Angeles, CA $140,000.00-$180,000.00 14 hours ago

Development Engineer II - IN NEW ZEALAND (Relocation provided)

Associate Technical Manager of Product Development

Los Angeles Metropolitan Area 5 hours ago

East Pasadena Tutors Needed – All Subjects

Los Angeles, CA $200,000.00-$240,000.00 14 hours ago

Technology Systems and Operations Specialist - VFX Support

We’re unlocking community knowledge in a new way. Experts add insights directly into each article, started with the help of AI.