Lead Flight Software Engineer — Spacecraft Real-Time Systems

Space Kinetic Corp.; El Segundo (CA); On-site; USD 220,000 - 275,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity-Based Compensation

401(k) retirement plan

Generous PTO

Paid holidays + winter break

Medical, dental, vision insurance

Performance-based bonus opportunities

Job summary

Space Kinetic is hiring a Lead Flight Software Engineer to lead the development, integration, and validation of mission-critical software for electromechanical spacecraft systems. You will own low-level and high-level software from architecture through flight operations in a fast-paced, prototype-to-flight environment.

The role requires deep experience with embedded real-time systems, software reliability, and the ability to lead a team onsite in El Segundo, CA.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 5 to 10 years of experience developing embedded or real-time software for space, aerospace, robotics, or other mission-critical systems.
• Experience leading software development across the full system lifecycle, from requirements and architecture through integration, qualification, and operations.
• Strong proficiency in C/C++, with experience using Python or similar scripting languages for automation and testing.
• Experience with RTOS, bare-metal programming, or Linux-based embedded systems.
• Strong understanding of deterministic timing, concurrency, fault tolerance, software reliability, and resource management in constrained environments.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Lead flight software architecture and development for spacecraft control, autonomy, communications, telemetry, command, GNC interfaces, fault management, and safety systems.
• Define software requirements, interfaces, development roadmaps, and verification strategies with cross-functional teams.
• Develop reliable, deterministic, and fault-tolerant software using C/C++ or Rust in RTOS, bare-metal, or embedded Linux environments.
• Lead software and code reviews, integration, testing, and qualification activities per spaceflight standards.
• Support simulation, spacecraft-in-the-loop, hardware-in-the-loop, and ground-software integration environments.
• Mentor software engineers, establish coding standards, and improve tools and processes.
• Support mission-readiness reviews, anomaly resolution, flight operations, and on-orbit software updates.

Skills

C/C++

Python

RTOS

Embedded systems

Deterministic timing

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or Electrical/Computer Engineering

Tools

NASA cFS

F' (F Prime)

SpaceWire

CCSDS

Job description

Space Kinetic is hiring a Lead Flight Software Engineer to lead the development, integration, and validation of mission-critical software for electromechanical spacecraft systems. You will own low-level and high-level software from architecture through flight operations in a fast-paced, prototype-to-flight environment.

The role requires deep experience with embedded real-time systems, software reliability, and the ability to lead a team onsite in El Segundo, CA.