Senior Embedded Flight Software Engineer

Axiom Space; United States; On-site; USD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Axiom Space is seeking a Senior Embedded Flight Software Engineer to join their aerospace team in the United States. You will design, develop, and maintain firmware and flight software for spacecraft, working with embedded platforms and real-time operating systems.

The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in a related field, along with 4 to 9 years of experience in embedded systems and firmware development. Opportunities for innovation in a vibrant environment await you.

Qualifications

• 4 to 9 years of experience in embedded systems, firmware, or flight software development.
• Hands-on experience with RTOS, firmware development, and low-level programming.
• Familiarity with communication peripherals like SPI, I2C, UART.

Responsibilities

• Develop, integrate, and maintain firmware and flight software for spacecraft.
• Work with real-time operating systems and communication interfaces.
• Support integration, environmental testing, and pre-flight validation.

Skills

Embedded systems

Firmware development

C and C++ proficiency

Real-time Operating Systems

Debugging tools (JTAG, oscilloscopes)

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related discipline

Tools

Git

Continuous integration pipelines

Job description

Overview

Axiom Space is building the world’s first commercial space station – Axiom Station. Serving as a cornerstone for sustained human presence in space, this next‑generation orbital platform fosters groundbreaking innovation and research in microgravity, and cultivates the vibrant, global space economy of tomorrow. Axiom Space is the principal provider of commercial human spaceflight services to the International Space Station and developer of advanced spacesuits for the Moon and low‑Earth orbit.

Position Summary

We are seeking a talented Senior Embedded Flight Software Engineer to join our dynamic aerospace team. In this role, you will be responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining firmware and flight software for spacecraft and advanced aerospace systems. You will work hands‑on with embedded platforms, real‑time operating systems, and mission‑critical flight algorithms, collaborating closely with multidisciplinary engineering teams to deliver robust, reliable, and high‑performance flight software.

Responsibilities

• Develop, integrate, and maintain firmware and flight software for spacecraft subsystems and avionics.
• Implement features and algorithms supporting flight hardware.
• Work with real‑time operating systems (RTOS) and bare‑metal environments.
• Design and develop communication interfaces such as UART, SPI, I2C, USB, Ethernet, or similar.
• Collaborate with hardware engineers to bring up new boards, debug hardware/software interactions, and develop drivers.
• Participate in software architecture design, code reviews, and continuous integration efforts.
• Develop unit tests, hardware‑in‑the‑loop (HIL) tests, and simulation‑based verification.
• Support integration, environmental testing, and pre‑flight validation.
• Contribute to system‑level documentation including ICDs, design artifacts, test reports, and operational procedures.
• Troubleshoot and resolve issues related to performance, memory, timing, and reliability in resource‑constrained environments.
• Communicate project progress, status, and potential issues clearly to stakeholders and leadership, ensuring transparency and alignment with organizational goals.
• Implement and maintain agile project management methodologies throughout the project lifecycle, adapting to changing requirements and priorities.
• Perform additional job duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Education & Experience: Bachelor’s or Master’s in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Computer Science, or a related discipline. 4 to 9 years of professional experience in embedded systems, firmware, or flight software development.
• Experience with embedded systems, microcontrollers, processors, or SoCs common in aerospace or industrial applications; hands‑on experience with RTOS, firmware development, and low‑level programming.
• Experience with hardware bring‑up, debugging tools (JTAG, oscilloscopes, logic analyzers), and embedded toolchains.
• Proficiency with version control (Git), build systems, and continuous integration pipelines.
• Strong understanding of real‑time constraints, deterministic execution, and safe/reliable embedded design principles.
• Strong proficiency in C and C++ and familiarity with modern embedded development practices; experience with common communication peripherals (SPI, I2C, UART).
• Exposure to software development in Linux environments.
• Experience with VxWorks preferred but not required.

Competencies

• Accountability
• Sense of Urgency
• Extreme Ownership
• Execution and Delivery Efficiency
• Effectiveness

Work Environment

Generally an office environment, but may involve indoor or outdoor work depending on the task.

Requirements

• Must be able to complete a U.S. government background investigation.
• Proof of U.S. Citizenship or U.S. Permanent Residency is required.
• Must be willing to work evenings and weekends as needed to meet critical project milestones.

Physical Requirements

• Work may involve sitting or standing for extended periods (90% of the time).
• May require lifting and carrying up to 25 lbs. (5% of the time).

Equipment and Machines

Standard office equipment (PC, phone, printer, etc.)

Equal Employment Opportunity

Axiom Space is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Axiom Space does not discriminate on the basis of race, regional color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.