Senior Flight Software Designer (6+ month Contract)

Kepler Communications Inc.; United States; On-site; USD 96,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation with equity

Health, dental, vision insurance

Unlimited vacation and parental leave

Holiday shutdown

Relocation packages

Professional development fund

Toronto office kitchen

Town hall events

Great Place to Work

Job summary

Kepler Communications is seeking a top-tier Flight Software Engineer for a 6+ month contract to develop and maintain flight software and embedded Linux for space and ground assets across a growing fleet of spacecraft. You will influence system design, own build environments with OpenEmbedded/Yocto, and collaborate with cross-functional teams including hardware, ground software, and operations.

The role emphasizes reliability and deterministic behavior in resource-constrained environments, with

Qualifications

• Required: Bachelor's degree in CS or EE or equivalent.
• 7+ years embedded development experience in Aerospace or related field.
• Strong design, architecture, testing, and debugging skills.
• Proficient in C/C++ for resource-constrained, mission-critical systems.
• Solid embedded Linux development, including kernel modules and drivers.
• Experience with OpenEmbedded/Yocto build systems.
• Experience with Linux-based platforms such as Zynq MPSoCs/Versal/NVIDIA Jetson.
• Experience integrating distributed interfaces using ZeroMQ and Protocol Buffers.
• Excellent communication and git usage skills.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop embedded software for space and ground systems.
• Maintain flight software and Linux-based platform software.
• Own and maintain build environments using OpenEmbedded/Yocto.
• Integrate flight software with ground software via HTTP APIs and messaging.
• Write tests and documentation and participate in design/code reviews.
• Collaborate with hardware, ground software, and operations teams.
• Provide technical leadership and mentor junior engineers.

Skills

Embedded systems

C/C++

Embedded Linux

Git

ZeroMQ

Protocol Buffers

HTTP APIs

Deterministic software

Debugging

Technical leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or Electrical Engineering

Master’s degree (bonus)

Tools

OpenEmbedded/Yocto

Xilinx Zynq MPSoCs

Versal SoCs

NVIDIA Jetson

Qt/SDKs

Docker

Kubernetes (bonus)

Protocol Buffers

Job description

At Kepler Communications, we're not just imagining the future of on-demand space connectivity - we're leading it!

Our mission is to provide real-time on-orbit connectivity for critical missions, enabling a new era of data-driven intelligence and innovation. With 33 satellites launched to date, Kepler operates the first commercial optical data relay constellation, enabling real-time, continuous space communications while supporting advanced on-orbit compute and hosted payload capabilities.

Industry-leading technology is only part of the story. What sets Kepler apart is our team: bold thinkers, skilled builders, and passionate problem-solvers who thrive on pushing the boundaries ofwhat’spossible in space. We believe great ideas come from diverse perspectives, andwe’recommitted to creating an environment where you can grow, lead, and make a global impact.

Ifyou’reready to reach higher, move faster, and do work that shapes the future space economy - this is your launchpad. Come build the future with Kepler!

What We Offer:

* Competitive compensationwith a robust equity plan to share in our success.

* Comprehensive coverage for health, dental, and vision insurance—including dependents.

* Unlimited vacation, supportive parental leave policy,and company-wide holiday shutdown.

* Semi-annual company-wide partiesand frequent in-office team events.

* Relocation packagesavailable for approved roles.

* $1,500 annual professional development fundto support your growth.

* Fully stocked Toronto office kitchenwith snacks, drinks, games and top-notch kitchen appliances.

* Town Halls, Celebration Calls, and Company-wide events to stay connected and engaged.

* We’re a certifiedGreat Place to Work®, seven years in a row!

We're on the hunt for a top-tier Flight Software Engineer for a 6+ month contract. Your focus will be on the development and maintenance of flight software and embedded Linux software for both space and ground-based assets across a growing fleet of spacecraft. You'll be relied upon for input and decisions that will directly impact system design and operation.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design and develop reliable, high-quality software related to:
  
  
  
  • Embedded Linux applications and platform software for both space and ground systems
  
  
  • Flight software applications and services supporting spacecraft command and control, telemetry, fault detection and recovery, resource management, and on-orbit operations
  
  
  • Linux-based development on Xilinx Zynq MPSoCs, Versal SoCs, and NVIDIA Jetson-class hardware
  
  
  
  


• Own and maintain embedded Linux build environments using OpenEmbedded/Yocto, including layers, recipes, system images, SDKs, package configuration, and build troubleshooting


• Design and integrate flight software interfaces with ground software, including HTTP APIs and ZeroMQ message buses using data formats such as Protocol Buffers


• Write thorough tests and documentation


• Participate in software design review and code review processes


• Work with electrical, digital design, ground software, and operations teams to identify required features and define the system architecture


• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to junior engineers


• Identify shortcomings in existing software components and direct future development efforts

Required Skills & Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or equivalent


• 7+ years of embedded development experience, in Aerospace or relevant industry


• Strong software design and development skills, including architecture, algorithms, testing, and debugging


• Proficiency in C/C++, with experience developing reliable software for resource-constrained, mission-critical systems


• Strong embedded Linux experience, including application development, system integration, debugging, kernel modules, device trees, and drivers


• Experience owning and maintaining embedded Linux build systems using OpenEmbedded/Yocto


• Experience developing Linux-based software for platforms such as Xilinx Zynq MPSoCs, Versal SoCs, or comparable embedded Linuxplatforms


• Experience developing and integrating distributed software interfaces using technologies such as ZeroMQ, Protocol Buffers, and HTTP APIs


• Understanding of flight-software concerns such as fault tolerance, deterministic behaviour, resource constraints, and operational reliability


• Excellent communication skills


• Ability to effectively use git

Bonus Points:

• Master’s degree


• Experience developing software for aerospace applications


• Experience deploying and supporting containerized software using Kubernetes on embedded Linux systems


• Experience with NVIDIA Jetson-class hardware


• Experience developing multi-stage bootloaders


• Experience developing in Python

Employment Equity & Accommodation Statement

Kepler Communications is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. We welcome applications from all qualified individuals, including women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible minorities, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities.

If you require accommodation during any stage of the recruitment process, please contact our People & Culture team at [e-mail], and we will work with you to meet your needs.