Senior Spacecraft Flight Software Engineer

HawkEye 360; Herndon (VA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 175,000; Full time

Job summary

HawkEye 360 in Herndon, Virginia is seeking a Senior Spacecraft Flight Software Engineer to develop flight software powering our spacecraft and payloads, from driver‑level code to integrated system functionality.

You will work on OBC flight software, radio communications, command & telemetry, and payload operations, collaborating with Systems Engineering, RF, Electrical, AI&T, and Operations to deliver robust on‑orbit software.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of spacecraft flight software development experience on RTOS or embedded Linux platforms.
• Strong proficiency in C, Python, and version control (Git).
• Proven ability to solve complex technical problems with high attention to detail and minimal oversight.
• Strong communication skills and ability to work effectively in cross‑functional engineering teams.
• B.S. degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field; or equivalent experience.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement flight software in C/C++ for spacecraft functions including radio communications, onboard computer (OBC) systems, telemetry, command handling, payload tasking, and autonomous fault protection.
• Develop and integrate low‑level embedded drivers for spacecraft subsystems across RTOS and embedded Linux platforms.
• Support hardware bring‑up and system integration, debugging interactions between software, processors, FPGAs, sensors, radios, and payload electronics.
• Conduct unit testing, integrated software testing, and hardware‑in‑the‑loop verification to ensure reliability before launch.
• Build and maintain Python and C/C++ tools for ground support equipment, automated testing workflows, and data processing.
• Analyze on‑orbit and ground‑test data to diagnose issues, validate performance, and drive continuous system improvements.
• Optimize software for Low‑SWA (Size, Weight, and Power) embedded environments, focusing on performance, efficiency, and resource utilization.
• Collaborate closely with Systems Engineering, RF, Electrical, AI&T, and Operations teams to ensure seamless multidisciplinary integration.
• Participate in rapid development cycles, supporting design reviews, code reviews, and iterative hardware/software testing.

Skills

C

Python

Git

Problem solving

Cross-functional teamwork

Education

B.S. in Computer Science / Electrical Engineering / Computer Engineering or related field

Tools

Git

Job description

Senior Spacecraft Flight Software Engineer – Space Team, Herndon, Virginia

HawkEye 360 is seeking a Senior Spacecraft Flight Software Engineer to develop flight software that powers our spacecraft and payloads. You will work directly with flight hardware from driver‑level code through integrated system functionality, influencing mission success by architecting, implementing, testing, and optimizing software that flies on‑orbit. Reporting to the Spacecraft Bus Lead, you’ll contribute to critical spacecraft systems including on‑board computer (OBC) flight software, radio communications, command & telemetry, and payload operations.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement flight software in C/C++ for critical spacecraft functions including radio communications, onboard computer (OBC) systems, telemetry, command handling, payload tasking, and autonomous fault protection.
• Develop and integrate low‑level embedded drivers for spacecraft subsystems across RTOS and embedded Linux platforms.
• Support hardware bring‑up and system integration, debugging interactions between software, processors, FPGAs, sensors, radios, and payload electronics.
• Conduct unit testing, integrated software testing, and hardware‑in‑the‑loop verification to ensure reliability before launch.
• Build and maintain Python and C/C++ tools for ground support equipment, automated testing workflows, and data processing.
• Analyze on‑orbit and ground‑test data to diagnose issues, validate performance, and drive continuous system improvements.
• Optimize software for Low‑SWA (Size, Weight, and Power) embedded environments, focusing on performance, efficiency, and resource utilization.
• Collaborate closely with Systems Engineering, RF, Electrical, AI&T, and Operations teams to ensure seamless multidisciplinary integration.
• Participate in rapid development cycles, supporting design reviews, code reviews, and iterative hardware/software testing.

Essential Skills & Qualifications

• 3+ years of spacecraft flight software development experience on RTOS or embedded Linux platforms.
• Strong proficiency in C, Python, and version control (Git).
• Proven ability to solve complex technical problems with high attention to detail and minimal oversight.
• Strong communication skills and ability to work effectively in cross‑functional engineering teams.
• B.S. degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field; or equivalent experience.

Desirable Skills

• Experience with spacecraft command and telemetry systems, mission operations, or satellite bus architectures.
• Radio communications systems development, including software‑defined radios or RF payload interfaces.
• Hands‑on experience with board bring‑up and hardware debugging using lab equipment (oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, signal generators).
• Knowledge of embedded communication protocols such as CAN, SPI, I²C, RS‑422, or similar.
• FPGA development experience, particularly with Xilinx Zynq platforms.
• Linux kernel internals and driver development.
• Experience with Xilinx Zynq UltraScale+, Zynq‑7000, or similar SoC platforms.
• Familiarity with bare‑metal microcontrollers or Zephyr RTOS.
• Understanding of Yocto/OpenEmbedded for ARM‑based embedded Linux systems; experience with GitLab CI or similar continuous integration tools.

Compensation

We offer a competitive base salary plus annual performance bonus and benefits. Salary range: $130,000 – $175,000 USD.

Equal Opportunity Statement

HawkEye 360 is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class.