Senior Spacecraft Flight Software Engineer

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab; Laurel (MD); On-site; USD 100,000 - 245,000; Full time

Job summary

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (JHUAPL) Space Exploration Sector seeks an embedded software developer to build and test software that runs spacecraft, collaborating closely with hardware teams to ensure a rock-solid stack capable of communicating across vast distances.

You will contribute to a diverse suite of embedded environments, advancing best practices and modular design while working toward mission-critical timelines.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Electrical or Computer Engineering, or equivalent.
• At least 5 years of experience in software development (graduate study may count).
• Expertise in C and C++.
• Experience with scripting languages (Python, Ruby or PERL).
• Experience with decentralized version control and configuration management systems, such as Git.
• Strong interpersonal skills, initiative, and independent follow-through.
• Eligibility to obtain a Top Secret/SCI clearance (U.S. citizenship required).
• MS or PhD in Computer Science, Electrical or Computer Engineering, or equivalent.
• 7+ years of professional experience (bonus).
• Familiarity with flight software libraries, RTEMS/RT Linux/VxWorks, and DevOps tools (GitLab/Bamboo).
• Experience with Rust/Go, Docker/Podman, Kubernetes, TCP/IP, CCSDS, DTN, and team leadership.

Responsibilities

• Use embedded practices to build spacecraft software.
• Develop and maintain a robust unit, integration, and system testing pipeline.
• Coordinate with avionics, telecommunications, networking, navigation, systems, and test teams to define interfaces.
• Design and test modular, reusable software for embedded environments.
• Research and advocate for emerging software practices, architectures, and languages.

Skills

C and C++

Scripting (Python/Ruby/PERL)

Interpersonal skills

Education

Bachelor's Degree in CS/EE/CE or equivalent

MS/PhD in related field

Tools

Git

Docker/Podman

Kubernetes

Job description

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (JHUAPL) Space Exploration Sector seeks an embedded software developer to build and test software that runs spacecraft, collaborating closely with hardware teams to ensure a rock-solid stack capable of communicating across vast distances.

You will contribute to a diverse suite of embedded environments, advancing best practices and modular design while working toward mission-critical timelines.