Senior Spacecraft Flight Software Engineer

Apex; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity in Apex

Company-paid health care

15–20 days PTO

401(k) matching

Parental leave

Lunch and snacks

Playa Vista office

Stock options

Job summary

Apex in Playa Vista, CA is seeking a Senior Embedded Software Engineer for its Flight Software team to design, develop, and own software that brings our spacecraft to life, enabling autonomous operation across all mission phases.

You will collaborate with mission operations, GNC, and hardware teams to architect, prototype, and deliver mission-critical software, with a focus on reliability in 24/7 space environments.

Qualifications

• 8+ years writing C/C++ for embedded systems.
• Bachelor’s degree in CS, EE, or equivalent.
• Strong proficiency in C++, Python, or Rust.

Responsibilities

• Develop the low level software that configures and drives the processor peripherals and communication interfaces on our avionics.
• Write and debug the device drivers for the sensors, actuators, and components across the bus.
• Implement onboard algorithms, including closed loop control and the logic that detects and responds to faults such as failed sensors or radiation upsets.
• Design, develop, and own mission-critical software for satellite systems throughout the full software lifecycle, from initial architecture and development through deployment and operations.
• Develop rapid, iterative software to support bench and development testing, as well as robust, rigorously reviewed and validated software delivered to manufacturing and flight systems.
• Plan and execute unit, integration, and system-level testing of satellite components, diagnosing and resolving defects to ensure software quality, reliability, and performance.
• With a focus on embedded software and hardware designs, collaborate cross-functionally with systems, hardware, test, and operations teams to establish product requirements, define technical roadmaps, and drive successful execution.
• Support spacecraft commissioning during launch and early operations, troubleshooting software and ensuring critical flight systems remain functional and reliable throughout critical mission activities.

Skills

C/C++

Python

Rust

Embedded systems

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/EE

Tools

Embedded Linux (Yocto/Buildroot)

FreeRTOS

VxWorks

Git

Job description

Apex in Playa Vista, CA is seeking a Senior Embedded Software Engineer for its Flight Software team to design, develop, and own software that brings our spacecraft to life, enabling autonomous operation across all mission phases.

You will collaborate with mission operations, GNC, and hardware teams to architect, prototype, and deliver mission-critical software, with a focus on reliability in 24/7 space environments.