Senior Spacecraft Flight Software Engineer Software

Front Door Defense; Herndon (VA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 175,000; Full time

Job summary

HawkEye 360 is seeking a Senior Spacecraft Flight Software Engineer to develop and validate robust flight software and drivers for our spacecraft. You will work from driver-level code through integrated system functionality, influencing mission success.

The role involves OBC FSW, radio, telemetry, command handling, and payload operations on-orbit. You will design and implement C/C++ flight software, develop embedded drivers, and collaborate with hardware teams across RTOS and embedded Linux

Qualifications

• 3+ years of spacecraft flight software development on RTOS or embedded Linux.
• Strong proficiency in C, Python, and Git.
• Proven ability to solve complex technical problems with high attention to detail.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively in cross-functional engineering teams.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement flight software in C/C++ for spacecraft functions including radio communications, 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 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 and drive continuous improvements.
• Optimize software for Low-Swap embedded environments focusing on performance and resource utilization.
• Collaborate with Systems Engineering, RF, Electrical, AI&T, and Operations teams for integration.
• Participate in rapid development cycles, design/code reviews, and testing.

Skills

C

Python

Git

Problem solving

Communication

Education

B.S. in CS/EE

Tools

RTOS

Embedded Linux

Xilinx Zynq

CAN/SPI/I2C

Git

Job description

Senior Spacecraft Flight Software Engineer

Develop and validate robust flight software and drivers for HawkEye 360 spacecraft

Location: Herndon, Virginia, United States

Compensation: $130,000 - 175,000 USD / year

Job Tags: Software

About The Role

HawkEye 360 (HE360) is seeking a Senior Spacecraft Flight Software Engineer to join the Space team in Herndon, Virginia. You will develop flight software that powers our spacecraft and payloads, working directly with flight hardware from driver-level code through integrated system functionality. This role offers the opportunity to directly influence 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 flight software (OBC FSW), radio communications, command & telemetry, and payload operations. This role is ideal for an engineer with proven spacecraft flight software experience who thrives in fast‑paced environments and enjoys solving complex technical problems.

Your main responsibilities will be:

• 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‑Swap (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 multi‑disciplinary integration.
• Participate in rapid development cycles, supporting design reviews, code reviews, and iterative hardware/software testing.

Your skills and qualifications: Essential education and experience:

• 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 the 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:

• Experience with spacecraft command and telemetry systems, mission operations, or satellite bus architectures.
• Radio communications system 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 tool.

We offer a compensation package that includes a competitive base salary plus annual performance bonus and benefits. We consider many factors when determining salary offers, such as candidate's work experience, education, training & skills, as well as market and business considerations. We are also open to considering candidates with experience and qualifications at a different level than required in a job posting, which may affect the compensation package offered.

Salary Range: $130,000 - $175,000 USD

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.