Senior Spaceflight Embedded Software Engineer

Apex Space, Inc.; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 185,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Company-paid healthcare

PTO 15+ days

401(k) matching

Parental leave

Daily meals & snacks

Office events

Job summary

Apex Space, Inc. is seeking a Senior Embedded Software Engineer to own and advance the software that brings our spacecraft to life.

You will collaborate with mission operations, GNC, and hardware teams to architect, prototype, and deploy mission-critical software that operates 24/7 across all mission phases. The role requires extensive embedded C/C++ experience, knowledge of OSes and drivers, and a track record of delivering robust software for aerospace systems.

Qualifications

• U.S. Citizenship and ability to access export-controlled data.
• Active Top Secret or Top Secret/SCI clearance required; ability to obtain additional program access as needed.
• 8+ years writing C/C++ for embedded systems, ideally in spacecraft, robotics, automotive, or other hardware that interacts with the physical world.
• Bachelor’s degree in CS, EE, or equivalent.
• Strong proficiency in programming languages such as 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.
• 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++

Embedded systems

Python

Rust

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Embedded Linux

Yocto

Buildroot

FreeRTOS

VxWorks

Job description

Apex Space, Inc. is seeking a Senior Embedded Software Engineer to own and advance the software that brings our spacecraft to life.

You will collaborate with mission operations, GNC, and hardware teams to architect, prototype, and deploy mission-critical software that operates 24/7 across all mission phases. The role requires extensive embedded C/C++ experience, knowledge of OSes and drivers, and a track record of delivering robust software for aerospace systems.