Software Engineer – Control Systems

Socket.dev; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous equity

Healthcare (vision and dental)

401(k)

Unlimited PTO

Job summary

Azora is seeking an embedded software engineer to write the software controlling aerospace hardware, including real-time control and FPGA interfaces. You will own software that talks to FPGAs, detectors, lasers, gimbals, and sensors across flight and ground systems.

Responsibilities include developing drivers, RTOS/Linux-based software, fault handling, and HIL test environments, collaborating with hardware, FPGA, and optical engineers to ensure deterministic, low-latency operation.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of embedded or hardware-adjacent software experience in C/C++ (Rust or Python tooling is a plus).
• Experience with embedded Linux and/or RTOS environments (FreeRTOS, Zephyr, VxWorks, RTEMS).
• Hands-on experience with SPI, I2C, UART, CAN, PCIe or memory-mapped FPGA peripherals.
• Comfort with lab debugging: logic analyzers, JTAG, oscilloscopes, and reading schematics.

Responsibilities

• Develop embedded and real-time software for flight and ground hardware: device drivers, board support, FPGA interfaces, and control applications.
• Implement control loops and supervision logic for lasers, detectors, and power management.
• Build hardware bring-up, manufacturing test, and calibration software used across engineering and production units.
• Develop flight software components including fault detection, isolation, and recovery (FDIR), telemetry, and command handling.
• Create hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) test environments and automated regression suites for embedded software.
• Work side-by-side with electrical, FPGA, and optical engineers during integration and environmental test campaigns.
• Profile and optimize for determinism, latency, and resource constraints on embedded targets.
• Ability to solve complex problems in challenging field environments.

Skills

Embedded C/C++

RTOS/Embedded Linux

Hardware interfaces (SPI, I2C, UART,  

PCIe/Memory-mapped FPGA peripherals

Lab debugging (JTAG, logic analyzers,

Rust or Python tooling

Education

BS/MS in Computer Science or Electrical Engineering

Tools

JTAG

Logic analyzers

Oscilloscopes

Schematic reading

Job description

Role

Write the software controlling our hardware; including embedded control, drivers, and real-time applications running on Azora's space terminals and ground stations. You will own the software that talks directly to FPGAs, detectors, lasers, gimbals, and sensors integrated into our flight and ground systems.

Responsibilities

• Develop embedded and real-time software for flight and ground hardware: device drivers, board support, FPGA register interfaces (AXI/memory-mapped), and control applications.
• Implement control loops and supervision logic for lasers, fine-steering mirrors, detectors, thermal systems, and power management.
• Build hardware bring-up, manufacturing test, and calibration software used across engineering and production units.
• Develop flight software components including fault detection, isolation, and recovery (FDIR), telemetry, and command handling.
• Create hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) test environments and automated regression suites for embedded software.
• Work side-by-side with electrical, FPGA, and optical engineers during integration and environmental test campaigns.
• Profile and optimize for determinism, latency, and resource constraints on embedded targets.
• Ability to solve complex problems in challenging field environments.

Required Qualifications

• BS/MS in Computer Science, Computer/Electrical Engineering, or related field.
• 4+ years of embedded or hardware-adjacent software experience in C/C++ (and ideally Rust or Python for tooling).
• Experience with embedded Linux and/or RTOS environments (FreeRTOS, Zephyr, VxWorks, RTEMS).
• Hands-on experience with hardware interfaces: SPI, I2C, UART, CAN, PCIe, or memory-mapped FPGA peripherals.
• Comfort with lab debugging: logic analyzers, JTAG, oscilloscopes, and reading schematics.

Preferred

• Flight software experience (cFS, F´, or proprietary frameworks) and knowledge of FDIR design.
• Experience with Zynq/Versal-class SoCs or soft-core processors and FPGA/software co-design.
• Background in motion control, optical instrumentation, or camera/detector readout software.
• Familiarity with space software standards (NASA NPR 7150.2, ECSS-E-ST-40) or safety-critical development practices.

Location

This is an onsite/hybrid role based in Tempe, AZ or the Bay Area, CA – hardware work that’s hard to do remotely. Some travel expected for field deployment and vendor/manufacturing visits.

Benefits

• Generous equity
• Competitive healthcare (including options for vision and dental)
• 401(k)
• Unlimited PTO

EEO & Reasonable Accommodations

• Azora is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.
• If you need a reasonable accommodation as part of your application for employment or interviews with us, please let us know by contacting [e-mail]

Export Control

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicants must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful permanent resident (iii) protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or (iv) be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Salary ranges are based on the following criteria:

• Final salary is based on geographic location, experience, skills, and qualifications.

About this Company

Azora is building high-bandwidth communications infrastructure for environments where fiber can’t reach. This work spans LEO spacecraft constellations, lunar exploration missions, GEO satcom, deployable optical ground for defense, and data centers both on- and off-world. To enable rapid global proliferation Azora is developing compact and modular optical terminals small enough to deploy from a backpack, and space terminals that support high speed optical links from LEO out to the Moon.