Spacecraft Flight Software Lead – Embedded Systems

HawkEye 360; Herndon (VA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 175,000; Full time

Job summary

HawkEye 360 in Herndon, Virginia is seeking a Senior Spacecraft Flight Software Engineer to develop flight software powering our spacecraft and payloads, from driver‑level code to integrated system functionality.

You will work on OBC flight software, radio communications, command & telemetry, and payload operations, collaborating with Systems Engineering, RF, Electrical, AI&T, and Operations to deliver robust on‑orbit software.

Qualifications

• 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 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.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement flight software in C/C++ for 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‑SWA (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 multidisciplinary integration.
• Participate in rapid development cycles, supporting design reviews, code reviews, and iterative hardware/software testing.

Skills

C

Python

Git

Problem solving

Cross-functional teamwork

Education

B.S. in Computer Science / Electrical Engineering / Computer Engineering or related field

Tools

Git

Job description

HawkEye 360 in Herndon, Virginia is seeking a Senior Spacecraft Flight Software Engineer to develop flight software powering our spacecraft and payloads, from driver‑level code to integrated system functionality.

You will work on OBC flight software, radio communications, command & telemetry, and payload operations, collaborating with Systems Engineering, RF, Electrical, AI&T, and Operations to deliver robust on‑orbit software.