Sr. Software Engineer

Magma Space Inc.; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 140,000 - 220,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

401(k) matching

Health insurance (dental and vision)

Paid vacation

Relocation assistance

On-site gym

Job summary

Magma Space Inc. in Washington, DC is seeking a Senior Software Engineer to own critical software capabilities across our product lines, combining embedded C on Xilinx Zynq with Python tooling for testing and data analysis.

You will work at the hardware–software boundary, read schematics, and engage with bench-level debugging, while shaping CI, testing, and documentation practices for high-assurance space systems. Relocation help and equity opportunities are available.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.
• 6+ years of software engineering experience.
• Proficiency in embedded C and Python.
• Hardware fluency: read schematics and debug at the bench with an oscilloscope.
• Experience writing maintainable code and establishing code review, testing, and documentation practices.
• Must be a U.S. Person due to ITAR/EAR export control requirements.

Responsibilities

• Develop embedded C on a Xilinx Zynq SoC (bare-metal, FreeRTOS, or embedded Linux).
• Build Python tooling for test automation and data analysis.
• Develop ground-support and test-station software communicating with hardware over Ethernet or serial.
• Own the CI, build, and version-control infrastructure (DevOps).
• Debug at the hardware–software boundary: read schematics and work at the bench with a scope.
• Establish and champion software practices — code review, testing, and documentation.
• Collaborate with GNC, electrical, and mechanical teams.
• Own specific software-based capabilities for Magma’s product suite and communicate technical concepts across teams.
• Occasional travel to support program and customer needs.

Skills

Embedded C

Python

Hardware knowledge

Schematic reading

Code reviews

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or Computer Science

Tools

Vivado

Oscilloscope

Job description

We are seeking a Senior Software Engineer to join our team in Washington, DC. You’ll own various capabilities across our product lines and play a critical role in bringing novel technologies to market. In a given week you could switch between embedded C on a Xilinx Zynq SoC (bare-metal, FreeRTOS, or embedded Linux), Python tooling for test automation and data analysis, ground-support and test-station software that talks to hardware over Ethernet or serial, and the CI, build, and version-control infrastructure behind it. You will have enough hardware fluency to read a schematic, sit at the bench with a scope, and debug where software meets hardware. You will also write code others can maintain, set up the practices around it, and contribute to company strategy. We're a close-knit, mission-aligned team that likes building side by side in our DC office, and we're looking for someone with startup DNA who moves fast and wants real ownership of the hardware flying on the next generation of spacecraft. With an oversubscribed funding round just closed and several high-stakes projects underway with NASA and the U.S. Space Force, we're paving the way for the future of spaceflight, and this is your chance to help build it from the ground up.

About Magma Space

At Magma Space, we're on a mission to deliver the most precise spacecraft pointing ever achieved. We're developing groundbreaking control actuators, including magnetically levitated reaction wheels and control moment gyroscopes that drastically reduce onboard vibrations while delivering unmatched momentum. But our vision goes beyond hardware. We're at the forefront of integrating AI-enhanced software for real-time environment monitoring with novel sensing capabilities. Our goal is to provide satellites with an unprecedented level of stability, agility, and accuracy, enhancing their capabilities like never before.

We're proud to be supported by NASA, the U.S. Space Force, and other Defense organizations, who see Magma's technology as critical to the success of the next generation of space missions. With three orbital tech demonstrations in the next 18 months, we're gearing up to take the space sector by storm.

Join us at Magma Space and make a lasting impact on the booming space economy!

Description

Key Responsibilities

• Develop embedded C on a Xilinx Zynq SoC (bare-metal, FreeRTOS, or embedded Linux).
• Build Python tooling for test automation and data analysis.
• Develop ground-support and test-station software that communicates with hardware over Ethernet or serial.
• Own the CI, build, and version-control infrastructure (DevOps).
• Debug at the hardware–software boundary: read schematics and work at the bench with a scope.
• Establish and champion software practices — code review, testing, and documentation.
• Collaborate closely with GNC, electrical, and mechanical teams.
• Own specific software-based capabilities for Magma’s product suite and clearly communicate technical concepts across cross-functional teams.
• Occasional travel required to support program and customer needs.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.
• 6+ years of software engineering experience.
• Proficiency in embedded C and Python.
• Hardware fluency: able to read a schematic and debug at the bench with an oscilloscope.
• Experience writing maintainable code and setting up code review, testing, and documentation practices.
• Must be a U.S. Person (U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or asylee/refugee) due to ITAR/EAR export control requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in spaceflight, defense, or other high-reliability environments.
• FPGA or SoC experience (VHDL/Verilog, Vivado, processor-to-logic interfaces) is a significant bonus but not required.

What We Offer

• The opportunity to work on cutting-edge technology in the rapidly growing space industry.
• A high-energy, in-person team in DC that loves building together: collaborative, ambitious, and mission-aligned.
• Meaningful equity and real ownership: competitive salary plus an equity stake in a fast-growing, well-backed company.
• Comprehensive benefits, including 401(k), health insurance with dental and vision, paid vacation, paid sick leave, paid holidays, paid parental leave, and a free on-site gym.
• Relocation assistance.
• The chance to make a real, visible impact on the future of space exploration. Your work will go to space!

Magma Space Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Even if you don’t meet all the qualifications as outlined here, but are still excited about the role, we encourage you to apply anyway.