Staff Engineer, Flight Software

LinuxCareers; Tukwila (WA); On-site; USD 155,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

BlackSky is seeking a Staff Engineer, Flight Software to be a hands-on contributor in the Satellite Embedded Software Group, designing, developing, and leading software for the imaging payload and ADCS subsystems.

You will drive cross‑functional collaboration, champion clean C/C++ and Python code, ensure rigorous testing and documentation, and mentor teammates as you deliver mission‑critical features in a production environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or equivalent experience.
• At least 10 years of experience delivering and maintaining commercial/embedded software in production environments.
• Expertise in engineering clean and maintainable C/C++ and Python code.
• Expertise in embedded systems, ideally in Embedded Linux including build systems such as Buildroot or Yocto.
• Proven experience leading cross-functional teams to deliver products on time and on budget.
• Outstanding root cause analysis and problem-solving skills; excellent written and verbal communication; ability to work across diverse teams with minimal supervision.
• US-born citizenship required due to program requirements.

Responsibilities

• Provide subject matter expertise for ADCS and imaging payload subsystem software design and development
• Drive work to completion using Jira in an Agile-like environment; participate in and lead status meetings, standups, sprint planning, and tasking
• Collaborate with embedded systems team members and cross-functional engineers to deliver mission-critical software features and bug fixes on time and defect-free
• Ensure adequate documentation, testing, inspection, and analysis to verify compliance with requirements
• Assist with systems engineering in requirements development and management; execute and provide feedback for flight software design, development, unit tests, and release processes

Skills

C/C++

Python

Embedded Linux

Buildroot

Yocto

Embedded systems

Leadership

Root cause analysis

Communication

Education

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

Job description

BlackSky is a real-time intelligence company operating an advanced space-based intelligence platform. This Staff Engineer, Flight Software role is a hands-on individual contributor in the Satellite Embedded Software Group responsible for software design, development, and technical leadership for satellite imaging payload and ADCS subsystems, with opportunities for mentorship and expansion to other flight software subsystems.

What You'll Do

• Provide subject matter expertise for ADCS and imaging payload subsystem software design and development
• Drive work to completion using Jira in an Agile-like environment; participate in and lead status meetings, standups, sprint planning, and tasking
• Collaborate with embedded systems team members and cross-functional engineers to deliver mission-critical software features and bug fixes on time and defect-free
• Ensure adequate documentation, testing, inspection, and analysis to verify compliance with requirements
• Assist with systems engineering in requirements development and management; execute and provide feedback for flight software design, development, unit tests, and release processes

What You Need

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or equivalent experience
• At least 10 years of experience delivering and maintaining commercial/embedded software in production environments
• Expertise in engineering clean and maintainable C/C++ and Python code
• Expertise in embedded systems, ideally in Embedded Linux including related build systems such as Buildroot or Yocto
• Proven experience leading cross-functional teams to deliver products on time and on budget
• Outstanding root cause analysis and problem-solving skills; excellent written and verbal communication; ability to work across diverse teams with minimal supervision
• US-born citizenship required due to program requirements

Nice to Have

• Advanced degree (Master's or PhD) in a relevant field
• Experience in board bring-up for embedded Linux platforms
• Familiarity with hardware interfaces: GPIO, I2C, SPI, CAN, USART, PHY, SpaceWire, Cameralink, RS-422, or high-speed interfaces such as 10G Ethernet, DMA, PCIe
• Experience with Real-Time Operating Systems, including FreeRTOS; familiarity with U-Boot or other bootloaders
• Space industry experience and familiarity with satellite components; experience working on embedded software relevant to ADCS/GNC

Anticipated salary range $155,000–$180,000 per year for Seattle, WA candidates. Benefits include medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance (BlackSky pays 100% of employee-only premiums for medical, dental, and vision, plus $100/month for out-of-pocket expenses), 15 days PTO, 11 company holidays, four floating holidays, one paid volunteerism day per year, parental leave, 401(k) with employer match, flexible spending accounts, employee stock purchase program, professional development support, and choice of Mac or PC.