Linux Low-Level Software Engineer

HR Talent Partner SA; Somerset West; On-site; ZAR 300 000 - 400 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading Engineering firm located in Somerset West is seeking a Linux Low-Level Software Engineer to design and maintain advanced low-level Linux-based embedded software. The ideal candidate will have over 5 years of experience in aerospace with strong programming skills in C/C++. This full-time role offers excellent salary and opportunities for internal career advancement.

Benefits

Excellent salary

Career advancement opportunities

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in aerospace or defense fields.
• Experience developing software for real-time operating systems.
• Familiarity with kernel configuration and driver development.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain custom Linux distributions tailored for space hardware.
• Implement secure boot and kernel hardening techniques.
• Design fault-tolerant software systems for real-time applications.

Skills

Embedded Linux Development

C/C++ Programming

Real-Time Operating Systems

Hardware-Software Integration

Security Expertise

AI/ML Integration

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Engineering or equivalent

Tools

Yocto

FreeRTOS

CI/CD pipelines

Job description

Linux Low-Level Software Engineer required in Somerset West.

A renowned Manufacturing Engineering company is looking for a Linux Low-Level Software Engineer to join their team on a full-time permanent basis in the Helderberg Area.

Excellent salary on offer and internal career advancement opportunities.

Position Overview:

Design, develop, and maintain robust, efficient, and secure low-level Linux-based embedded software for edge computing platforms deployed in orbit, ensuring system reliability, fault tolerance,
and optimal performance under extreme space conditions.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s Degree Computer Engineering, or Electrical/Electronic Engineering, or Computer Science, or Mechatronics Engineering.
• 5+ years of experience, especially in aerospace, defense, or other high-reliability domains.
• Embedded Linux Development
  • Hands-on experience building and customizing Linux distributions (e.g., Yocto, Buildroot) for embedded platforms.
  • Experience with kernel configuration, patching, and driver development.
• Low-Level Programming
  • Strong experience in C/C++ for hardware-near programming.
  • Familiarity with assembly language and debugging at the register level is a plus.
• Real-Time and Mission-Critical Systems
  • Experience developing software for real-time operating systems (RTOS) or real-time Linux.
  • Proven track record in designing fault-tolerant, deterministic systems for aerospace, automotive, or industrial control.
• Hardware-Software Integration
  • Experience working closely with hardware teams to bring up new boards and debug hardware/software interactions.
  • Familiarity with board support packages (BSPs), bootloaders (e.g., U-Boot), and peripheral interfaces (SPI, I2C, UART, CAN).
• Space or Harsh Environment Systems (Highly Preferred)
  • Prior experience developing software for space-grade or radiation-hardened systems.
  • Understanding of space system constraints such as limited power, thermal management, and radiation effects.
• Security & Reliability
  • Experience implementing secure boot, system hardening, and secure communication protocols.
  • Familiarity with OTA update mechanisms and system recovery strategies.
• Testing and Validation
  • Experience with automated testing frameworks, hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing, and simulation environments.
  • Exposure to formal verification or model-based design is a plus.

Recommendations:

• Academic Background
  • Postgraduate Degree (MSc or PhD) in Embedded Systems, Real-Time Systems, or Space Systems Engineering — especially for roles involving mission-critical software or research-heavy
    development.
  • Certifications in Embedded Linux, RTOS, or cybersecurity (e.g., CompTIA Security+, Linux Foundation Certified Engineer) may be valued but are not typically mandatory.
• Domain-Specific Experience
  • Prior experience in space systems engineering, satellite software development, or aerospace grade embedded systems.
  • Familiarity with radiation-hardened processors, fault-tolerant architectures, and space-qualified hardware.

Advanced Technical Skills:

• Experience with real-time Linux or RTOS (e.g., FreeRTOS, VxWorks) in mission-critical applications.
• Knowledge of RISC-V, ARM Cortex-R/M, or FPGA-based platforms.
• Exposure to formal verification, model-based design, or safety-critical software certification standards (e.g., ECSS, DO-178C).

Security Expertise:

• Hands-on experience with secure boot, TPM, SELinux, or other kernel-level security mechanisms.
• Understanding of space cybersecurity standards and secure OTA update systems.

AI/ML Integration:

• Experience integrating AI/ML workloads on embedded platforms for autonomous decision making in orbit.
• Familiarity with edge inference frameworks (e.g., TensorFlow Lite, ONNX Runtime) optimized for embedded Linux.

Tooling and Automation:

• Proficiency with CI/CD pipelines for embedded systems (e.g., GitLab CI, Jenkins, Buildbot).
• Experience with hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing and simulation environments for space conditions.

Communication Protocols:

• Knowledge of space communication standards (e.g., CCSDS, DTN, SLE).
• Experience with inter-satellite links, ground station interfaces, or custom telemetry protocols.

System Programming:

• Familiarity with io_uring.

Special requirement(s):

• Willingness to travel overseas.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• System Architecture & Platform Integration
  • Develop and maintain custom Linux distributions (Yocto) tailored for space-grade hardware.
  • Integrate kernel modules, device drivers, and board support packages (BSPs) for radiation hardened processors and microcontrollers.
  • Collaborate with hardware engineers to align software with board-level specifications and constraints.
• Kernel & Driver Development
  • Customize and optimize the Linux kernel for real-time performance and minimal resource usage.
  • Develop and maintain device drivers for sensors, communication interfaces (CAN, UART, SPI, I2C), and specialized space hardware.
  • Implement power management and thermal control strategies at the kernel level.
• Embedded Software Reliability
  • Design fault-tolerant software systems capable of autonomous recovery and graceful degradation.
  • Implement watchdogs, health monitoring and reporting mechanisms.
  • Conduct rigorous testing (unit, integration, HIL) to validate software under simulated space conditions.
• Security & Hardening
  • Apply secure boot, kernel hardening, and sandboxing techniques to protect against unauthorized access and system compromise.
  • Ensure compliance with space cybersecurity standards and protocols.
  • Monitor and patch vulnerabilities in deployed systems via secure OTA updates.
• Performance Optimization
  • Profile and optimize system performance for constrained environments (CPU, memory, power).
  • Implement efficient data handling pipelines for edge AI/ML workloads and telemetry processing.
  • Support real-time scheduling and deterministic behaviour for mission-critical tasks.
• Collaboration & Documentation
  • Work closely with mission software, AI/ML, and ground control teams to ensure seamless integration.
  • Maintain detailed documentation of system architecture, configurations, and operational procedures.
  • Participate in design reviews, code audits, and mission readiness assessments.

Applying for Position:

• Only open to South African citizens.
• If you are interested in this great career opportunity, please send your CV.