Spacecraft Flight Software Engineer

Spacecraft Flight Software Engineer

Role Description

We are seeking a Spacecraft Flight Software Engineer to join our flight program team. This is a full-time, in office role for an experienced professional with a proven track record of hands-on work across spacecraft flight software (FSW). In this role, you will design and implement the software architecture that controls everything from core telemetry and bus communications to complex boot behaviors and memory management. You will bridge the gap between high-level logic and low-level hardware, ensuring our spacecraft operates with industry-leading reliability in the harsh environment of space.

Key Responsibilities .

• Build and maintain spacecraft FSW architecture.
• Implement new software components and communication protocols to support mission-specific payload requirements.
• Ensure the smooth operation of core system tasks, including telemetry collection, precise time-stamping, rate group scheduling, and robust bus communications.
• Develop drivers and logic for interfacing with FPGAs and GPIOs to control spacecraft hardware.
• Design and manage memory storage solutions, making critical design decisions regarding volatile vs non-volatile memory to ensure data integrity.
• Develop and implement critical boot behaviors, partition swapping logic, and fail-safe recovery modes.
• Manage the codebase using Gitlab, including the development and maintenance of CI/CD pipelines for automated testing and development.
• Execute comprehensive test campaigns on flatsat testbeds and flight units to verify software performance under flight-like conditions.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate subsystems with the spacecraft main compute element.
• Ensure compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements.
• Document design processes, test results, and system performance.
• Provide technical guidance on FSW architectures to fellow engineers, fostering a culture of excellence and innovation.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or advanced degree in computer science, aerospace engineering, or similar field.
• 5+ years of core flight software experience in aerospace or related fields, with heavy emphasis on hands-on spacecraft code development and testing
• Proficiency in Python, C/C++, and embedded Linux.
• Demonstrated expertise with hardware-level protocols (I2C, CAN, UART, RS485, etc.) and interfacing with FPGAs and GPIOs.
• Strong proficiency with Gitlab and CI/CD workflows.
• Strong ability to collaborate effectively in a dynamic environment while maintaining a positive and professional attitude.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
• Must possess or be willing and eligible to obtain a United States Department of Defense Top Secret security clearance.

Desired Qualifications:

• Proficiency in frameworks such as FPrime or CFS, and strong grasp of core computer architecture principles including operating systems, memory architecture, and I/O interfaces
• Experience working in clean room environments and adhering to ESD protocols.
• Experience with memory management, file systems, and bootloader development for embedded systems.

Company Description

Proteus Space is a Los Angeles-based spacecraft technology company established to capitalize on a rapidly evolving space landscape and the urgent need to deliver resilient orbital capabilities to maintain and increase our national science and security interests. We combine serious space flight experience with an open minded, first-principles approach, leveraging advanced computational design and Industry 4.0 practices to deliver custom spacecraft and mission solutions with industry leading speed, precision, and reliability. We seek to enable every payload and mission with a fully custom, purpose-built spacecraft bus, designed and delivered using Proteus™, our patent-pending, automated computational design platform, with industry leading reliability.

Benefits

Proteus Space offers comprehensive benefits including paid medical healthcare for employees, flexible vacation policy, sick days, 401k matching option, pregnancy leave, family leave, holiday pay, military service leave, dental care, vision care and other benefits.

Equal Opportunity

Proteus is committed to providing equal employment opportunities regardless of an applicant’s age, disability, sex, race, religion, gender, national origin, veteran status or any other legally protected characteristic. The Company will provide reasonable accommodations to an applicant with a disability or religious belief in or to enable the applicant to apply for the position.