Senior Flight Software Engineer

Overview

Draper is an independent, nonprofit research and development company headquartered in Cambridge, MA. The 2,000+ employees of Draper tackle important national challenges with a promise of delivering successful and usable solutions. From military defense and space exploration to biomedical engineering, lives often depend on the solutions we provide. Our multidisciplinary teams of engineers and scientists work in a collaborative environment that inspires the cross-fertilization of ideas necessary for true innovation. For more information about Draper, visit

Job Description Summary

Software Engineer (SMTS) develops high performance solutions for resource constrained targets. Develops next‑generation resilient and fault tolerant software solutions in the application domains of undersea, terrestrial, air, hypersonics and space. The engineer is involved in the full software development life cycle.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Evaluates requirements, proposes solutions, explores design trades to support a design.
• Designs algorithms using modern theory and proven techniques.
• Develops embedded software based on prototype algorithms with supervision.
• Analyzes designs to demonstrate performance and functionality.
• Develops and executes software tests to check compliance with requirements.
• Evaluates results to establish problem causes and develop solutions for inefficiencies or problems.
• Prepares technical data, procedures, reports, drawings, manuals, and other required documentation.
• Communicates with customers and stakeholders to establish requirements and describe the design and deliverables.
• Drives solutions to complex problems with limited direction — contributes to requirements development and architecture solution ideation.
• Has the ability to take responsibility for a subset of engineering scope.
• Identifies program/system‑level technical risks and develops and executes mitigation strategies for them.
• Actively mentors less experienced engineers.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Skills and Abilities

• Excellent development and troubleshooting skills on embedded targets.
• Excellent knowledge of OS coding techniques, IP protocols, interfaces and hardware subsystems.
• Expertise in software development for real‑time systems.
• Mastery of high‑level development languages (e.g., C/C++, Rust).
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills.
• Knowledge of software configuration management tools, defect tracking tools and peer review processes.
• Excellent time management skills with the proven ability to meet deadlines.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Experience with UML/SysML.
• Experience with in‑circuit emulators, JTAG debuggers and laboratory test equipment.

Education

Requires a bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or Electrical Engineering.

Experience

Requires 5-10 years experience in Software Engineering or related.

Additional Job Description

Applicants selected for this position will be required to obtain and maintain a government security clearance. Secret Clearance is preferred.

Job Location

City: Cambridge

State: Massachusetts

Postal Code: 02139-3563

Salary

The US base salary range for this full‑time position is $82,300.00 - $220,000.00.

Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target salaries for the position across all US locations. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job‑related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Union ranges will be in compliance with the collective bargaining agreement's approved rates by location and role. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process. Please note that the compensation details listed in US role postings reflect the base salary only, and do not include bonuses or benefits.

Benefits and Work‑Life Balance

Our work is very important to us, but so is our life outside of work. Draper supports many programs to improve work‑life balance, including workplace flexibility, employee clubs ranging from photography to yoga, health and finance workshops, off‑site social events and discounts to local museums and cultural activities.

Equal Opportunity Employment

Draper is committed to creating an inclusive environment. We understand the value of inclusivity and its impact on a high‑performance culture. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information. Draper is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. To request reasonable accommodation, please contact View email address on click.appcast.io.