Principal Software Engineer

Senior / Principal Flight Software Engineer – Space Systems *REMOTE* Working with a leading U.S. aerospace company looking to add Senior and Principal-level Flight Software Engineers to their satellite team. This is a hands-on role focused on building and testing embedded flight software for spacecraft, with exposure across the full mission lifecycle. from early concept through on-orbit operations. What you’ll be doing: Develop and test embedded C/C++ flight software for satellite platforms Contribute across the full lifecycle: Requirements definition & trade studies Software architecture & development Integration with flight hardware Verification, validation, and operations Support GNC-related software integration and system performance analysis Build internal tools to evaluate flight software performance and mission compatibility Work closely with hardware, systems, and test teams in a highly collaborative environment Testing & Integration: Execute testing across: Unit, module, and system levels Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) / FlatSat environments Develop test frameworks, tools, and ground support software Support debugging, validation, and anomaly resolution Additional exposure: Contribute to modeling & simulation efforts Support new mission concepts and proposals Evaluate impacts of new hardware, architectures, and mission profiles What they’re looking for: 9–15+ years of experience in software engineering (level dependent) Strong background in embedded software development (C/C++) Experience with flight software, avionics, or aerospace systems Hands-on experience with hardware/software integration and testing Exposure to one or more of the following: GNC algorithms RTOS (VxWorks, Integrity, etc.) Device drivers / BSP / bring-up HIL / simulation environments Software verification & validation Ability to operate as a high-level IC across multiple domains Education: Bachelor’s degree in a STEM field required Master’s degree preferred - 7 years of experience Travel: Up to ~20% travel (domestic) Occasional international collaboration Quick take: This is a high-impact IC role for engineers who want to stay deeply technical while working on cutting-edge spacecraft and flight software systems. $130,000 - $200,000 a year We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.