Principal Flight Software Engineer I

Please Note: To conform with the United States Government Space Technology Export Regulations, the applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., conditional resident, asylee or refugee (protected individuals as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

At CesiumAstro, we are developers and pioneers of out‑of‑the‑box communication systems for satellites, UAVs, launch vehicles, and other space and airborne platforms. We take pride in our dynamic and cross‑functional work environment, which allows us to learn, develop, and engage across our organization. If you are looking for hands‑on, interactive, and autonomous work, CesiumAstro is the place for you. We are actively seeking passionate, collaborative, energetic, and forward‑thinking individuals to join our team.

In this position, you will be responsible for low‑level and high‑level software in CesiumAstro’s products through all phases of the development process. Key projects will include satellite flight software as well as mission data and operations systems for space missions. CesiumAstro’s goal is to create an out‑of‑the‑box hardware and software experience which enhances our customers’ ability to rapidly integrate our products into their systems.

As a CesiumAstro software team member, you will be responsible for software designs from concept through production, including product roadmaps, block diagrams, detailed design and coding, analysis, test, qualification, and in‑orbit support. The ideal candidate will have development experience at nearly every level of the software stack, including microcontrollers, low‑level drivers, board support packages (BSP), and user interfaces with an emphasis on applications and data management. Additionally, the ideal candidate will have experience in software testing and high‑reliability qualification, as well as software engineering and software project management practices.

The successful candidate will present engineering design review materials to our customers and executive team, as well as participate in proposal‑writing efforts. As such, excellent written and verbal communication skills are required.

Job Duties And Responsibilities

• Design and implement software to build and integrate mission systems including satellites, ground stations, and mission operations centers as a technical leader.
• Architect, design, develop, code, test, debug, and document space system software.
• Act as a subject matter expert, providing expertise on space software systems throughout CesiumAstro.
• Review code and system designs.
• Analyze code for efficiency, stability, and scalability.
• Integrate and validate new product designs.
• Provide expert guidance to direct product design.
• Support software quality assurance and optimize I/O performance.
• Provide post‑production/in‑orbit customer support.
• Interface with hardware design and development engineers.
• Mentor junior team members.
• Assess third‑party and open‑source software.

Job Requirements And Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science (BS) or Master of Science (MS) degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or Computer Engineering.
• Minimum of 9 years of industry experience in software development with a Bachelor’s degree, or a minimum of 7 years with a Masters.
• Experience in developing multiple flight software systems.
• Experience in hands‑on development and troubleshooting of software systems and hardware (such as motors, power distribution units, etc.).
• Programming experience in C or C++.
• Experience in interfacing a variety of open‑source software to create an integrated system.
• Familiarity with software configuration management tools, defect tracking tools, and peer review.
• Excellent understanding of multi‑threaded applications and resource management.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Preferred Experience

• Experience with products for aerospace applications.
• Experience with satellite operations or mission data systems, including COSMOS.
• Experience with NASA's cFS flight software framework.
• Adequate knowledge of reading electronics schematics and component data sheets.
• Experience with ARM processors and fully‑featured microcontrollers.
• Experience in design and development of a Software Development Kit (SDK).

$142,000 - $189,500 a year

CesiumAstro considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, education/training, and key skills. Full‑time employment offers include company stock options and a generous benefits package including health, dental, vision, HSA, FSA, life, disability and retirement plans.

CesiumAstro is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Please note: CesiumAstro does not accept unsolicited resumes from contract agencies or search firms. Any unsolicited resumes submitted to our website or to CesiumAstro team members not through our approved vendor list or Talent Acquisition will be considered property of CesiumAstro, and we will not be obligated to pay any referral fees.

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.