Terran Orbital is seeking an experienced
Associate Flight Software Test & Tools Engineer to join our dynamic team. Reporting to the
Manager, Flight Software Engineering, the
Associate FSW Test & Tools Engineer will support our dynamic Flight Software Engineering team. This role is ideal for early-career engineers who want to build a strong foundation in software testing, embedded systems tooling, automation frameworks, and flight software validation workflows. Engineers in this role focus primarily on test execution, test development support, build tools, and automation infrastructure rather than day-to-day feature coding. This position is designed as a technical support and growth role within the broader Flight Software organization. You will contribute directly to delivering high-quality, reliable flight software for innovative satellite missions.
Key Duties and Responsibilities - Support creation and execution of test plans for thorough, consistent, and independent evaluation of flight software
- Assist in integrating and testing software in simulation, flight-replica, flight-vehicle, and hardware-in-the-loop environments
- Help develop automated flashing, deployment, and testing workflows for physical devices
- Contribute to documenting testing procedures, results, and repeatable workflows
- Create and track bug reports and release tickets in coordination with the development team
- Support the development of software verification artifacts and compliance documentation
- Collaborate closely with software, firmware, and FPGA engineers and coordinate release activities with Configuration Management
- Assist in tracking performance metrics to support continuous improvement in test efficiency and reliability
- Learn and support installation, configuration, and troubleshooting of embedded and non-embedded toolchains from various vendors
- Participate in automation of testing processes and iterative improvement of test frameworks
- Help maintain and enhance software build pipelines (e.g., GitHub Actions, CI/CD systems)
- Incorporate DevSecOps principles into build and test systems to reduce software risk
Required Qualifications and Skills - B.S. in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field
- 0+ years of experience (internships, academic projects, or personal projects are welcome)
- Interest in testing C/C++ applications for embedded, high-performance, or safety-critical systems
- Highly motivated, responsible, and eager to learn in a fast-paced engineering environment
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- U.S. Citizenship with ability to obtain and maintain DoD security clearance
Preferred Qualifications and Skills- Experience with Linux and GNU tools (make, gcc, gdb)
- Familiarity with virtualization/container tools (VirtualBox, VMWare, Docker, Hyper-V, or Vagrant)
- Exposure to C++ build systems such as CMake or Makefiles
- Basic experience with vulnerability or static analysis tools (cppcheck, dependency-track, CodeQL, JFrog, etc.)
- Experience building software for embedded processors or microcontrollers
- Experience with scripting languages such as Bash or Python
- Experience collaborating on team-based software projects (school, internships, open source, etc.)
Your actual level and base salary will be determined case-by-case and may vary based on the job-related qualification, knowledge, skills, education, and experience. In addition to base salary, we offer 100% covered medical, dental, and vision coverage, a 401(k) match, Flexible Time Off (FTO), covered life insurance, maternity and paternity leave, tuition reimbursement, employee referrals, and lots of swag!
Salary Range
$80,000-$120,000 USD
Full-time positions only:
Benefits- 100% Company-paid comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your dependents
- 401(k) Match
- Flexible Time Off (FTO)
- Education Reimbursement
- Competitive Paid Parental Leave
Physical Demands An employee must meet the physical demands described to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. In performing the duties of this job, the employee is routinely required to sit or stand for long durations of time, in addition to bending, reaching, and walking. This would require the ability to lift or move objects up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift or move objects up to 25 pounds. This position is generally sedentary, with substantial computer usage.
Work Environment The job operates in a professional office environment but in a manufacturing company. This job routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, and scanners.
