Embedded Software Engineer (Camera Systems)

Department: Software

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Redondo Beach

Compensation: $120,000 - $155,000 / year

Description

As an Embedded Software Engineer for Camera Systems at Impulse, your primary responsibility will be to design, implement, and maintain firmware for image capture and processing systems on spacecraft. You will collaborate with avionics, flight software, and GNC engineers to interface with imaging hardware, support ground and flight tests, and ensure high reliability under harsh environmental conditions.

Responsibilities

• Develop low-level drivers and control software for camera modules using interfaces like MIPI CSI-2, USB, SPI, and I2C.
• Interface with commercial and custom image sensors, implementing robust and efficient data pipelines.
• Implement camera configuration, triggering, and synchronization logic.
• Support data capture and streaming during ground tests and in-flight operations.
• Collaborate with image processing and perception teams to define firmware requirements and APIs.
• Contribute to bring-up, debugging, and tuning of camera subsystems in hardware-in-the-loop setups.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related technical field.
• 2+ years of experience writing C/C++ code for embedded systems, preferably in imaging or robotic applications.
• Demonstrated experience using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, hardware debuggers, and source-level debuggers to troubleshoot problems at all layers of the stack.
• Demonstrated understanding of I2C, SPI, and MIPI-based camera interfaces.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Familiarity with microcontroller and SoC architectures, especially those used in vision applications.
• Hands-on experience integrating image sensors and camera modules into embedded systems.
• Familiarity with image pipeline concepts such as exposure control, gain tuning, and calibration.
• Understanding of real-time data handling and buffering for high-rate image streams.
• Exposure to radiation-tolerant imaging design or fault detection in visual systems.

Additional Information:

Compensation bands are determined by role, level, location, and alignment with market data. Individual level and base pay is determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on job-related skills, education, experience, technical capabilities and internal equity. In addition to base salary, for full-time hires, you may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of stock options, and access to medical, vision & dental coverage as well as access to a 401(k) retirement plan.

Impulse Space's spacecraft manufacturing business is subject to U.S. export regulations including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR). This position requires applicants to be either U.S. Persons (i.e., U.S. citizen, U.S. national, lawful permanent U.S. resident (green card holder), an individual granted asylum in the U.S., or an individual admitted in U.S. refugee status) or persons eligible to obtain an export license from the U.S. Departments of State, Commerce, or other applicable U.S. government agencies. Learn more about the ITAR here.