Orbital Flight Software Engineer

Varda Space Industries

$120K — $160K *
Aerospace & Defense
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in computer science, math, physics, engineering, or equivalent experience in safety-critical software.
  • 3+ years of experience in spacecraft or similar safety-critical software development.
  • Proficient in C++ with a solid comprehension of language concepts.

Responsibilities

  • Develop reliable flight software for spacecraft, satellite bus, and reentry capsule operations.
  • Write structured bare metal, RTOS, or Linux-based software for embedded processors in C++.
  • Own the entire software development process, including design, testing, and integration.
  • Scope projects from requirements capture to initial design trades.
  • Conduct software testing and ensure system quality through verification and validation techniques.
  • Collaborate effectively, communicating and problem-solving within a team environment.

Benefits

  • Work alongside a team of top professionals in the aerospace field.
  • Equity opportunities in a fully funded space startup with significant growth potential.
  • 401(k) matching to support long-term financial health.
  • Generous unlimited PTO policy.
  • Health insurance coverage, including vision and dental plans.
  • Daily lunches and snacks provided on site, with dinners twice a week.
  • Maternity and paternity leave for new parents.
Full Job Description
What you will do (Job Responsibilities)

The Flight Software team is responsible for determining how our spacecraft behaves and operates in orbit and building reliable software to ensure it happens. The team is responsible for all phases of development, starting from requirements capture through test, and flight operational support.
  • Develop reliable flight software that determine how the spacecraft, satellite bus, and reentry capsule operate throughout the entire mission.
  • Write quality structured bare metal, RTOS, or Linux based software for embedded processors in C++.
  • Own all aspects of software development, from design, testing, and integration.
  • Scope projects including requirements capture and initial design trades given open-ended problems.
  • Ensure system quality and performance through software test, verification, and validation (V&V) technique.
  • Teamwork, communicate and problem solve in a collaborative environment.
What you will bring (Basic Qualifications)
  • Bachelor's degree in computer science, math, physics, engineering or equivalent technical experience in safety critical software.
  • 3+ years of experience in the development of spacecraft or similar safety critical software.
  • Experience with development in C++, along with a strong understanding of the language concepts.
What would be a plus (Preferred Qualifications)
  • End-to-end experience building and launching a spacecraft.
  • Experience developing and testing real-time embedded systems.
  • Experience with safety-critical software, especially for aerospace applications.
  • Experience with CCSDS telemetry and telecommand system.
  • Experience with F' or cFS framework.
  • Experience with Python, or Rust.
  • Knowledge of basic analog and digital electronics.
  • Familiarity with SPI, I2C, CAN, EtherCAT.
How Varda compensates
  • Salary range: $120,000 - $160,000.
  • This role is on-sitein El Segundo, CA.
  • Leveling and base salary is determined by job-related skills, education level, experience level, and job performance.
  • Offer compensation also includes the ability to receive stock options under the Company's Equity Incentive Plan.


ITAR Requirements

  • Varda, like all employers, must ensure that its employees working in the United States are lawfully authorized to work in the U.S. Additionally, our employees are exposed to and have access to certain export-controlled items. At present, some of our technology to which employees have access requires a license to be exported to individuals other than "U.S. Persons" as defined in U.S. export regulations. Because our employees are provided access to export-controlled items, our current policy is to only hire "U.S. persons" who are permitted to have access to our technology without an export license.
    "US person" means: U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident, or protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) (i.e., individual admitted to the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum in the U.S.)
    Learn more about the ITAR here.
Benefits

  • Exciting team of professionals at the top of their field working by your side
  • Equity in a fully funded space startup with potential for significant growth (interns excluded)
  • 401(k) matching (interns excluded)
  • Unlimited PTO (interns excluded)
  • Health insurance, including Vision and Dental
  • Lunch and snacks provided on site every day. Dinners provided twice a week.
  • Maternity / Paternity leave (interns excluded)


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