Principal Flight Software Engineer

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 Cesium Astro, we develop out-of-the-box communication systems for satellites, UAVs, launch vehicles, and other space and airborne platforms. We take pride in our dynamic cross‑functional environment, fostering learning and engagement across the organization. If you seek hands‑on, interactive, and autonomous work, Cesium Astro 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 Cesium Astro’s products through all phases of the development process—key projects include satellite flight software and mission data and operations systems for space missions. Our goal is to create an out‑of‑the‑box hardware and software experience that enhances our customers’ ability to rapidly integrate our products into their systems.

As a software team member, you will design from concept through production, including product roadmaps, block diagrams, detailed design and coding, analysis, test, qualification, and in‑orbit support. The ideal candidate has experience at nearly every level of the software stack, including microcontrollers, low‑level drivers, board support packages, and user interfaces focused on applications and data management. Experience in software testing, high‑reliability qualification, software engineering, and project management is also required.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills are essential, as you will present engineering design reviews to customers and the executive team and participate in proposal writing.

• Design and implement software to build and integrate mission systems including satellites, ground stations, and mission operations centers.
• Architect, design, develop, code, test, debug, and document space system software.
• Serve as a subject‑matter expert on space software systems throughout Cesium Astro.
• 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.

• 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 master’s.
• Experience developing multiple flight software systems.
• Hands‑on development and troubleshooting of software systems and hardware (e.g., motors, power distribution units, etc.).
• Programming experience in C or C++.
• Experience 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.

• 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).

Cesium Astro considers several factors when extending an offer, including role responsibilities, candidate experience, education/training, and key skills. Full‑time employment…