Principal Embedded 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 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, Cesium Astro is the place for you. We are actively seeking passionate, collaborative, energetic, and forward‑thinking individuals to join our team.

We are seeking an experienced Principal Embedded Software Engineer I with a strong background in developing embedded applications using Linux and Yocto. The ideal candidate will have hands‑on expertise in embedded systems, device drivers, kernel modifications, and boot loaders, with a preference for experience on the Xilinx platform (though experience on other microcontrollers is also acceptable).

As a Cesium 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.

This position will be supporting our Skylark product line, an antenna system that uses active phased array technology to unlock satellite communications that has traditionally relied on mechanically steered systems. Skylark is designed to work with any existing or upcoming satellite constellation and is scalable to the desired performance or application. Skylark offers several unique differentiators including its multi‑beam capability which unlocks simultaneous communications with satellites in different orbits.

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.

This role will initially be remote, with a planned transition to in‑person work once our Florida office is established.

• Develop and port embedded Linux applications, custom device drivers, and libraries.
• Configure, modify, and integrate the Linux kernel and embedded boot loaders.
• Work extensively with U‑Boot, and Linux kernel configuration.
• Maintain and support the Yocto build system in a CI/CD environment.
• Package and deploy software images for various hardware platforms.
• Create and manage Linux images tailored to specific embedded hardware.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams to ensure system integration and performance.

• 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.
• 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++.
• Strong hands‑on experience with Embedded Linux and Yocto.
• 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.

• Familiarity with Xilinx platforms or other microcontroller‑based systems.
• Experience with boot…