Flight Software Engineer

About the company
OrbitAID Aerospace is building the foundation for a new era of on-orbit servicing and refueling, enabling satellites to operate longer, maneuver more freely, and deliver greater value in space. At the core of this vision is the development of standardized docking and refueling technologies and a future network of orbital fuel stations, transforming how spacecraft are designed, launched, and sustained in orbit.
Our long-term goal is to make space operations more flexible, resilient, and sustainable—where satellites are serviced, upgraded, and refueled rather than replaced. We are a small, driven team that values strong engineering fundamentals, ownership, and hands-on problem solving. At OrbitAID, you’ll work closely across disciplines, move quickly from concept to hardware and software, and contribute directly to building the space infrastructure that will power the next generation of missions.
Role Overview
The Flight Software Engineer is responsible for developing, integrating, and validating real-time embedded software for mission-critical satellite applications. This role focuses on reliable, deterministic, and fault-tolerant onboard software that interfaces directly with spacecraft hardware and supports safe operations throughout the mission lifecycle.
Key Responsibilities
Develop and maintain real-time flight software using C and C++ for satellite onboard systems
Integrate software with flight hardware, including processors, sensors, actuators, and communication interfaces (UART, SPI, I2C, CAN, Ethernet, LVDS)
Perform software verification and validation activities, including unit testing, integration testing, and system-level testing
Support hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) and software-in-the-loop (SIL) simulations and flight test readiness
Debug and troubleshoot software issues using JTAG debuggers, logic analyzers, and telemetry analysis tools
Participate in peer code reviews, configuration management, and CI/CD workflows
Collaborate with avionics, GNC, mission operations, and systems engineering teams to ensure seamless integration
Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field
Proficiency in C and C++ for embedded and real-time systems
Hands-on experience with RTOS platforms such as FreeRTOS, RTEMS, or QNX
Strong understanding of:
Task scheduling and real-time constraints
Inter-process communication (IPC)
Semaphores, mutexes, and synchronization
Memory management in embedded systems
Knowledge of interrupt handling, DMA, and memory-mapped I/OFamiliarity with cross-compilation toolchains and build systems (GCC ARM, Make, CMake
Preferred / Highly Desired Skills
Experience with flight software frameworks such as F´ (F Prime), Core Flight System (cFS), or custom flight stacks
Familiarity with fault detection, isolation, and recovery (FDIR) concepts and redundancy management
Strong understanding of software testing methodologies, including unit, integration, and system validation
Experience with HIL and SIL simulation environments
Knowledge of spacecraft communication standards and protocols such as CCSDS, DVB-S2, or similar
Nice to Have
Experience supporting on-orbit operations or flight testing
Knowledge of assembly language for low-level hardware access or performance-critical routines
Experience working on CubeSat or small satellite missions
Familiarity with space-grade software development standards and best practices

Work arrangement
No