Flight Software Engineer

• At NewOrbit Space, our mission is to engineer the lowest orbiting satellites on Earth to rapidly advance global connectivity and insight.
• We are currently building satellites that can operate at an altitude of just 200 km - one-third that of conventional satellites.

YOUR ROLE

You’ll own the software that makes the spacecraft behave: real-time control flows, autonomy, mode management, and the core flight applications that coordinate every subsystem.

You’ll design and implement robust flight-software services on RTOS or Embedded Linux - turning mission requirements into deterministic, testable software - then take it from simulation all the way to launch and on-orbit operations. You’ll ensure our VLEO satellites stay safe and productive with strong fault tolerance, clean observability, and rapid iteration through over-the-air updates.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Own the on-board flight-software stack – design, implement and test real-time Rust/C/C++ on RTOS or Embedded Linux.
• Integrate subsystems end-to-end – define ICDs and build drivers/middleware over I2C/SPI/UART/CAN(-FD)/SpaceWire (as applicable).
• Build spacecraft behaviors & autonomy – implement mode management, sequencing, and autonomous FDIR for safe and productive operations.
• Deliver reliable real-time performance – manage concurrency, timing, CPU/memory budgets, and observability under tight constraints.
• Build verification infrastructure – prototypes, SIL/HIL test harnesses, simulations, and telemetry analysis tooling to validate designs early.
• Ship code from review to orbit – push through CI/CD, support integration and launch ops, and deliver secure over-the-air updates.
• Work across disciplines – collaborate with avionics, AOCS, comms and mission teams to trade compute, power, thermal, storage and link budgets.

FUNDAMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

• Proven experience in building production embedded or real-time systems in C/C++ and/or Rust on RTOS or Embedded Linux for space systems.
• Strong grasp of real-time software: scheduling, interrupts, concurrency primitives, determinism, and designing for constrained CPU/memory.
• Proven ability to build reliable, testable systems: unit/integration testing, simulation-first development, HIL validation, and disciplined debugging.
• Hands-on experience integrating with hardware via common interfaces (I2C, SPI, UART, CAN(-FD), GPIO, etc.) and practical lab debugging.
• Solid software engineering fundamentals: architecture, code review, static analysis, CI/CD, configuration management, and observability/logging.
• Ability to own systems end-to-end: from requirements and design through implementation, verification, operations support, and iterative improvement.

NICE-TO-HAVES

• Experience with spacecraft flight software frameworks (e.g., cFS, F´, or building lightweight component-based equivalents).
• Familiarity with autonomy and fault management patterns for radiation/SEUs, watchdog strategies, redundancy, and safe-mode design.
• GNC/AOCS-adjacent experience: sensor/actuator pipelines, control-loop integration, estimation/filters, timing analysis.
• Digital-twin / simulator / SIL-HIL experience for end-to-end behavior validation and regression testing.
• On-orbit operations know-how: commissioning flows, anomaly response, telemetry triage, and OTA update strategies.

WHY NEWORBIT SPACE?

• Pioneering Space Technology – You'll contribute to launching groundbreaking technology into space. Your work on our revolutionary ion propulsion system and ULEO satellite platform will redefine satellite operations and disrupt traditional LEO operations.
• Unmatched Ownership and Impact – You'll experience a level of ownership that's rare in the space industry. You will participate in the full lifecycle of satellite technology.
• Equity and Competitive Salary – You'll receive not just a competitive salary but also company ownership stakes. Your dedication and hard work are rewarded with a share in the technology you help build, ensuring you're a part of our collective success.
• Comprehensive Benefits Package – Including private health insurance with dental and optical coverage, annual healthcare check-ups etc.
• Hybrid Work - A hybrid setup with one dedicated remote day per week.
• Visa Sponsorship & Relocation Support - We provide a relocation package and sponsor your visa if you’re joining us from abroad.