Flight Software Engineer

Location

Burlingame, CA

Employment Type

Full time

Location Type

On-site

Department

Satellite

Compensation

• $120K – $170K • Offers Equity

The final job level and salary will be determined based on a range of factors including the candidate’s education, qualifications, knowledge, skills, abilities, and relevant experience. The listed salary range is provided to offer insight into potential compensation, but it’s not a guarantee of the final offer. While we include the full range to be transparent, offers most often fall within the middle portion rather than the top.

Xona is the navigational intelligence company bringing real-time, centimeter-level certainty to any device, anywhere on Earth.

With Pulsar – the world’s most advanced PNT satellite infrastructure in Low Earth Orbit – Xona will offer a future‑proof, backwards‑compatible global positioning system optimized for absolute precision, superior power, and robust protection.

We’re seeking a Flight Software Engineer to develop, integrate, and optimize the onboard software for our satellites. You will drive the creation of flight software components and related integration procedures. You'll work closely with hardware engineering, integration & test, and operations team members to establish robust software methodologies and practices that will scale effectively as our constellation grows.

This is a hands‑on role that will influence many facets of our satellite software systems, including: software architecture, embedded platforms, hardware/software interface testing, fault management, performance optimization, digital tooling, technical documentation, and operational reliability.

What You’ll Do

• Develop, integrate, and optimize embedded flight software for satellite subsystems, writing production‑quality code daily.
• Execute comprehensive full‑system test campaigns, emphasizing detailed hardware/software interface validation.
• Collaborate closely with Integration & Test (I&T), hardware engineering, and operations teams to implement robust software interfaces, manage fault conditions, and develop effective mitigation strategies.
• Continuously improve software components and integration procedures, contributing to long‑term reliability and scalability.
• Translate complex operational workflows into clear technical documentation, ensuring maintainability and knowledge transfer.
• Optimize software performance, stability, and resilience, enhancing spacecraft operational reliability.

You’ll Be a Good Fit If

• You love writing clean, robust, and maintainable code for embedded systems and thrive when diving deeply into complex software‑hardware integrations.
• You have a passion for building reliable software and solving intricate technical challenges.
• You have a high attention to detail, methodical, and comfortable debugging code in real‑time embedded environments.
• You enjoy collaborating across engineering disciplines, proactively identifying risks, and solving challenging technical problems.
• Have hands‑on experience integrating GNC auto‑generated or hand‑written control algorithms into a flight software stack ensuring seamless interfacing, timing determinism, and performance under real‑time constraints.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience with on‑orbit operations, fault detection, isolation & recovery (FDIR), or embedded autonomy.
• Prior experience developing embedded systems software in aerospace or similarly rigorous industries.
• Hands‑on experience working with satellite flight hardware or spacecraft testbeds.

Requirements

• Strong proficiency in writing embedded software in C/C++ on real‑time operating systems (RTOS) or space‑focused software frameworks (e.g., cFS, F', TASTE).
• Solid understanding of software testing methodologies and best practices.
• Demonstrated experience with full‑system testing and software/hardware interface validation.
• Proven experience implementing communication protocols and interfaces (e.g., CAN, RS‑422/485, Ethernet).
• Excellent analytical, debugging, and problem‑solving skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication abilities and collaborative teamwork skills.

For U.S. Roles: To comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the United States (i.e. Green Card holder), or other protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).

For U.K. Roles: To comply with U.K. regulations, this role requires Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks, and successful candidates must be eligible to obtain UK Security Clearance (SC).

For Canada Roles: Successful candidates must obtain and hold a security clearance at the reliability status level, and pass security assessment for the Canadian Controlled Goods Program (CGP) and ITAR.

We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status.

Compensation Range: $120K - $170K