Embedded Software Engineer Intern Jobs in Reston, VA

Iridium is an award-winning satellite communications company operating the world's only truly global voice and data network, delivering reliable connectivity anywhere on Earth. For more than 20 years, Iridium has powered mission-critical communications for governments, businesses, aviation, maritime, and the rapidly expanding Internet of Things.

Now part of Iridium, Aireon is the world’s only space-based air traffic surveillance system, providing real-time visibility of aircraft over oceans, the poles, and remote regions. Together, Iridium and Aireon are helping build a safer, more connected, and more efficient future for global aviation.

Join our team and help shape how the world stays connected. We foster a collaborative, inclusive culture where employees are empowered to innovate, grow professionally, and make a meaningful impact.

What We’re Looking For:

Iridium is seeking an Embedded Software Engineer III to join our Mobile Product Software Engineering Team!  As an Embedded Software Engineer, you will be responsible for enhancing and sustaining the source code used in our mobile products and associated engineering tools. In this role, you’ll gain valuable experience working on software for Iridium’s transceivers while contributing to the development of high-quality products for our customers. If you are passionate about creating reliable and robust products, committed to the long-term success of your work, and highly self reliant, you’ll thrive in this position.

What You’ll Do:

• Design and develop embedded software for microcontrollers ensuring high-quality, performance, and reliability
• Implement and optimize real-time operating systems, device drivers, and communication protocols
• Debug and troubleshoot reported firmware issues, ensuring timely resolution
• Reproduce, isolate and debug complex low-level problems that may span between hardware and software interfaces
• Integrate, build, and manage embedded software configuration
• Write and maintain unit, regression and pairwise test suites for mobile product software
• Create and maintain documentation, including software requirements, ICDs, test plans and procedures
• Review work products created by other team members
• Collaborate with software, hardware, and system development engineers
• Work cross functionally to instill a strong culture of product quality within the organization

What You’ll Need to Succeed:

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or a related technical field with 5+ years of relative software experience, including:
  • 3+ years’ experience developing embedded software, preferably for microcontrollers
  • 4+ years’ experience developing software in C; solid understanding of ANSI C, common data structures and memory management techniques
• Familiarity with asynchronous event driven paradigms
• Proven experience in embedded systems design with preemptive, multitasking, real-time operating systems
• Excellent knowledge of OSI model, networking protocols, interfaces, and hardware subsystems
• Solid understanding of communication protocols such as UART, SPI, and I2C
• Adequate knowledge of reading schematics and data sheets for components
• Experience with benchmarking algorithm performance on embedded systems using software and hardware techniques
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to confidently present products, deliverables, analyses, and/or issues
• Possess an analytical mindset, with the ability to understand a situation or problem and think critically to make decisions or come up with solutions
• Be comfortable managing upward, including being a proactive communicator and asking for help when needed
• Have confidence and be able to establish valuable relationships with others
• Must be able to prioritize key tasks and have a strong sense of ownership over your work
• Be active in seeking out ways to continuously improve yourself and gain new knowledge

Things That Would be Great if You Brought to the Table:

• 1+ years of experience in developing ancillary tools in Python
• Experience developing software for ARM M series microcontrollers
• Experience using Linux command-line interfaces
• Familiarity with multi-threading/multi-tasking
• Familiarity with signal analysis tools such as Wireshark
• Demonstrated embedded systems troubleshooting experience
• 1+ years of experience working with agile methods & environment using the Atlassian suite.
• Demonstrated understanding of software production via continuous integration
• Demonstrated understanding of best practices for software version control (Git, SVN etc)
• Knowledge of RF communication systems and protocols
• Working knowledge of bash, make and similar programming languages

We’ll also need you to:

• Be able to travel to meetings with geographically remote teams, as needed (typically once per quarter).
• Be able to work a hybrid schedule that includes at least one week in office (located in McLean, VA) and as needed.
• US Citizenship required

Work environment:

This position primarily works in an office setting and is largely sedentary with the majority of the position working with a computer. The role typically requires the use of basic office equipment such as a phone, video, computer, keyboard, mouse, and printer. 

We believe in-person connection drives innovation, strengthens mentorship, and builds culture, while flexibility enables employees to do their best work. Under Iridium’s Hybrid Work Policy, employees are expected to work at least four days per week (approximately 80%) in an Iridium office to support collaboration, relationship-building, and professional growth.

Additional Information

This job description outlines the general nature and level of work for this role and is not a comprehensive list of duties, responsibilities, or qualifications. Employees may be assigned additional responsibilities as needed.

Base Pay Range: $100,000 - $130,000 USD

Actual compensation will be determined based on a variety of factors and this range represents an estimate of compensation at the time of posting. Base salary is only one part of our compensation package for this role. You may also be eligible for company stock and annual bonus. Employee benefits also include medical, dental, and vision insurance coverage; 401(k) retirement plan options; paid time off and paid holidays; paid parental leave; and other discounts and perks.  

Iridium is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans.