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Flight Software Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Astrion

Flight Software Engineer

Washington, DC · On-site +1

$105K - $155K/yr

Overview Flight Software Engineer LOCATION: Hybrid (Kirtland AFB, NM), Remote U.S. eligible JOB STATUS: Full-time CLEARANCE: U.S. Citizenship, DoD Secret Clearance TRAVEL: 10% (if remote)   Astrion ...

b aysystemsinc

Flight Software Engineer

Denver, CO · On-site

$115 - $165/hr

Flight Software Engineer Full Time Denver, CO, Denver, CO, US 5 days ago Requisition ID: 1424 Salary Range: $115,000.00 To $165,000.00 Annually Flight Software Engineer Location: Denver, CO (Hybrid ...

Front Door Defense

Flight Software Engineer

Costa Mesa, CA · On-site

$191 - $253/hr

Flight Software Engineer Develop and validate embedded flight software for Anduril UAVs, from drivers to flight control Location: Costa Mesa, California Compensation: $191,000 - 253,000 USD / year ...

Constellation Space

Flight Software Engineer

Seattle, WA · On-site

$120K - $180K/yr

The Role Constellation's Flight Software team writes the code that actually flies the hardware. We are looking for a Flight Software Engineer to design and implement the highly reliable, real-time ...

Linuxcareers

Flight Software Engineer

Chantilly, VA · On-site

$85 - $115/hr

Lynk is developing satellite direct-to-phone technology and seeks a Flight Software Engineer to design and develop flight software applications for commanding and controlling satellites. You will ...

Constellation Space

Flight Software Engineer

Seattle, WA · On-site

$85 - $110/hr

We are looking for a Flight Software Engineer to design and implement the highly reliable, real‑time embedded systems that control our spacecraft and flight vehicles. Responsibilities * Develop ...

W3Global Inc.

Flight Software Engineer

Torrance, CA · On-site

$220K - $300K/yr

Our Client is seeking a Flight Software Engineer to support the development and integration of flight critical software for autonomous spacecraft systems. This role spans both ground mission ...

Front Door Defense

Flight Software Engineer

Webster, TX · On-site

$120 - $180/hr

Flight Software Engineer Develop embedded flight software and deploy it to hardware-in-the-loop testbeds for the space station subsystem integrations Location: Webster, Texas About The Role Flight ...

Lynk Global, Inc.

Flight Software Engineer

Chantilly, VA · On-site

$90 - $120/hr

Job Summary The Flight Software Engineer at Lynk will be developing flight software applications for commanding and controlling our satellites. This includes developing our satellite command and data ...

Lynk

Flight Software Engineer

Chantilly, VA · On-site

Job Summary The Flight Software Engineer at Lynk will be developing flight software applications for commanding and controlling our satellites. This includes developing our satellite command and data ...

One Way Ventures

Flight Software Engineer

Chantilly, VA · On-site

$80 - $120/hr

Job Summary The Flight Software Engineer at Lynk will be developing flight software applications for commanding and controlling our satellites. This includes developing our satellite command and data ...

Lynk

Flight Software Engineer

Chantilly, VA · On-site

$80 - $120/hr

Job Summary The Flight Software Engineer at Lynk will be developing flight software applications for commanding and controlling our satellites. This includes developing our satellite command and data ...

Astranis

Flight Software Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

Flight Software Engineer As our Flight Software Engineer, you will support the the development, execution, and implementation of the flight software that commands and monitors the spacecraft.

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How much do flight software engineer jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 22, 2026, the average hourly pay for flight software engineer in the United States is $53.71, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $44.95 and $58.89 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a flight software engineer do?

A Flight Software Engineer designs, develops, tests, and maintains software that controls and monitors spacecraft, satellites, or aerospace vehicles. They ensure the software meets strict performance, reliability, and safety requirements for missions. This includes writing real-time code, integrating with hardware, debugging issues, and optimizing systems for efficiency. They work closely with hardware engineers, systems engineers, and mission operators to ensure seamless functionality.

What skills and qualifications are needed to be a flight software engineer?

To thrive as a Flight Software Engineer, you need strong expertise in computer science, embedded systems, and control theory, usually supported by a degree in engineering or a related field. Experience with C/C++, real-time operating systems (RTOS), and aerospace industry standards like DO-178C is highly valued, along with certifications in safety-critical software development. Exceptional problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and effective communication abilities set top candidates apart. These skills ensure software reliability, mission success, and seamless collaboration in safety-critical aerospace environments.

What challenges do flight software engineers face and how do they overcome them?

Flight Software Engineers often face challenges such as developing software for safety-critical systems with strict reliability and performance requirements, as well as troubleshooting issues in complex avionics environments. They regularly work under tight deadlines and must rigorously test and validate code to meet aerospace certification standards. Overcoming these challenges involves thorough documentation, close collaboration with hardware and systems engineers, and a commitment to continuous learning about evolving technologies. Employers value engineers who can adapt quickly, employ systematic debugging, and communicate effectively within interdisciplinary teams.

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Flight Software Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Flight Software Engineer job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 87% Full Time, 8% Part Time, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $111,711 per year, or $53.7 per hour.

Flight Software Engineer

Red Canyon Engineering & Software

Remote

Full-time

Re-posted yesterday

Job description

Position Summary:
We are looking for an enthusiastic and creative software engineer to develop and test spacecraft flight software. We're looking for candidates who can bring exceptional programming skills and experience in embedded software development and testing to the team.
Position Responsibilities:
The Software Engineer's primary responsibility will be contributing to the development and testing of our satellite flight software. This engineer will be involved in the full lifecycle of flight software development, from requirements definition through operations. However, because we are a small team where each person takes on many roles, this engineer will also contribute to mission concept development, in-house modeling and simulation capabilities, and proposal writing. Being at the cutting edge of space technology, we need someone who is eager to learn, grow, and take on new and potentially unfamiliar challenges. There is no shortage of fascinating problems to solve.
The Software Engineer will provide autonomous support of complex assignments, under the leadership of the Software Team Lead and Software Engineering Manager. The Software Engineer will have project and subject matter responsibility and authority.
Flight Software 45%
  • Upgrade existing flight software for new missions.
  • Contribute to the development of new satellite flight software for our satellite platforms.
  • Develop in-house tools to analyze flight software performance and assess its compatibility with new mission and conops.
  • Develop and execute flight software verification and validation tests at the unit, module, subsystem, and platform level.
  • Work with manufacturing engineers to support installation onto the hardware-in-the-loop test environments and eventual flight hardware.
  • Participate in anomaly resolution activities and patch existing flight software.
  • Develop, integrate, and test flight software applications using spacecraft flight software frameworks such as NASA's Core Flight System (cFS).
  • Contribute to the design, integration, and maintenance of reusable flight software components, messaging architectures, and command and telemetry interfaces.
  • Support software integration activities across spacecraft subsystems, flight computers, payloads, and ground systems.

Software Integration and Test 45%
  • Develop and execute FSW verifications tests using both proprietary satellite digital twin software and a Hardware in the Loop (HIL) FlatSat.
  • Establish and document test methodologies and descriptions to test compliance with customer-based requirements.
  • Develop and implement software and tools for ground support equipment to test and validate flight software.
  • Contribute to document management, including versioning, bug reporting, and test plan documentation.
  • Oversee and conduct official validation tests.
  • Develop and execute integration and verification testing of cFS-based flight software within simulation, FlatSat, and Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) environments.
  • Support end-to-end validation of command, telemetry, fault management, and autonomous spacecraft operations software.

Systems Modeling 5%
  • Contribute to the development of systems- and mission-level modeling and simulation tools.
  • Develop software models of payloads for ground testing.
  • Support development of software model of satellite platform, particularly ensuring accurate representation of the flight software.

Additional Responsibilities 5%
  • Support working groups, both internal and with customers and/or vendors.
  • Support proposal writing, new business.
  • Assess the software impacts of new hardware, conops, and missions.

Preferred Qualifications:
  • Experience developing spacecraft flight software (FSW) for satellites, spacecraft, launch vehicles, or autonomous aerospace systems.
  • Experience with NASA Core Flight System (cFS) and/or other spacecraft flight software architectures.
  • Experience with real-time operating systems such as RTEMS, VxWorks, Integrity, or embedded Linux.
  • Familiarity with spacecraft command and telemetry systems, CCSDS protocols, fault management, and onboard autonomy.
  • Experience with Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL), FlatSat, digital twin, or spacecraft integration and test environments.
  • Experience supporting spacecraft mission operations, anomaly resolution, and on-orbit software maintenance.

Qualified Experience / Skills / Training:
Education:
  • Bachelor's degree in STEM (Science, Technical, Engineering, Math) or related scientific areas.

Experience:
  • A minimum of 3 years with a Bachelor's degree, or 1 year with a Master's degree.
  • Proven track-record of working with aerospace hardware and/or software systems, starting from conceptual designs and tradeoffs through detailed design, development, manufacture, integration, test, deployment, and operations.

Knowledge, Skills, Demonstrated Capabilities:
  • Insatiable curiosity and a demonstrated ability to learn and work independently.
  • Proficiency in C/C++.
  • Expertise in one or more of the following:
    • Embedded software development and testing.
    • Device driver development and testing of software/hardware interfaces.
    • Real-time operating systems programming, debugging, and testing.
    • Cybersecurity.
    • GNC algorithms design, analysis, testing, and implementation.
    • Functional validation of embedded software on hardware.
    • Software safety assurance.
    • Network topology and configuration.
    • Simulators: numerical, emulator, and hardware in the loop.
    • Software requirements and configuration management.

Eligibility:
  • US Citizenship.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.

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