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Flight Software Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Astro Mechanica

Flight Software Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$90K - $160K/yr

Astro Mechanica is seeking a Flight Software Engineer to join our growing team. The ideal candidate is excited to develop software that is used to control and fly our products. You will have the ...

Space Kinetic

Flight Software Engineer

El Segundo, CA

$120K - $150K/yr

The Flight Software Engineer will design, develop, test, and maintain the software that controls Space Kinetic's spacecraft. You will work across the full software lifecycle and collaborate with ...

Impulse Space

Flight Software Engineer

Redondo Beach, CA

$130K - $280K/yr

Description As a Flight Software Engineer at Impulse, you will be responsible for the design, development, and integration of the software that powers our Space Vehicles. You will work closely with ...

Stratolaunch

Flight Software Engineer

Mojave, CA · On-site

To help achieve these efforts, Stratolaunch is seeking a level II, Sr., or Staff level Embedded Software Engineer to participate in the development and testing of flight software for an autonomous ...

Space Kinetic

Flight Software Engineer

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$120K - $150K/yr

The Flight Software Engineer will design, develop, test, and maintain the software that controls Space Kinetic's spacecraft. You will work across the full software lifecycle and collaborate with ...

Space Kinetic

Flight Software Engineer

El Segundo, CA · On-site

$120K - $150K/yr

The Flight Software Engineer will design, develop, test, and maintain the software that controls Space Kinetic's spacecraft. You will work across the full software lifecycle and collaborate with ...

Stratolaunch

Flight Software Engineer

Mojave, CA · On-site

To help achieve these efforts, Stratolaunch is seeking a full-time Sr-, Staff-, or Principal-level Software Engineer to lead the development and testing of flight software for an autonomous ...

Stratolaunch

Flight Software Engineer

Mojave, CA · Hybrid

To help achieve these efforts, Stratolaunch is seeking a full-time Sr-, Staff-, or Principal-level Software Engineer to lead the development and testing of flight software for an autonomous ...

K2 Space

Flight Software Engineer

Los Angeles, CA

$123K - $160K/yr

Experience with spacecraft flight software development * Fluency with Linux systems programming and driver development * Experience with continuous integration and continuous delivery systems

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Flight Software Engineer information

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$35

$53

$74

How much do flight software engineer jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 22, 2026, the average hourly pay for flight software engineer in California is $53.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $44.38 and $58.12 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.

What are popular job titles related to Flight Software Engineer jobs in California?

For Flight Software Engineer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Flight Software Engineer jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Flight Software Engineer jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Flight Software Engineer jobs?

Cities in California with the most Flight Software Engineer job openings:

Flight Software Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Flight Software Engineer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $110,248 per year, or $53 per hour.

Software Engineer, Flight Software

Muon Space

San Jose, CA

$156K - $186K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 10 days ago

Job description

About the role

Muon seeks a Flight Software Engineer to join our satellite flight software team. The ideal candidate is a self-motivated versatile software developer with significant previous experience developing embedded devices or appliances. In this role, you will design, develop, integrate, and test the software and firmware that runs on our orbiting satellites. This position is based at our San Jose, CA office.

Responsibilities
  • Integral member of the team defining and building Muon's satellite bus platform
  • Translate concepts and requirements into design and working implementations, supporting through to on-orbit operations
  • Design, bring up, and support the embedded software environment that runs in our satellite flight systems and peripherals using ARM Cortex-M CPUs.
  • Participate in evaluating and selecting technologies for our software foundation
  • Write application, platform, and driver functionality in our flight software environment and teach others how to use it
  • Integrate compute and peripheral subsystems in both software and hardware
  • Collaborate with hardware team members on the design and bring up of Muon hardware
  • Collaborate with software team members to set flight software architecture, select infrastructure and tools, and communicate with cloud backends.
  • Participate in developing software and hardware-in-the-loop test strategies
Qualifications 
  • B.S., M.S., or Ph.D. in computer science, electrical engineering, or related field
  • 5+ years experience as a software engineer in a team environment
  • Strong C/C++ programming, with some practical familiarity of other languages
  • Integration and control of external hardware devices
  • Read and understand hardware data sheets
  • Excellent communication and presentation skills
Nice-to-have Skills
  • Knowledge of industry-standard data formats and schemas (ProtoBuf, YAML, JSON, etc)
  • Familiarity with a Linux-based development environment
  • Great embedded systems fundamentals: resource-efficient design, low-level drivers, bit manipulation, responsive software and IRQ handling, RTOS frameworks, I/O and communication buses.
  • Experience with one or more of: embedded linux, FPGA, HW design, RF communication systems, cloud/server infrastructure, network architecture.
  • End-to-end development from product concept to delivery to customer/market.
Salary

The salary range for this role is $156,000 - $186,000, plus a competitive equity grant and comprehensive benefits package. Final compensation will be determined based on skills, qualifications, experience, and geographic location as assessed during the interview process. 

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