Freelance Embedded System Software Engineer Jobs in Houston, TX

Axiom Space is building the world's first commercial space station -Axiom Station. Serving as a cornerstone for sustained human presence in space, this next-generation orbital platform fosters groundbreaking innovation and research in microgravity, and cultivates the vibrant, global space economy of tomorrow. Today, driven by the vision of leading humanity's journey off planet, Axiom Space is the principal provider of commercialhuman spaceflightservices to the International Space Station and developer ofadvanced spacesuitsfor the Moon and low-Earth orbit. Axiom Space is building era-defining space infrastructure that drives exploration and fuels a vibrant space economy that will empower our civilization to transcend Earth for the benefit of every human, everywhere.

Axiom Space fosters a work environment inclusive of all perspectives. We are the pioneers of commercial space, leading the transformation of low-Earth orbit into a global space marketplace. Our mission-driven team is seeking a bold and dynamic Senior Embedded Flight Software Engineer who is fueled by high ownership, execution horsepower, growth mindset, and driven to understand our world, science/technology, and life itself, for the benefit of all on Earth and beyond.

POSITION SUMMARY

We are seeking a talented Senior Embedded Flight Software Engineer to join our dynamic aerospace team. In this role, you will be responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining firmware and flight software for spacecraft and advanced aerospace systems. You will work hands-on with embedded platforms, real-time operating systems, and mission-critical flight algorithms, collaborating closely with multidisciplinary engineering teams to deliver robust, reliable, and high-performance flight software.

This position is ideal for an engineer who thrives in low-level systems, enjoys building reliable software under strict constraints, and is passionate about contributing directly to aerospace missions.

KEY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop, integrate, and maintain firmware and flight software for spacecraft subsystems and avionics.

• Implement features and algorithms supporting flight hardware.

• Work with real-time operating systems (RTOS) and bare-metal environments.

• Design and develop communication interfaces such as UART, SPI, I2C, USB, Ethernet, or similar.

• Collaborate with hardware engineers to bring up new boards, debug hardware/software interactions, and develop drivers.

• Participate in software architecture design, code reviews, and continuous integration efforts.

• Develop unit tests, hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) tests, and simulation-based verification.

• Support integration, environmental testing, and pre-flight validation.

• Contribute to system-level documentation including ICDs, design artifacts, test reports, and operational procedures.

• Troubleshoot and resolve issues related to performance, memory, timing, and reliability in resource-constrained environments.

• Communicate project progress, status, and potential issues clearly to stakeholders and leadership, ensuring transparency and alignment with organizational goals.

• Implement and maintain agile project management methodologies throughout the project lifecycle, adapting to changing requirements and priorities.

• Perform additional job duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's or Master's in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Computer Science, or a related discipline.

• 4 to 9 years of professional experience in embedded systems, firmware, or flight software development.

• Experience with embedded systems, microcontrollers, processors, or SoCs common in aerospace or industrial applications.

• Hands-on experience with RTOS, firmware development, and low-level programming.

• Experience with hardware bring-up, debugging tools (JTAG, oscilloscopes, logic analyzers), and embedded toolchains.

• Proficiency with version control (Git), build systems, and continuous integration pipelines.

• Strong understanding of real-time constraints, deterministic execution, and safe/reliable embedded design principles.

Skills

• Strong proficiency in C and C++ and familiarity with modern embedded development practices.

• Experience with common communication peripherals (SPI, I2C, UART).

• Exposure to software development in Linux environments.

• Experience with VxWorks preferred but not required.

Competencies:

Embody our core values of leadership, innovation, and teamwork. In addition, to perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies:

• Accountability

• Sense of Urgency

• Extreme Ownership

• Execution and Delivery

• Efficiency

• Effectiveness

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

Generally, an office environment, but can involve inside or outside work depending on the task.

Requirements

• Must be able to complete a U.S. government background investigation.

• Management has the prerogative to select at any level for which the position is advertised.

• Proof of U.S. Citizenship or US Permanent Residency is a requirement for this position.

• Must be willing to work evenings and weekends as needed to meet critical project milestones.

Physical Requirements

• Work may involve sitting or standing for extended periods (90% of the time)

• May require lifting and carrying up to 25 lbs. (5% of the time)

• Equipment and Machines

• Standard office equipment (PC, phone, printer, etc.)

Axiom Space is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Axiom Space does not discriminate on the basis of race, regional color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.