Senior Flight Software Engineer

Zachary Piper Solutions is seeking a Senior Flight Software Engineer to support our client in Lanham, MD. This role requires ability to work onsite in Lanham, MD up to 3 days per week. The Senior Flight Software Engineer will design and develop embedded flight software, integrate spacecraft subsystems, and contribute to FPGA/SoC development. This role also serves as a technical leader influencing architecture, requirements, and cross‑team collaboration.

Responsibilities of the Senior Flight Software Engineer include:

·      Design, develop, and test embedded flight software from concept through spacecraft deployment

·      Maintain and modify HDL code (VHDL/Verilog) to meet mission and spacecraft functional requirements

·      Integrate microcontroller‑based software into systems supporting full spacecraft control

·      Lead technical efforts, guiding requirements through completion and ensuring delivery alignment

·      Collaborate with cross‑functional engineering teams to architect new spacecraft features

·      Ensure software reliability, robustness, and mission compliance across the development lifecycle

Qualifications for the Senior Flight Software Engineer include:

·      Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Computer Science, or related field

·      6+ years of professional experience in embedded programming and mission‑critical systems

·      Proficiency in C and C++ (including modern C++11+)

·      Experience with real‑time operating systems (RTOS), including FreeRTOS

·      Hands‑on experience with FPGA/SoC development and hardware description languages (VHDL required)

·      Familiarity with oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and standard lab equipment

·      Experience integrating and deploying embedded systems in production environments

·      Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government security clearance

Preferred Qualifications:

·      Experience with STM32 microcontrollers

·      Familiarity with Python, Ruby, or Bash scripting

·      Experience with CMake, Ninja, or modern cross‑compilation build systems

·      Background supporting integration and test for aerospace or real‑time embedded systems

·      Strong understanding of concurrency, multi‑threading, and inter‑process communication

Compensation for the Senior Flight Software Engineer includes:

·      Salary Range: $150,000-$165,000 depending on experience

·      Full Benefits Package: PTO, Paid Holidays, Medical, Dental, Vision, 401K, and more

Keywords

embedded systems, embedded software, flight software, spacecraft software, satellite software, C programming, C++11, modern C++, RTOS, FreeRTOS, real‑time systems, microcontrollers, STM32, ARM Cortex, VHDL, Verilog, HDL, FPGA, SoC, hardware description language, logic simulation, HDL verification, oscilloscopes, lab equipment, logic analyzers, multimeters, SWD, JTAG, serial protocols, SPI, I2C, CAN bus, RS‑232, RS‑485, Linux development, Linux command line, cross‑compilation, CMake, Ninja, Git, unit testing, continuous integration, embedded debugging, aerospace engineering, mission‑critical systems, flight control software, concurrency, multithreading, inter‑process communication, circuit schematics, hardware integration, satellite constellations, spacecraft control, embedded firmware, scripting languages, Python, Bash, Ruby, system integration, technical leadership

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