Lead the design and delivery of flight software for agile delta-V spacecraft in a mission-focused, embedded environment.

Lead the design, implementation, integration, and verification of flight software for high-performance space vehicles produced at scale
Architect real-time flight software systems for responsive spacecraft, including command and telemetry, mission sequencing, autonomy, and fault management
Develop and integrate software for closed-loop control of propulsion, attitude control, and other time-critical vehicle systems
Create detection and mitigation algorithms for anomalies such as sensor failures, actuator malfunctions, or radiation-induced faults
Mentor and provide technical direction to a team of flight software engineers
Support mission operations and troubleshoot real-time issues during ground integration, environmental testing, and on-orbit operations

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field
5+ years of professional experience developing C/C++ code for embedded systems in aerospace, with at least 1 year in a technical leadership role
Demonstrated experience of computer architecture, operating systems, deterministic real-time execution, and embedded networking
Experience with Embedded Linux in mission-critical environments

Active Top Secret Clearance with SCI eligibility
Experience delivering flight software for spacecraft, launch vehicles, upper stages, OTVs, responsive spacecraft, or other high-performance aerospace systems
Experience with flight software frameworks, middleware, distributed software architectures, or publish/subscribe messaging patterns for mission-critical embedded systems
Participation in successful integration, testing, launch, and mission operations of a space vehicle
Experience collaborating with external suppliers, primes, or government customers to integrate software and hardware components across vehicle, payload, or mission systems
Strong communication skills, including leading technical discussions and guiding design trade studies

USD 150,000 - 200,000 per yearly
Compensation bands are determined by role, level, location, and alignment with market data
Individual level and base pay are determined case-by-case and may vary based on job-related skills, education, experience, technical capabilities, and internal equity

Impulse Space’s spacecraft manufacturing business is subject to U.S. export regulations including ITAR and EAR
Applicants must be U.S. Persons (U.S. citizen, U.S. national, lawful permanent U.S. resident/green card holder, asylum granted in the U.S., or admitted as a U.S. refugee) or persons eligible to obtain an export license from U.S. Departments of State, Commerce, or other applicable agencies

Location: Redondo Beach, CA (onsite)

Experience Level: 5+ years

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field

Lead Flight Software Engineer, Special Programs

Job Description