Embedded Flight Software Engineer

Job description

Team & Reporting Line:

Mission and Space Segment - Reporting to Lead Satellite Systems

At constellr, we use thermal intelligence from space to understand what is happening on Earth - where, when and at scale. Our satellite constellation delivers high-resolution land surface temperature data, giving governments, defence organisations, commercial operators and global institutions the intelligence they need to monitor change, assess risk and make better-informed decisions.

From national security and critical infrastructure to agriculture and climate resilience, constellr turns temperature into actionable intelligence for a changing world.

You will join the

constellr Mission & Space Segment team

, playing a key role in shaping the onboard software that powers our satellite constellation across its full lifecycle - from early design through to in-orbit operations.

In addition to software development, you will contribute to system-level design decisions, support procurement and supplier technical alignment, and help ensure our onboard software is continuously validated, improved, and ready for operation in orbit

Job requirements

• This is a hands-on, high-impact role where you will help define how our satellites compute, behave, and evolve in space.
• Your work will directly influence the reliability, performance, and long-term success of constellr's mission.
• You'll collaborate closely across the business - working day-to-day with internal engineering teams, Product Assurance, Project Management, and Operations , as well as external suppliers.
• Together, you will help turn mission concepts into robust, flight-ready software systems.
• Design, develop, test, and maintain high-reliability onboard flight software in compliance with product assurance and safety standards.
• Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders to define, refine, and manage software requirements across all onboard satellite systems.
• Contribute to the definition and evolution of onboard software architecture, supporting both laboratory-based validation environments and in-orbit operational systems.
• Develop and implement robust Fault Detection, Isolation and Recovery (FDIR) strategies to ensure resilience and autonomy of onboard systems.
• Support the planning, coordination, and delivery of new software features and upgrades, working closely with external suppliers and development partners.
• Champion strong configuration management practices across all onboard software components to ensure traceability, integrity, and control.
• Define and drive verification and validation strategies, ensuring comprehensive testing and high confidence in flight software performance.
• Participate in end-to-end verification and validation activities for onboard systems and flight software.
• Ensure all software-whether developed in-house or delivered by suppliers-meets stringent technical, safety, and quality requirements.
• Support investigation and resolution of software anomalies and non-conformance issues, contributing to continuous improvement and system reliability.
• Help define and enhance the in-orbit software update process for satellites within the constellation fleet.
• Contribute to integration and testing activities using Flatsat environments and other ground-based simulation and validation platforms.

Required:

We're looking for someone with strong engineering fundamentals and real-world experience building software for complex, safety-critical or aerospace systems.

• Degree in Aerospace Engineering, Software Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field
• Strong understanding of systems engineering principles and full software development lifecycles in complex technical environments
• At least 4 years of experience in software development or software assurance, ideally in aerospace or other safety-critical domains
• Experience with embedded software development, including familiarity with low-level hardware interfaces (e.g., CAN, Camera Link, or similar)
• Exposure to FPGA-based systems and familiarity with relevant ECSS standards (especially Q-ST-60-02)
• Solid grounding in software engineering principles, development methodologies, and lifecycle management tools
• Experience with software testing frameworks, tools, and processes
• Strong practical experience using Git and working within CI/CD pipelines
• Proficiency in Python and C++

These skills would further strengthen your profile, but are not essential:

Why join constellr?

High-Impact National Security Mission:

Be part of an ambitious mission to launch the world's first commercial thermal infrared constellation, delivering sovereign-grade "behavioural" intelligence from space to close critical blind spots for defence, intelligence, and maritime surveillance agencies.

Fast-Paced "New Space" Innovation:

Broad Interdisciplinary Exposure:

Accelerate your professional growth by

• Familiarity with ECSS standards and handbooks, including:
• ECSS-E-ST-40C
• ECSS-E-HB-40A
• ECSS-E-ST-20-04C
• ECSS-Q-ST-80C
• ECSS-Q-ST-60-03C
• ECSS-Q-ST-30-02C
• ECSS-E-ST-70-11C
• ECSS-E-ST-70-41C
• ECSS-E-HB-40-02A
• Experience with space communication protocols such as CCSDS and CSP
• Strong analytical and structured problem-solving skills
• High attention to detail and a strong quality mindset
• Confidence in identifying inconsistencies and improving technical standards
• Clear communication skills and ability to work across multidisciplinary teams
• Work at the leading edge of a rapidly evolving defence sector.
• By leveraging modern, agile New Space methodologies, you will help design, build, and deploy dual-use thermal payloads into operational orbit at a speed and scale that traditional aerospace models simply cannot match.