Embedded Flight Software Engineer

3 days ago

Oxford, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom Darwin Recruitment Full time £60,000 - £90,000 per year

Embedded Flight Software Engineer
Oxfordshire, UK | Hybrid (2 days onsite)

Industry: Space Systems, Flight Software, Onboard Control

A UK-based space company is looking for an Embedded Flight Software Engineer to join their team working on real-time software systems that fly on satellites. This is hands-on development for actual space missions - the software you write will control hardware in orbit.

You'll be part of a collaborative team responsible for building embedded software that runs on spacecraft onboard computers. Expect a mix of low-level C/C++, interfacing with hardware, real-time operating systems, and system-level testing.

This role sits in the Flight Software group and plays a key part in upcoming multi-satellite missions.

What You'll Do

  • Design, develop, and test embedded flight software for space missions
  • Build and integrate low-level code for onboard computers and sensors
  • Work closely with systems and hardware teams to align software with mission needs
  • Write and maintain interface control documents and test plans
  • Debug and validate code on hardware and in simulation
  • Take part in mission simulations and flight software verification

What You'll Need

  • Strong experience in
    C/C++
    for embedded systems
  • Familiarity with
    real-time operating systems
    (e.g. VxWorks, RTEMS)
  • Comfortable working with hardware interfaces and device drivers
  • Hands-on experience with software debugging and testing on target systems
  • Solid understanding of embedded software engineering principles
  • Bachelor's or Master's degree in software, computer science, or engineering

Nice to Have

  • Experience with
    VxWorks
    ,
    NASA cFS
    , or
    PowerPC
  • Familiarity with
    CCSDS
    ,
    CAN
    ,
    SpaceWire
    , or other space comms protocols
  • Knowledge of
    ECSS standards
    or
    MISRA guidelines
  • Background in space systems, satellite control, or mission operations
  • Exposure to
    Python
    , Linux tools, or embedded scripting

Why This Role?

  • Your software will fly on satellites being launched into orbit
  • You'll work at the core of a mission, directly contributing to spacecraft control
  • The work is deeply technical and hands-on, not just specs and docs
  • The team is small, skilled, and mission-focused
  • Hybrid setup with time in the lab and time to code without distractions

Darwin Recruitment is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.

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