Embedded Flight Software Engineer

Embedded Flight Software Engineer

Constellr

Remote or Hybrid, Germany

Key responsibilities

• 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.

About You

Essential Experience:

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++.

Nice to have:

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

• 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.