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Senior Flight Software Engineer

Develop reliable flight software for spacecraft operations at a pioneering commercial space infrastructure company.

Location
El Segundo, California, United States
Compensation
$169.1k–$216.0k/yr
Level
senior
Type
full time · On-site

Posted by employer 1 day ago

First seen on Joblaze 4 hours ago

Last verified on the company career page 4 hours ago

Skills & Technologies

What you'll build

  • Develop reliable flight software
  • Write quality structured software for embedded processors
  • Own all aspects of software development
  • Ensure system quality and performance through testing
  • Communicate and problem solve in a collaborative environment

Must have

  • Bachelor's degree in computer science, math, physics, engineering or equivalent
  • 5+ years of experience in the development of spacecraft or similar safety critical software
  • Experience with development in C++

Nice to have

  • End-to-end experience building and launching a spacecraft
  • Experience developing and testing real-time embedded systems
  • Experience with safety-critical software for aerospace applications
  • Experience with CCSDS telemetry and telecommand system
  • Experience with F' or cFS framework
  • Knowledge of basic analog and digital electronics

Practical constraints

  • Must be a U.S. person authorized to work in the U.S.

Requirements

Experience
5+ years
Education
Bachelor's degree
Visa
No sponsorship (stated in posting)

Benefits

Equity/Stock Options

Joblaze summary

The Senior Flight Software Engineer at Varda Space focuses on developing and maintaining the software that governs spacecraft operations in orbit, ensuring reliability throughout the mission lifecycle. This role requires expertise in C++ and experience with safety-critical software, particularly in aerospace contexts, as well as familiarity with embedded systems. Ideal candidates have a strong technical background and at least five years of relevant experience, making this position suitable for seasoned professionals in the field. Varda's team is composed of industry veterans, fostering a collaborative environment aimed at advancing commercial space infrastructure.

Joblaze insights

  • Listed today — first seen on Joblaze October 13, 2026. Last confirmed on Varda Space's careers page October 13, 2026.
  • Salary band is above the typical range for comparable tech roles (median ~$130,000).
  • Starts above 68% of 272 comparable senior other roles in United States that list Python we track (median $152,500 across 57 companies). See Python salary trends
  • Python appears in 16.5% of 2480 comparable senior other roles in United States; RTOS appears in 0.5% of 2480 comparable senior other roles in United States.

Quick facts

Is the Senior Flight Software Engineer role remote?
No — this is an on-site role in El Segundo, California, United States.
What's the salary range?
Varda Space lists $169,067–$216,031 for this role.
How much experience is required?
At least 5 years of relevant experience for this Senior Flight Software Engineer role.
Where is the role based?
Varda Space is hiring for this position in El Segundo, California, United States.
What's the tech stack?
Joblaze extracted these technologies from the posting: C++, Linux, Python, RTOS, Rust.
What seniority level is this role?
Varda Space targets senior candidates for this position.
Is this full-time or contract?
Full-time for this Senior Flight Software Engineer role at Varda Space.

From the original posting

About Varda

About This Role

The Senior Flight Software Engineer is responsible for determining how our spacecraft behaves and operates in orbit and building reliable software to ensure it happens. The team is responsible for all phases of development, starting from requirements capture through testing and flight operational support.

Responsibilities

  • Develop reliable flight software that determine how the spacecraft, satellite bus, and reentry capsule operate throughout the entire mission.
  • Write quality structured bare metal, RTOS, or Linux based software for embedded processors in C++.
  • Own all aspects of software development, from design, testing, and integration.
  • Scope projects including requirements capture and initial design trades given open-ended problems.
  • Ensure system quality and performance through software test, verification, and validation (V&V) technique.
  • Teamwork, communicate and problem solve in a collaborative environment.

Basic Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in computer science, math, physics, engineering or equivalent technical experience in safety critical software.
  • 5+ years of experience in the development of spacecraft or similar safety critical software.
  • Experience with development in C++, along with a strong understanding of the language concepts.

Preferred Skills and Experience

  • End-to-end experience building and launching a spacecraft.
  • Experience developing and testing real-time embedded systems.
  • Experience with safety-critical software, especially for aerospace applications.
  • Experience with CCSDS telemetry and telecommand system.
  • Experience with F' or cFS framework.
  • Experience with Python, or Rust.
  • Knowledge of basic analog and digital electronics.
  • Familiarity with SPI, I2C, CAN, EtherCAT.

Pay Range

  • Salary range: Senior Software Engineer: $169,067 - $216,031/ per year.
  • This role is on-site in El Segundo, CA.
  • Leveling and base salary is determined by job-related skills, education level, experience level, and job performance.
  • You will be eligible for incentives in the form of stock options and/or long-term cash awards.

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