Senior Software Engineer, Operating Systems (Aerospace)

Location: Los Angeles, California, USA; in-person collaboration at the Playa Vista office. U.S. Person status is required, or candidates must be able to obtain the required export authorizations.

Salary: $185,000–$210,000 per year for Senior level; $200,000–$250,000 per year for Staff level, plus equity.

Company

hirify.global manufactures satellite buses at scale using software, vertical integration, and hardware designed for manufacturing, supporting applications including earth observation and communications.

What you will do

• Develop low-level software that configures and drives processor peripherals and communication interfaces on spacecraft avionics.
• Develop, configure, and maintain embedded Linux platforms and bootloader frameworks, including Yocto, Buildroot, WolfBoot, and U-Boot.
• Design, implement, and validate firmware update mechanisms, including bootloader integration, secure firmware deployment, and recovery procedures.
• Design and implement security enhancements across complex software architectures to improve system integrity, resilience, and secure operation.
• Collaborate with mission operations, GNC, hardware, and other flight software teams to architect systems, prototype ideas, and deliver mission-critical software.
• Build robust software for reliable autonomous spacecraft operation across every phase of a mission.

Requirements

• U.S. Person status is required, or the ability to obtain the export authorizations required to access export-controlled data.
• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, electrical engineering, or an equivalent qualification, or equivalent professional experience.
• 8+ years of experience writing operating-system code, ideally with Yocto or embedded Linux for spacecraft, robotics, automotive, or other hardware interacting with the physical world.
• Strong proficiency in Python, C++, or Rust.

Nice to have

• Experience developing, testing, deploying, and troubleshooting mission-critical satellite software from prototyping through flight operations.
• Experience with embedded Linux platforms and bootloader frameworks such as Yocto, Buildroot, WolfBoot, and U-Boot.
• Experience bringing up new avionics and flight hardware from initial power-on through functional verification.
• Experience with hardware/software integration, schematic analysis, and hardware debugging using oscilloscopes and logic analyzers.
• Familiarity with spacecraft attitude control systems, including reaction wheels, magnetorquers, thrusters, and associated sensors.
• Experience designing, implementing, and validating firmware update mechanisms, including bootloader integration, secure firmware deployment, and update recovery.
• Experience designing secure systems and implementing security enhancements in complex software architectures.

Culture & Benefits

• Fast-growing startup with more than $500 million in funding and significant investment in employees.
• Equity and long-term stock-option incentives for full-time employees.
• Company-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and dependents, plus $100,000 life insurance.
• 15 days of vacation initially, increasing to 20+ days annually, plus 10 paid holidays and 8 weeks of paid parental leave.
• 401(k) matching, catered lunch, unlimited snacks, childcare reimbursement for work-related travel, and employee social activities.
• Playa Vista office with in-person collaboration, workplace flexibility, and tools for an individual desk setup.