Principal Wireless Software Engineer (Wireless Networking)

TL;DR

Principal Wireless Software Engineer (Wireless Networking/C++): Architecting custom wireless MAC protocols for LEO satellite constellations to enable high-performance inter-satellite and ground-to-space communication with an accent on multi-gigabit throughput and orbital dynamics. Focus on designing high-efficiency MAC layers, optimizing resource allocation, and building high-speed dataplanes using DPDK/VPP.

Location: Greater Seattle Area or Bay Area, CA. Must be a U.S. citizen, national, permanent resident, refugee, or granted asylum per Export Control Regulations.

Salary: $230,773 - $323,081

Company

hirify.global develops reusable, safe, and low-cost space vehicles and systems to enable millions of people to live and work in space for the benefit of Earth.

What you will do

• Lead the design and end-to-end ownership of custom wireless MAC protocols optimized for high-velocity LEO satellite links.
• Develop sophisticated resource allocation, scheduling, and interference mitigation algorithms tailored for orbital dynamics.
• Architect high-speed dataplanes using DPDK or VPP to ensure massive throughput with minimal jitter.
• Collaborate with PHY and RF teams to define the software-hardware interface and integrate signal processing with protocol logic.
• Define the technical roadmap for the wireless stack, analyzing trade-offs between latency, reliability, and spectral efficiency.
• Mentor senior and staff-level engineers in embedded software and wireless systems design.

Requirements

• Graduate degree (MS or PhD) in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.
• 12+ years of professional software development experience in wireless networking.
• 5+ years in a principal or lead architectural role.
• Deep expertise in wireless communication fundamentals, including modulation, coding, and link budget analysis.
• Extensive experience implementing MAC and PHY layers (e.g., 3GPP 4G/5G, WiFi, or WiMAX).
• Must be a U.S. citizen, national, permanent resident, refugee, or granted asylum.

Nice to have

• Direct experience developing flight or ground software for LEO/MEO constellations like Starlink, Project Kuiper, or OneWeb.
• Experience designing proprietary wireless protocols for specialized hardware environments.
• Familiarity with Software Defined Networking (SDN) applied to wireless backhaul.

Culture & Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• 401(k) with a company match of up to 5%.
• Up to 4 weeks of paid time off and 14 company-paid holidays.
• Paid parental leave and short/long-term disability insurance.
• Access to an Education Support Program.