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Flight Software Engineer

Scout

Scout

Software Engineering
Reston, VA, USA
Posted 6+ months ago

Flight Software Engineer

Scout is building a new way to see and operate in space: with a new paradigm of data empowering every satellite to make space safer. We are a rapidly-growing team; we are deploying real solutions to orbit; and our work will transform the face of spaceflight. We are looking for people that bring excitement and energy to our organization, are curious and eager to learn, and want to help drive our programs forward.

As a Flight Software Engineer, you will play a crucial role in the design, development, manufacturing, assembly, integration, test, and operations of our advanced electro-optical payloads for space missions. Your expertise will be essential in ensuring the successful integration and performance of optical and mechanical components within our space systems by developing software to support all phases of integration, test, and operations.

Responsibilities:

  • Design, develop, and maintain flight software systems for health monitoring, command and data handling, and on-board data processing
  • Operating as the lead flight software architect, collaborating with cross-functional teams to define software requirements and specifications for space missions.
  • Develop software architecture and design solutions that meet mission objectives and resiliency against environmental challenges such as radiation effects (single events, irradiating doses).
  • Conduct embedded development to meet stringent spacecraft mission requirements.
  • Apply agile methodologies to the design, analysis, tuning, and optimization of software architectures.
  • Establish architecture for continuous integration and improvement of SCOUT flight software, including autonomy, interfaces, and data management.

Required Qualifications:

  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field.
  • Experience in software development of lean and efficient flight systems.
  • Experience using C/C++ and Python in an operational environment.
  • Experience in hardware/software integration across common industry device protocols (e.g. SPI, ethernet, I2C, etc).
  • Experience with camera communication and data protocols’ (e.g. ONVIF, gigeVision) integration into software systems.
  • Flight heritage with software: proven track record of deploying software into orbit and operating systems in challenging on-orbit missions.
  • Demonstrated experience building robust and resilient flight software, including experience ensuring system resiliency against radiation effects.
  • Demonstrated experience with integrating computer vision, machine learning into real-time and/or safety-critical systems.
  • Experience with imagery standards (e.g. FITS, EOSSA) used in the space industry, and data handling standards for imagery and imagery-based data products.
  • Experience in performance design, analysis, and tuning of software systems: multiple unit test frameworks for software testing; familiarity with industry standards and best practices for spaceflight software development
  • Proven experience working in Agile or similar software development processes and methodologies
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex concepts and technical information clearly and concisely.


Preferred Qualifications:

  • Experience leveraging containerization approaches (e.g. Docker) to build within spaceflight software environments such as KubOS and NASA’s core Flight System (cFS).
  • Experience with Linux and/or real-time operating systems
  • Experience with developing software test plans / procedures, software interface control documents, & other software artifacts traditionally associated with spaceflight programs.
  • Experience working and collaborating in a fast-paced, small team environment.

Don't fulfill all the qualifications listed above? If you still feel like you might be a good fit, please feel free to APPLY ANYWAY. We believe in a well-rounded team, and this sometimes means that someone with out-of-context knowledge can contribute just as well as someone with very explicit alignment with our capabilities needs stated.

Our positions are based in the Reston, Virginia area, with much of our team operating in a hybrid or remote fashion. Our preference is for candidates in or around this area (or willing to relocate) as we scale our facilities and engineering team and provide more opportunities to work and collaborate in-person. Remote employees will be required to travel for onsite work and in-person meetings.

Scout Inc. does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor. To conform to US Government space technology export regulations, applicants must be a US citizen, lawful permanent resident of the US, a protected individual as defined by 8 USC 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorization from the US Department of State.

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