Flight Software Engineer

🛸 UFO is a Los Angeles–based small business founded in 2013 that has supported advanced software and hardware development across rapid space R&D, on-orbit and sub-orbital technology demonstrations, lunar surface missions, and other terrestrial technologies and markets. Today, the company is focused on advancing capabilities in vLEO and beyond, with work spanning cislunar, deep-space, and interplanetary efforts, as well as next-generation space data, networking, and communications systems, all within a fast-moving engineering environment built around small teams, short iteration cycles, and direct hands-on work.

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Join Our Team as a Flight Software Engineer!

Important: This role involves access to export-controlled information. Please do not apply unless you are a U.S. person under ITAR, or otherwise eligible to access such information in compliance with U.S. export control laws.

About the role

UFO is hiring a Flight Software Engineer to develop spacecraft firmware and software across multiple vehicle systems. The work includes embedded development, integration, debugging, test, and verification, spanning both rapid on-orbit tech demos and higher-reliability mission systems.

This is a hands-on role on a small multidisciplinary team. You will be responsible for major subsystems, work across hardware and software boundaries, and carry flight code from early development through integration and validation.

What you’ll do

• Develop flight software, firmware, and BSPs across spacecraft systems
• Write low-level embedded software in C/C++ for microcontrollers and flight hardware
• Bring up new hardware, debug issues, and drive problems to root cause
• Build internal tools for development, integration, and verification
• Work across bare-metal and RTOS-based systems
• Interface directly with buses, peripherals, and subsystem hardware
• Work closely with the team from first implementation through integration, test, and final validation

What we’re looking for

• Strong embedded systems and microcontroller software experience
• Strong C/C++ skills, including low-level firmware and hardware-facing software
• Comfortable in bare-metal, RTOS, and cross-compiled environments
• Strong testing and debugging skills for embedded hardware and software
• Experience with Linux-based development
• Familiarity with common embedded interfaces and buses such as SPI, I2C, UART, CAN, Ethernet, RS-422, CCSDS, or similar
• Comfortable working across disciplines in a fast-moving environment
• Able to work primarily on-site in the Greater Los Angeles area

Bonus points

• Prior spacecraft, flight software, or other mission-critical embedded experience
• Familiarity with ADCS/GNC-related systems
• SDR experience
• Strong lab integration and debugging background
• Familiarity with verification, flight test, or relevant engineering standards
• Active security clearance

Other reasons to join UFO

- Small team, broad scope, and real technical responsibility
- Medical, dental, and vision coverage
- 401(k) and paid time off
- Reasonable hours
and occasional work-from-home flexibility when the work allows