Flight Software Engineer

About this role

Varda seeks a Flight Software Engineer to develop critical software for spacecraft, satellite buses, and reentry capsules operating in low Earth orbit. You'll own the full software lifecycle from requirements through testing, working with C++ on embedded systems for a commercial space infrastructure company.

What you'll do

• Develop reliable flight software for spacecraft, satellite bus, and reentry capsule operations
• Write structured bare metal, RTOS, or Linux-based embedded software in C++
• Own software design, testing, integration, and verification/validation processes
• Scope projects including requirements capture and design trades for open-ended problems
• Perform software testing and validation to ensure system quality and performance
• Collaborate with team members to solve technical and operational challenges

What they're looking for

• C++ development with strong language fundamentals
• Embedded systems and real-time software development
• Safety-critical software engineering
• Software testing, verification, and validation (V&V)
• Requirements capture and design trade studies
• Python or Rust (preferred)
• CCSDS telemetry, F' framework, or cFS (preferred)
• Communication and problem-solving in collaborative environments

Benefits

• Salary range $131,000–$184,000
• Stock options under Equity Incentive Plan
• Flexible PTO policy plus 12 paid holidays
• Comprehensive health and wellness benefits
• On-site role in El Segundo, CA with production facility access
• Work on cutting-edge commercial space infrastructure

Likely interview questions

• Describe your experience developing flight software for spacecraft or safety-critical systems and how you approached testing and validation.
• Walk us through a project where you owned software from requirements through integration—what challenges did you face?