Varda Space Industries
Space Firmware Software Engineer, C++
About this role
Varda is seeking a Space Firmware Software Engineer to develop and maintain critical flight software for spacecraft, satellite buses, and reentry capsules operating in low Earth orbit. You will own the full software development lifecycle—from requirements and design through testing and in-orbit support—ensuring reliable, safety-critical systems for commercial space infrastructure.
What you'll do
- Develop firmware in C++ to control spacecraft and satellite operations throughout the mission lifecycle
- Own complete software development cycle including design, testing, integration, and validation
- Scope and design solutions for open-ended problems with requirements capture and trade studies
- Write bare metal, RTOS, or Linux-based embedded software for spacecraft processors
- Implement software verification, validation, and testing techniques to ensure system reliability
- Provide flight operational support and troubleshooting for deployed systems
What they're looking for
- C++ programming with deep language knowledge
- Real-time embedded systems development and testing
- Safety-critical software design and verification
- Spacecraft or aerospace software experience
- RTOS and bare metal firmware development
- Software architecture and system design
- Python or Rust (preferred)
- Computer architecture and operating systems knowledge
Benefits
- On-site work in El Segundo, CA with production facility access
- Competitive salary range of $131,000–$184,000 annually
- Opportunity to work on cutting-edge commercial space technology
- Team of experienced leaders from SpaceX, Blue Origin, and major aerospace firms
- Impact on in-orbit pharmaceutical manufacturing and space infrastructure
Opens the application — the Jobs AI extension fills it for you. Set up autofill
Opens the official application on the employer’s site. No login required.
Varda Space Industries
Varda Space Industries builds commercial spacecraft and orbital manufacturing systems for missions in low Earth orbit, including reentry capsules and satellite buses. The company is hiring mission operations engineers, software engineers (ground segment, flight, and embedded), and manufacturing engineers to develop mission-critical systems, operational infrastructure, and scalable production capabilities.
- Website
- varda.com
Likely interview questions
- Describe your experience developing software for safety-critical aerospace or spacecraft systems and how you ensured reliability.
- Walk us through a complex embedded systems project you owned end-to-end; what were the biggest technical challenges?