Technical Requirements 1. Core Software Engineering Skills Proficiency in systems-level programming languages: C/C++ for embedded and high-performance systems Rust for memory-safe, concurrency-safe development Python or Go for scripting, automation, and backend tasks

Strong understanding of: Real-time operating systems (RTOS) and embedded platforms Multithreading, concurrency models, and synchronization Low-level hardware interfaces (I2C, SPI, UART, CAN, etc.)

2. Aerospace & Space Systems Software Experience Software development experience in: Spacecraft avionics and onboard systems Flight software (FSW) and ground control interfaces Command/telemetry protocols like CCSDS, CANOpen, or custom IPC

Familiarity with: Radiation-hardened environments and limited onboard compute Deterministic software behavior under critical timing constraints

3. Simulation, Modeling & Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) Experience working with: HIL and software-in-the-loop (SIL) testing systems Digital twin or spacecraft emulator environments Tools such as MATLAB/Simulink, NASA Trick, Gazebo, or GMAT

4. DevOps & CI/CD in Flight-Critical Systems Proficiency in CI/CD pipelines and version control systems: Git, Docker, Kubernetes (primarily for ground-side ops) Jenkins, GitLab CI/CD, Bazel, or equivalent

Knowledge of automated testing and static analysis tools: Cppcheck, Clang-Tidy, Coverity, VectorCAST

5. System Architecture and Scalability Experience designing distributed systems for spacecraft-ground data flow Knowledge of networking, telemetry packetization, and IPC frameworks Ability to optimize software for memory, CPU, and bandwidth constraints 6. Cybersecurity & Space-Grade Hardening Understanding of: Embedded security best practices Encryption, secure boot, firmware validation Fault tolerance in space-grade systems

7. Toolchains and Standards Familiarity with: GNU toolchain (gcc, gdb) and cross-compilation environments Aerospace and safety standards (e.g., DO-178C, NASA software guidelines) Tools like Git, JIRA, Confluence, Bitbucket, VS Code, CLion

8. Soft Skills and Operational Agility Quick ramp-up time and ability to work under pressure Strong code ownership, rapid prototyping, and iteration mindset Clear documentation practices for knowledge transfer to permanent staff 9. Preferred Domain Experience Prior contributions to or collaborations with: SpaceX, Blue Origin, NASA JPL, Rocket Lab, Sierra Space, DARPA programs Development of flight-qualified software for missions in LEO, GEO, or lunar trajectories

At least 7-10 years of relevant experience, combining: 5+ years of software engineering 2-5 years in aerospace or embedded systems CI/CD, simulation, system architecture, and standards familiarity A particularly strong candidate with niche aerospace or embedded systems experience might qualify with 5-7 years, but 10+ years would align best with the "high bar " expectation for burst capacity engineers in mission-critical space environments.