Senior Embedded Software Engineer

Varda Space Industries • El Segundo, CA

4d • Onsite

About The Position

About Varda Low Earth orbit is open for business . Varda is accelerating the development of commercial space infrastructure, from in-orbit pharmaceutical processing to reliable and economical reentry capsules. From life-saving pharmaceuticals to more powerful fiber optics, there is a world of products used on Earth today that can only be manufactured in space. Varda is accelerating innovation in the orbital economy by creating both the products and infrastructure needed so space can directly benefit life on Earth. Our mission is to expand the economic bounds of humankind. Our team is uniquely suited to accomplishing this goal, with leadership and staff comprised of veterans from SpaceX, Blue Origin, major pharmaceutical companies and Silicon Valley. Varda was founded in January 2021 by Will Bruey and Delian Asparouhov with significant backing from world class investors including Khosla Ventures, Lux Capital, Founders Fund, Caffeinated Capital, General Catalyst, and Also Capital. Varda is headquartered in El Segundo, California, where we have offices and a production facility where our vehicles, equipment, and materials are built, integrated, and tested. Varda also has offices in Washington, DC and Huntsville, AL. Join Varda, and work to create a bustling in-space ecosystem. About This Role At Varda, embedded engineers own the software that controls our spacecraft through every phase of flight. That means your work supports power-up, on‑orbit operations, atmospheric reentry, and landing. You’ll work across bare‑metal microcontrollers, embedded Linux, networked avionics, and real flight hardware. This is a hands-on role where you bring up new boards, write safety‑critical code, integrate with sensors and payloads, and ship software that goes to space on a high-cadence mission schedule.

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience developing real-time embedded software.
• Strong proficiency in C++ for embedded systems.
• Experience developing firmware for ARM microcontrollers.
• Hands-on experience bringing up hardware and writing low-level peripheral drivers.
• Familiarity with protocols such as SPI, I2C, UART/RS‑422, CAN, or Ethernet.
• Ability to read schematics, understand datasheets, and work closely with hardware engineers.
• Strong debugging skills (oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, JTAG, on-target testing).
• Ability to independently own and deliver complex technical systems.

Nice To Haves

• Deep familiarity with microcontroller fundamentals, such as interrupts, DMA, memory layouts, peripherals, and startup sequences.
• Strong familiarity in embedded/real-time Linux.
• Knowledge of deterministic networking and time synchronization.
• Background in safety‑critical or high‑reliability embedded systems.
• Experience integrating sensors, mixed-signal ICs, power electronics, and actuators.
• Familiarity with hardware‑in‑the‑loop test setups or multi-stage integration environments.
• Ability to lead subsystem development or mentor other engineers.
• Interest in spacecraft, robotics, or complex systems operating in harsh environments.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to a new generation of spacecraft avionics, from early concept through hardware bringup and flight certification.
• Develop reliable, modern C++ firmware for safety‑critical systems in a bare-metal environment.
• Validate software on real hardware using hardware‑in‑the‑loop and full‑vehicle integration test environments.
• Support mission operations campaigns where your software is exercised end‑to‑end in flight.

Benefits

• Equity in a fully funded space startup with potential for significant growth (interns excluded)
• 401(k) matching (interns excluded)
• Unlimited PTO (interns excluded)
• Health insurance, including Vision and Dental
• Maternity / Paternity leave (interns excluded)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed