Senior Satellite Flight Software Engineer

Lynk • Chantilly, VA

1d • Onsite

About The Position

Lynk is the inventor of satellite direct to device (D2D) technology, holding the world’s only commercial FCC license for a D2D system. The company enables mobile network operators' subscribers to send and receive text messages via standard unmodified mobile devices from space. Lynk's service has been tested globally, has regulatory approvals in over 30 countries, and is being commercially deployed based on more than 40 MNO contracts covering approximately 50 countries. The mission is to connect all 8 billion people on the planet, bring mobile broadband to billions, alleviate poverty, and save lives. The Senior Satellite Flight Software Engineer will develop flight software applications for commanding and controlling Lynk's satellites, including the command and data handling system software and supporting software for primary (payload) and secondary radio communications. This software will be tested on a satellite prototype in a lab environment ("flatsat") simulating orbit operations. The role also involves implementing data acquisition methods for successful testing, verification, and validation. The ideal candidate will have significant experience designing, developing, and testing software on rapid timelines, enjoying challenges and creative problem-solving. Experience with satellites is not a requirement; systems-level software engineers passionate about new domains are encouraged to apply.

Requirements

• A Bachelor’s degree or higher in Software, Electrical, Aerospace, or in a related engineering field.
• 5+ years of professional software engineering experience.
• Demonstrated mastery of at least one systems programming language such as Rust, C, or C++.
• A willingness to work in the Rust programming language.
• Familiarity with Linux, operating system principals, and network programming.
• Demonstrated experience with all phases of the software development life cycle.
• Experience developing software that interacts with hardware devices.
• Experience with inter-process communication and IPC mechanisms.
• Experience with Git source control and an understanding of CI/CD system fundamentals.

Nice To Haves

• 8+ years of professional software engineering experience.
• Advanced knowledge of the Rust programming language.
• Familiarity with embedded Linux systems, including the Yocto/OpenEmbedded project.
• Experience developing and testing software for SmallSats / CubeSats.
• Experience with hardware-in-the-loop integration and testing.
• Experience with Protocol Buffers, ZeroMQ, gRPC, and Systemd

Responsibilities

• Leading the design of software solutions critical to the operation of our spacecraft, and developing these as Linux applications that run on satellite flight systems.
• Writing this software in Rust targeting an embedded Linux environment.
• Working in a small, agile team to manage and execute the software development lifecycle (requirements definition, design, implementation, test, and verification) for many individual projects.
• Mentoring junior and mid-level engineers, conducting design and code reviews, and helping set technical direction for the flight software team.
• Supporting Lynk’s Operations and Payload teams, who each bring unique demands on the satellite flight systems.
• Defining and implementing best practices for the flight software team, including usage of the Rust programming language.
• Creating embedded software to interact with satellite devices and electronics using CAN, I2C, SPI, RS-422, RS-485, and other protocols.
• Implementing inter-application coordination and communications using standard inter-process communication or IPC mechanisms available in Linux.
• Developing test software to support unit, integration, and system testing of all flight software functions.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Number of Employees: 11-50 employees