Staff Engineer - Terminal Software

Viasat, Inc.•Carlsbad, CA

19h

About The Position

Viasat’s Access Edge Terminal Software team develops embedded software for satellite communication terminals used in aviation, maritime, residential, mobility, and emerging connectivity markets. The Staff Engineer provides technical leadership across the embedded software portfolio, shaping software architecture, engineering practices, and long-term technology strategy while partnering with multiple development teams to deliver high-quality, scalable, and maintainable solutions. The role combines hands-on engineering with broad technical influence. The Staff Engineer leads the design, development, testing, and delivery of embedded software; defines shared platform capabilities and reusable components; guides complex architectural decisions; and advances software modernization. The position also establishes engineering best practices, mentors engineers, and works with systems, hardware, product, and program teams to deliver integrated solutions. The role participates in Agile development teams and may require travel up to 10%. U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status is required.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related technical field.
Hands-on software design and development experience using C, C++, and/or Rust in embedded environments.
Demonstrated track record of delivering complex software products and providing technical leadership across multiple projects or teams.
Extensive experience with Linux-based embedded systems.
Strong expertise in software architecture, design patterns, and large-scale system design.
Proven experience evaluating and improving existing software architectures and codebases.
Experience developing and delivering software using CI/CD pipelines and DevOps practices.
Ability to influence technical direction and drive adoption of engineering best practices across teams.
Strong proficiency in object-oriented design and software development methodologies.
Experience with Linux networking stacks, kernel internals, and device driver development.
Deep understanding of software quality practices, automated testing, and development automation.
Experience designing scalable and maintainable software platforms for embedded systems.
Familiarity with modern development workflows, tooling, and Agile methodologies.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills for navigating complex technical challenges.
Proven ability to mentor and develop engineers across a range of experience levels.
Excellent communication skills and ability to influence technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Experience leading technical initiatives through collaboration rather than direct management authority.
Ability to balance short-term delivery goals with long-term architectural strategy.
U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status.

Nice To Haves

Experience solving challenging problems involving embedded software, networking, wireless communications, and connectivity.
Interest in shaping engineering practices and architectural decisions across multiple teams and product lines.
Ability to balance strategic technical leadership with hands-on engineering impact.

Responsibilities

Drive software architecture and technical direction across multiple embedded software teams and product lines.
Define and evolve shared platform capabilities, frameworks, and reusable software components.
Lead architectural reviews and guide complex technical decisions.
Influence long-term technology strategy, platform evolution, and software modernization initiatives.
Partner with engineering leadership to identify and prioritize strategic technical investments.
Lead the design, development, testing, and delivery of embedded software for satellite terminal products.
Contribute hands-on to software development, focusing on high-impact technical challenges.
Champion engineering excellence through code reviews, design reviews, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Ensure software solutions are scalable, maintainable, secure, and aligned with product requirements.
Drive adoption of modern software development methodologies, tools, and practices.
Establish and promote best practices for software architecture, design, implementation, testing, and deployment.
Mentor engineers through technical coaching, code reviews, architecture discussions, and knowledge-sharing opportunities.
Help teams improve software quality, development velocity, and operational efficiency.
Foster a culture of technical excellence, ownership, collaboration, and continuous learning.
Serve as a trusted technical advisor across engineering teams and stakeholders.
Collaborate with systems, hardware, product, and program teams to deliver integrated solutions.
Align technical priorities and resolve complex challenges across organizational boundaries.
Evaluate emerging technologies and industry trends to identify opportunities for innovation.
Support planning, estimation, risk assessment, and execution of key technical initiatives.
Participate as a key contributor within Agile development teams.
Travel up to 10% as needed.

Benefits

Medical, financial, and other benefits, dependent on the position offered.
Additional cash or stock incentives may be provided as part of the compensation package.

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