Lead Flight Software Engineer

Lead Flight Software Engineer

As a Lead Flight Software Engineer at Impulse, you will be responsible for leading the design, development, and integration of the software that powers our Space Vehicles. You will work closely with avionics hardware engineers, GNC engineers, propulsion engineers, and other cross-disciplinary teams to deliver high-reliability, high-performance software for in-space transportation.

Responsibilities

Lead the design, implementation, integration, and verification of software for:

• Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) algorithms
• Command and telemetry handling
• Mission sequencing, autonomy, and fault management
• Closed-loop control of propulsion, attitude control, and other time-critical systems

Architect and maintain the real-time flight software framework to meet deterministic performance requirements in space environments.

Develop detection and mitigation algorithms for anomalies such as sensor failures, actuator malfunctions, or radiation-induced faults.

Direct and participate in code reviews, ensuring compliance with software safety, reliability, and maintainability standards.

Mentor and provide technical direction to a team of flight software engineers.

Collaborate with systems, avionics, and propulsion teams to ensure hardware/software integration readiness.

Support mission operations and troubleshoot real-time issues during ground integration, environmental testing, and on-orbit operations.

Drive the adoption of best practices in embedded software development, testing, and documentation.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field.

8+ years of professional experience developing C/C++ code for embedded systems in aerospace, with at least 1 year in a technical leadership role.

Demonstrated experience of computer architecture, operating systems, deterministic real-time execution, and embedded networking.

Experience with Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOS) or Embedded Linux in mission-critical environments.

Experience with version control, unit/integration testing, and continuous integration/deployment pipelines.

Preferred Skills and Experience

Proven track record delivering flight software for rockets — including launch vehicles, OTVs, upper stages, or other in-space propulsion systems.

Familiarity with NASA cFS, ROS2, or custom middleware for space applications.

Expertise in designing software for deterministic timing and hard real-time constraints.

Hands-on work in startup or agile aerospace environments.

Strong background in closed-loop control systems for propulsion and attitude control.

Participation in successful integration, testing, launch, and mission operations of a space vehicle.

Strong communication skills, with the ability to lead technical discussions and guide design trade studies.

Additional Information: Compensation bands are determined by role, level, location, and alignment with market data. Individual level and base pay is determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on job-related skills, education, experience, technical capabilities and internal equity. In addition to base salary, for full-time hires, you may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of stock options, and access to medical, vision & dental coverage as well as access to a 401(k) retirement plan.

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Impulse Space is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Impulse Space is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

About Impulse Space

Impulse Space, the in-space transportation company founded by Tom Mueller, is opening access beyond Low Earth Orbit (LEO) with its fleet of in-space transportation vehicles. The high-energy Helios vehicle unlocks orbits beyond LEO with its powerful Deneb engine, dropping off payloads in MEO, GEO, heliocentric, lunar, and other planetary orbits. The flight-proven Mira vehicle uses a nontoxic, high-impulse chemical propulsion system to offer orbital transport, constellation deployment, and precision reentry services to customers throughout LEO.

Led by a team that delivered the most reliable rockets in history, Impulse provides economical and efficient in-space transportation by reliably and rapidly getting customers where they want to go.