Embedded Software Manager

About Firefly Aerospace

As an end-to-end space transportation company, Firefly Aerospace is on a mission to enable our world to launch, land, and operate in space anywhere, anytime.

Our launch vehicles, lunar landers, and orbital vehicles provide government and commercial customers with full mission services from low Earth orbit to the surface of the Moon and beyond.

Headquartered in north Austin, Texas, Firefly is looking for passionate, hardworking innovators to join our team and help fuel our successful trajectory into space.

Summary

As the Embedded Software Engineering Manager, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of Firefly Aerospace and space exploration.

You will lead a dynamic team of software engineers to design, implement, and test software that will operate our launch vehicles, spacecraft, and test & launch facilities.

This role demands a combination of strategic leadership, technical excellence, and a deep passion for space exploration.

You will have the leadership responsibility of building, guiding, and mentoring the team of embedded software engineers.

This role demands both a technical core competency in aerospace software engineering and demonstrated leadership experience in building up empowered software engineering teams to do amazing things.

You will work closely with the Flight Software, GNC, and Ground Software Managers to establish and maintain a high-quality software development organization and improve the software processes and productivity of the Embedded Software Engineering team.

Candidates should be prepared for a fast-paced startup environment. This position requires high levels of creativity, flexibility, patience, and collaboration.

The ability to communicate effectively within a multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural group is a must.

Responsibilities

Team Management : Lead, mentor, and expand the team of software engineers, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Build the team through hiring, training, personal development, corrective actions, and cross training.

• Process Management : Establish clear and concise software development processes to be used by the team for the design, analysis, test, and verification and validation of Firefly’s embedded software.
• Project Oversight : Oversee all phases of embedded software development for launch vehicles, spacecraft, and ground test & launch systems, from concept through launch and operation, ensuring projects are delivered on time, within budget, and to the highest standards of quality and safety.
• Technical Excellence : Ensure the adoption of best practices in software engineering, including system safety, and reliability engineering, to develop software that meets the rigorous demands of space exploration.

Lead contributor to design, implementation, and maintenance of high reliability C++ software

Collaboration and Coordination : Work closely with other departments and stakeholders, including the other software group managers, hardware engineering, systems engineering, to ensure seamless integration and alignment of software with overall project goals.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Sciences, Aerospace Engineering, or related field.
• Minimum +5 years of embedded software development experience (at least 3+ years’ in a technical leadership role)
• Proficiency in C / C++ on embedded targets
• Proficiency with Linux, ARM and microcontrollers
• Proficient in programming for SPI, I2C and UART devices
• Hands-on experience with embedded systems in a lab-based environment
• Ability to work in a dynamic environment with changing needs and requirements
• Team-player, can-do attitude, and ability to work well in a group environment while still contributing on an individual basis
• Enjoys being challenged and learning new skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Experience in building and leading high-performing engineering teams
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and negotiation skills

Desired

• Master’s degree in computer sciences, Aerospace Engineering, or related field.
• Experience with SoC systems running embedded Linux, RTOSs, and bare metal
• Experience building Linux from scratch to operate on SoC platforms
• Design experience with CAN, Serial, Ethernet communication protocols
• Understanding of data path pipelines, state machines, and arithmetic operations
• Proficiency in embedded C / C++ programming
• Exposure to static timing analysis
• ASIC / FPGA / SoC system integration experience
• Comfortable with scripts and command line (csh / bash, Perl, Python etc.)

Firefly offers outstanding benefits for our employees, including generous health, dental and vision plans with low plan deductibles, parental leave, educational reimbursement, short term disability, and flexible PTO options.

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., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.

S. Department of State.

Firefly Aerospace, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Firefly is governed based on 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.