C Software Engineer Jobs in Washington
C Software Engineer jobs in Washington are in strong and consistent demand, with the market concentrated in aerospace and defense, embedded systems, cloud infrastructure, and high-performance computing across experience levels from entry-level to principal engineer. Seattle, Bellevue, and Redmond anchor most of the hiring activity, where employers like Boeing, Microsoft, and Amazon maintain large engineering workforces with ongoing needs for systems-level C expertise. The most sought-after specialties in Washington are embedded firmware, real-time operating systems, and low-level performance optimization for hardware-adjacent products. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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SpaceXAI's mission is to create AI systems that can accurately understand the universe and aid humanity in its pursuit of knowledge. Our team is small, highly motivated, and focused on engineering excellence. This organization is for individuals who appreciate challenging themselves and thrive on curiosity. We operate with a flat organizational structure. All employees are expected to be hands-on and to contribute directly to the company's mission. Leadership is given to those who show initiative and consistently deliver excellence. Work ethic and strong prioritization skills are important. All employees are expected to have strong communication skills. They should be able to concisely and accurately share knowledge with their teammates.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Build and maintain the lean, high-reliability Linux-based operating system that underpins our supercomputer network fabric.
- Write (or rewrite) high-performance device drivers to extract the maximum physical capability from our network and compute hardware.
- Manage deployment, operation, and debugging of our platform in production, including:
- Rigorous resolution and root-causing of anomalies to ensure the system is constantly improving in reliability.
- Developing and constantly improving our tools for observability and configuration management.
- Collaborate with our hardware teams and external partners to design the next generation of supercomputer hardware – and then bring up our OS and software stack on it.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
- Hands-on systems programming experience in C or C++.
- Strong operating systems fundamentals (scheduling, memory management, I/O) — you must be able to articulate in extreme detail how a computer works, from the hardware all the way up to high-level applications.
- Understanding of computer networking, both in the host (OS stack) as well as common network devices like switches and routers.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
- Deep knowledge of the Linux kernel and its networking stack — transferable experience with another production-grade kernel is okay, too!
- Proficiency with debugging tools spanning kernel, network, and userspace (e.g., ftrace, perf, Wireshark/tcpdump, eBPF, gdb, and more).
- Experience bringing up new hardware from scratch — you have flashed bare-metal software on a microcontroller with JTAG, or bootstrapped a Linux kernel and rootfs on new hardware.
- Demonstrated track record of developing and optimizing device/peripheral drivers — ideally for high-speed interfaces, or with advanced considerations like DMA and cache coherency.
- Understanding of major peripheral hardware interface standards (Ethernet, PCIe, I2C, SPI, etc.) — you can critically review a schematic, and debug these interfaces if needed.
- Experience with product security, OS/system hardening, and secure boot schemes.
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:
$180,000 - $440,000 USD
Base salary is just one part of our total rewards package at xAI, which also includes equity, comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, short & long-term disability insurance, life insurance, and various other discounts and perks.
SpaceXAI is an equal opportunity employer. For details on data processing, view our Recruitment Privacy Notice.
SpaceXAI's mission is to create AI systems that can accurately understand the universe and aid humanity in its pursuit of knowledge. Our team is small, highly motivated, and focused on engineering excellence. This organization is for individuals who appreciate challenging themselves and thrive on curiosity. We operate with a flat organizational structure. All employees are expected to be hands-on and to contribute directly to the company's mission. Leadership is given to those who show initiative and consistently deliver excellence. Work ethic and strong prioritization skills are important. All employees are expected to have strong communication skills. They should be able to concisely and accurately share knowledge with their teammates.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Build and maintain the lean, high-reliability Linux-based operating system that underpins our supercomputer network fabric.
- Write (or rewrite) high-performance device drivers to extract the maximum physical capability from our network and compute hardware.
- Manage deployment, operation, and debugging of our platform in production, including:
- Rigorous resolution and root-causing of anomalies to ensure the system is constantly improving in reliability.
- Developing and constantly improving our tools for observability and configuration management.
- Collaborate with our hardware teams and external partners to design the next generation of supercomputer hardware – and then bring up our OS and software stack on it.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
- Hands-on systems programming experience in C or C++.
- Strong operating systems fundamentals (scheduling, memory management, I/O) — you must be able to articulate in extreme detail how a computer works, from the hardware all the way up to high-level applications.
- Understanding of computer networking, both in the host (OS stack) as well as common network devices like switches and routers.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
- Deep knowledge of the Linux kernel and its networking stack — transferable experience with another production-grade kernel is okay, too!
- Proficiency with debugging tools spanning kernel, network, and userspace (e.g., ftrace, perf, Wireshark/tcpdump, eBPF, gdb, and more).
- Experience bringing up new hardware from scratch — you have flashed bare-metal software on a microcontroller with JTAG, or bootstrapped a Linux kernel and rootfs on new hardware.
- Demonstrated track record of developing and optimizing device/peripheral drivers — ideally for high-speed interfaces, or with advanced considerations like DMA and cache coherency.
- Understanding of major peripheral hardware interface standards (Ethernet, PCIe, I2C, SPI, etc.) — you can critically review a schematic, and debug these interfaces if needed.
- Experience with product security, OS/system hardening, and secure boot schemes.
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:
$180,000 - $440,000 USD
Base salary is just one part of our total rewards package at xAI, which also includes equity, comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, short & long-term disability insurance, life insurance, and various other discounts and perks.
SpaceXAI is an equal opportunity employer. For details on data processing, view our Recruitment Privacy Notice.
See All 7 C Software Engineer Jobs in Washington
Find roles in Washington that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find C Software Engineer JobsC Software Engineer Jobs by City in Washington
Where Washington roles are concentrated, by current openings.
C Software Engineer Job Market in Washington
A snapshot from current Washington openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software
- Trucking
- Insurance
- Automotive
What Washington Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in C software engineer jobs across Washington.
- Proficiency in C with experience in systems or embedded software development
- Familiarity with real-time operating systems such as VxWorks, FreeRTOS, or POSIX environments
- Experience debugging with tools like GDB, Valgrind, or hardware-level debuggers
- Understanding of memory management, pointer arithmetic, and low-level hardware interfaces
- Exposure to version control with Git and collaborative development in agile teams
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, electrical engineering, or a closely related field
C Software Engineer Jobs in Washington: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a c software engineer in Washington?
A bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or electrical engineering is the standard entry point for c software engineer roles in Washington. No state-issued license is required to work as a c software engineer in Washington, but employers in aerospace and defense often require or prefer candidates eligible for security clearances. Building a portfolio of systems or embedded projects and targeting Washington's defense contractors, cloud infrastructure firms, and hardware companies is the most direct hiring path.
How much do C software engineers make in Washington?
C software engineers in Washington earn a median of about $166,540 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $96,810 for the lowest 10% to over $255,350 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire c software engineers in Washington?
Employers hiring c software engineers in Washington right now include SpaceXAI, Zoox, and GEICO, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Washington's aerospace and defense sector, anchored in the greater Seattle and Puget Sound region, drives particularly consistent demand for engineers with systems-level and embedded C experience.
Which Washington cities have the most c software engineer jobs?
Seattle, Olympia, and Redmond have the most c software engineer openings in Washington. Seattle and Bellevue concentrate demand through their large cloud, tech, and enterprise software employers, while Redmond's density of Microsoft campuses and hardware-focused teams keeps it among the most active submarkets for systems-level engineering roles in the state.
Are there remote c software engineer jobs in Washington?
Yes, and more than many engineering specialties. About 33% of c software engineer openings tied to Washington are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, reflecting how much of the work happens in code editors and build environments rather than on-site hardware. Roles in cloud infrastructure, tooling, and compiler work are the most consistently remote, while positions tied to physical hardware or classified defense programs typically require on-site presence.
How can I get hired as a c software engineer in Washington with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is targeting embedded systems or infrastructure internships and new-graduate programs at Washington employers like Boeing, Microsoft, or Amazon, which run structured early-career engineering rotations. University of Washington and Washington State University graduates often enter through campus recruiting pipelines tied to these companies. Building a visible portfolio of low-level C projects on GitHub, contributing to open-source systems tools, and pursuing roles titled junior systems engineer or associate firmware engineer are the most effective lateral moves for candidates without direct industry experience.
Where can I find and apply to c software engineer jobs in Washington?
You can find and apply to c software engineer jobs in Washington on Migrate Mate, which lists current Washington openings across industries including aerospace, cloud infrastructure, and embedded systems. Find the roles that fit your background and apply directly from the listing.
See All 7 C Software Engineer Jobs in Washington
Find roles in Washington that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find C Software Engineer Jobs