Flight Software Engineer Jobs
Flight Software Engineer jobs are open across aerospace, defense, commercial space, and satellite industries, from entry-level to principal and staff engineer, with specializations in real-time embedded systems, RTOS development, and guidance-navigation-control software. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
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Intuitive Machines is an innovative and cutting-edge space company making cislunar space accessible to both public and private customers. Our mission is to further science and exploration, communications, and economic progress from the Earth to the Moon and beyond. With multiple NASA lunar missions in development and additional private missions on our manifest, we pride ourselves in supporting NASA, our customers, and the nation in paving the way to return humans to the surface of the Moon. Our world-class team includes experts in all aspects of spacecraft subsystems design, development, and test, on-orbit operations, and safety.
About the Position:
Intuitive Machines is seeking a Flight Software Engineer to support the Landsat 10 mission under the OMES III contract at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD. This position requires hybrid on-site support and the ability to obtain and maintain a NASA badge.
The selected candidate will join a multidisciplinary flight software team responsible for the development, integration, test, verification, and sustainment of mission-critical spacecraft flight software supporting one of NASA's flagship Earth observation missions.
The successful candidate will participate in the full software development lifecycle, from requirements development through flight software delivery, integration, system testing, launch support, and on-orbit operations. This position offers the opportunity to work alongside NASA civil servants, flight software developers, systems engineers, software assurance organizations, and spacecraft hardware teams in the development of highly reliable spaceflight systems.
Responsibilities:
Design, develop, integrate, and test embedded flight software for spacecraft avionics systems.
Support all phases of the software lifecycle, including requirements analysis, architecture design, implementation, unit testing, integration, verification, validation,...
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Flight Software Engineer Jobs by Experience Level
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Find Flight Software Engineer JobsFlight Software Engineer Job Market
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Aerospace & Defense
- Consulting & Professional Services
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in flight software engineer jobs.
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, aerospace engineering, or a related technical field
- Proficiency in C or Ada for safety-critical embedded software development
- Experience with real-time operating systems such as VxWorks, RTEMS, or FreeRTOS
- Familiarity with DO-178C software development assurance standards and documentation practices
- Active or eligibility for Secret or Top Secret security clearance
- Experience with software verification, validation, and model-based development tools such as MATLAB or Simulink
Tips for Your Flight Software Engineer Job Search
Tailor your resume to DO-178C
Flight software hiring managers scan for DO-178C compliance experience above almost anything else. Call out the specific assurance level you've worked to, the tools you used for traceability, and whether you owned test artifacts or contributed to them.
Highlight your RTOS and language depth
Generic 'embedded systems' language won't separate you. Name the specific RTOS you've used, whether VxWorks, RTEMS, or FreeRTOS, your proficiency in C and Ada, and any experience writing safety-critical code under a formal coding standard like MISRA.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists flight software engineer openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Filter for clearance level before applying
Many defense-side flight software roles require an active Secret or Top Secret clearance. Check the requirement before spending time on a cover letter. If you hold an active clearance, lead with it in your resume summary so screeners see it immediately.
Prepare a systems-level design walkthrough
Flight software interviews routinely include a live architecture discussion where you sketch how onboard software handles fault detection, mode management, or telemetry. Practice narrating your design decisions out loud, not just drawing diagrams, so you can defend trade-offs under pressure.
Negotiate relocation and export control timing
Offers from primes and government contractors often include export control review periods that delay your start date. Ask explicitly how long that process takes for your citizenship status so you can negotiate a realistic start date and avoid leaving your current role prematurely.
Flight Software Engineer Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most flight software engineers?
The companies hiring the most flight software engineers right now include SpaceX, CACI International, and Umbra, with the largest share of openings in California, Colorado, and Texas, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. Hiring is concentrated at aerospace primes, commercial space companies, and defense contractors with active launch or satellite programs.
How many flight software engineer jobs are remote?
About 46% of flight software engineer openings are fully remote or hybrid as of September 2026, reflecting the classified and hardware-dependent nature of much of the work. Sub-areas with the most remote flexibility include ground software development, mission planning systems, and simulation tooling, where proximity to flight hardware is not required day-to-day.
How do you become a flight software engineer?
Start with a degree in computer science, electrical engineering, or aerospace engineering, with coursework in embedded systems and real-time computing. Build hands-on experience through research projects, CubeSat teams, or internships at aerospace or defense companies. Learn C or Ada, study DO-178C fundamentals, and gain exposure to an RTOS. A clearance, even at the Secret level, opens significantly more positions.
Can you get a flight software engineer job with little experience?
Yes, entry-level roles exist, particularly at commercial space startups and companies running university-liaison programs. Employers look for candidates who can demonstrate hands-on embedded work, such as a capstone project involving real-time control, a CubeSat software contribution, or a ground systems internship. A strong GitHub portfolio of safety-relevant embedded code and familiarity with version control in a team context helps bridge the experience gap.
What does the flight software engineer interview process look like?
The process typically starts with a recruiter screen followed by a technical phone interview covering real-time systems concepts, concurrency, and memory management. A coding assessment in C or Ada is common. Onsite rounds usually include a systems design discussion where you walk through a fault-tolerant software architecture, plus a behavioral panel. Some employers add a hardware-in-the-loop simulation exercise or a DO-178C process deep-dive.
Where can I find and apply to flight software engineer jobs?
You can find and apply to flight software engineer jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States. Search for roles that match your clearance level, RTOS experience, and preferred industry, then apply directly to each listing that fits.
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