Spacecraft Software Engineer

Spacecraft represent the most pressing unmet need across the entire aerospace industry. As launch costs decrease, more and more companies and governments are launching increasingly large numbers of smaller satellites. For the first time in history, this increase in demand is driving a massive need for spacecraft platforms, known as satellite buses. Satellite buses carry customers’ payloads and are delivered to space on launch vehicles. Apex manufactures satellite buses at scale using a combination of disruptive software, vertical integration, and hardware that is adesigned for manufacturing. Our satellite buses are truly productized to enable a wide set of missions, ranging from earth observation to communications and more, that advance our future as a society. We’d love for you to join us on our mission. Please note: our employees view Apex as their life’s mission. As such, we have an intense culture of curiosity, hunger, and results. If you want a typical 9-5 job, this is not the place for you. If you live and breathe aerospace, if you believe the future of humanity is beyond Earth, and if you want to be a foundational member of that journey beyond our planet, Apex is the place for you. This will be an intense, results-focused mission, where you will be surrounded by a passionate team that strives to move quickly, reliably, and intelligently.
Apex is designing several core bus platforms, each of which will be offered with several trim levels to meet a range of customer performance requirements. These bus platforms will also be designed to be manufactured at scale. We are seeking a seasoned spacecraft software engineer to work on a closely integrated team. This person is passionate about coding and integrating hardware and software. You will have an opportunity to approach this from a fresh perspective targeting an end result indexed on reliability and efficiency. This will require innovation and creativity to ultimately disrupt and make an impact on the industry. This role reports directly into the Director of Spacecraft.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain software applications for satellite systems, including mission planning, telemetry and telecommand, satellite control, and data processing.
• Collaborate with system engineers to understand requirements and translate them into software solutions that meet functional and performance goals.
• Write efficient, reusable, and scalable code using industry best practices and coding standards, ensuring high-quality software deliverables.
• Perform unit testing, integration testing, and system-level testing of software components, identifying and resolving any defects or issues.
• Work closely with hardware engineers to integrate software with satellite subsystems, ensuring seamless communication and synchronization.
• Develop and maintain software documentation, including requirements, design specifications, user manuals, and test plans.
• Conduct performance analysis and optimization of software systems to ensure efficient resource utilization and system stability.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including system engineers, network engineers, and operations personnel, to troubleshoot and resolve software-related issues.
• Stay up-to-date with emerging technologies and industry trends, and contribute to the continuous improvement of software development processes and methodologies.
• Participate in customer and internal design reviews

Qualifications

• 4+ years of total flight software experience
• Bachelor’s degree in CS, EE or equivalent.
• Experience with C/C++, Python, Linux, embedded system software, test framework development and HITL simulators.
• Possess excellent interpersonal skills, able to work effectively within an organization and convey decisions, direction, and conclusions in a manner meaningful to multiple audiences. 
• Experience in spacecraft design, launch, and operation, including experience at all phases of the development lifecycle 
• Experience with software development frameworks, version control systems (e.g., Git), and software development tools (e.g., IDEs, debuggers).
• Solid understanding of software development methodologies, including Agile, and experience working in an Agile development environment.
• Familiarity with satellite systems and protocols, such as CCSDS, SpaceWire, and ECSS, and experience with satellite ground station software is a plus.
• Knowledge of database systems and SQL, and experience with data management and processing in distributed systems.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to debug complex software issues and propose effective solutions.
• Self-motivated and able to work independently with minimal supervision, as well as in a team-oriented environment.
• Strong attention to detail, organizational skills,