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Director of Flight Software Engineering

Xona· Engineering
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Burlingame, California$218k - $274kFull-timePosted 1w ago

About the role

Leadership role owning architecture, delivery, and the team responsible for onboard software for the Xona satellite bus and Pulsar constellation. Focus on embedded flight software, system-level verification, and scalable software across hundreds of satellites in a high-reliability space environment.

Responsibilities

  • Lead and grow the Flight Software team (embedded developers + verification & validation engineers) responsible for the scalable onboard software architecture running across the Pulsar constellation.
  • Define and evolve the flight software architecture, interfaces, and development roadmap in close partnership with systems, avionics, payload, GNC, and ground segment teams.
  • Own end-to-end delivery: requirements decomposition, design, implementation, unit/integration testing, hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) validation, and support through launch and on-orbit operations.
  • Build a high-performing organization through hiring, coaching, individual development plans, and a culture of ownership, technical excellence, and cross-functional collaboration.
  • Establish and continuously improve software development practices (configuration management, CI/CD, unit testing, code quality, documentation) that scale with constellation growth and over-the-air update needs.
  • Drive quality, reliability, and process maturity - measuring team output against program commitments and implementing improvements that reduce risk and cost.
  • Partner with senior leadership on technology strategy, long-term roadmap recommendations, and resource planning for current and future satellite programs.

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related STEM field (or equivalent practical experience; additional years of relevant experience may substitute for formal education)
  • 10+ years of professional software engineering experience, including significant time in embedded, real-time, or high-reliability systems
  • 3+ years of people leadership experience managing software engineers or technical leads (hiring, performance management, career development)
  • Demonstrated experience leading software architecture and delivery for complex systems (aerospace, automotive, defense, or similar domains preferred)
  • Hands-on background with modern software practices, including CI/CD pipelines, configuration management, and automated testing

Skills

Required:Embedded software developmentSoftware architectureCI/CD
Nice to have:Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) validationRTOS / space flight frameworks (e.g., cFS, F´)
Last updated Oct 14, 2026. Interested? Apply on the company site.

About Xona

Next Era Navigational Intelligence | Xona

Xona is the navigation infrastructure company bringing real-time, centimeter-level certainty to any device, anywhere on Earth.

Location servicesPulsarGNSSNavigationPNTsatellites
Company profileWebsite

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