Flight Software Engineer (SDT) at Umbra

Description

Umbra is an American space technology company delivering advanced systems, from sensors to spacecraft, that empower customers worldwide with unmatched access to critical information from space. Our mission is simple and ambitious: redefine space—for people, systems, and missions in every domain. Umbra’s ecosystem operates through three business units: Remote Sensing (the data), Space Systems (the components), and Mission Solutions (the platforms).Together, our teams develop capabilities that deliver persistent access, resilient performance, and mission-ready solutions, advancing U.S. space leadership while keeping the world safe and informed.

About the Team

Space Systems – The Components

Space Systems is where Umbra turns hardware and software designs into on-orbit realities; developing, implementing and iterating mission-ready core technology, while simultaneously advancing the next generation of our own satellite constellation. Space Systems is vertically integrated across the satellite architecture, thus the team designs, builds, and tests an array of critical components and subsystems, including power systems, communications, control systems, deployment hardware, avionics, and payloads, as well as the flight software, firmware and digital design solutions to support the entire hardware stack. Our focus is on first principles engineering, and our mandate is simple: it has to work when it counts. Every bolt, board, and binary is proven on our own SAR constellation, ensuring flight-proven reliability where failure is not an option.

If you want to work on cutting edge space technology while maintaining the highest standard for innovation and mission ready performance, you belong here at Umbra.

About the Job

Umbra is seeking a Flight Software Engineer (Early Career) to support the development of mission-critical software for our satellite systems. This role is ideal for an engineer early in their career who is excited to work across flight software, system integration, and test infrastructure in a fast-paced, hardware-driven environment.

You will contribute to the design, development, and validation of software that operates both on spacecraft and within supporting ground systems. This includes building reliable system components, developing automated test systems, and working closely with hardware and systems engineers to ensure mission success. There will also be opportunities to develop flight software components over time as you grow in the role.

This position is located on-site in our Santa Barbara, CA office.

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to design, develop, and maintain reliable, fault-tolerant software systems.
• Contribute to flight system development, including command and control, telemetry handling, and subsystem interfaces.
• Support system integration and validation across spacecraft subsystems and ground systems.
• Design and implement automated testing frameworks for system-level validation.
• Participate in integration and test campaigns, including hardware-in-the-loop (HITL) and system-level testing.
• Collaborate with engineers to define and implement system interfaces across hardware and software boundaries.
• Write clean, maintainable, and well-documented code; participate in peer reviews.
• Contribute to improvements in development workflows, including CI/CD, testing infrastructure, and tooling.
• Assist in debugging complex issues spanning software, infrastructure, and hardware systems.
• Contribute to documentation for system behavior, interfaces, and test procedures.

Requirements

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or related technical field.
• 0-3+ years of experience in software engineering (internships, research, or industry).
• Proficiency in Python and/or Rust.
• Experience with Linux-based development environments.
• Familiarity with version control (Git) and collaborative development workflows.
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to work across system boundaries.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience with embedded or flight software development.
• Experience writing automated tests (e.g., pytest, unittest, or similar frameworks).
• Familiarity with real-time systems, distributed systems, or systems programming.
• Experience with hardware-in-the-loop (HITL) testing or testing of hardware-integrated systems.
• Exposure to CI/CD pipelines, Docker, or infrastructure tooling.
• Experience with automated testing frameworks and strategies.
• Familiarity with Ansible of similar infrastructure automation tools.
• Experience with concurrent or asynchronous programming.
• Background in aerospace, robotics, or other high-reliability systems.
• Demonstrated ownership of projects (academic, personal, or professional).
• Interest in working closely with hardware and system-level engineering teams.

Benefits

• Flexible Time Off, Sick, Family & Medical Leave
• Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, LTD, STD (employer funded)
• Vol Life, Critical Illness, Accidental, Hospital Indemnity, Pet Insurance (employee funded)
• 401k with 3% non-elective company contribution
• Stock Options
• Free Parking
• Free lunch in office daily

Umbra is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate in hiring on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religious creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

Employment Eligibility Verification

In compliance with federal laws, all hired persons will be required to verify their identity and eligibility to work in the United States by completing the required Employment Eligibility Verification Form (I-9 Form) upon hire.

ITAR/EAR Requirements

This position may include access to technology and/or data that is subject to U.S. export controls pursuant to ITAR and EAR. To comply with federal export controls, all persons hired must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, U.S. lawful permanent resident, refugee or asylee as defined by 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(a)(3), or must otherwise be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State and/or U.S. Department of Commerce as applicable. 

Pay Transparency
This job posting may cover multiple career levels. To ensure greater transparency, we provide base salary ranges for all roles, regardless of location. Our standard pay ranges are based on the role’s function and level, benchmarked against similar growth-stage companies. Compensation may vary based on geographical location, as certain regions may have different cost-of-living factors. The final offer will also be influenced by the candidate's skills, responsibilities, and relevant experience.

Compensation Range

The Compensation Range for this role is $115,000 - $145,000 DOE.