Summary:

Firmware Engineers at this company are critical to mission success andintegral to nearly every subsystem on the launch vehicle ranging from power distribution to vehicle navigation to propulsion system control.



Solid FirmwareEngineers know they are not just programmers, but rather engineers who are capable of operating in both the hardware and the firmware environment.  They are responsible for providing novel solutions inanagileenvironmentwhile also producing robust, verified code. Great firmware engineers are capable of bridging disciplines to work with the hardware and systems engineers.



Responsibilities:

• Perform and lead the firmware development, implementation, and testing on flight hardware including the flight computer, navigation sensors, and other Remote I/O hardware (input/output)


• ‍Gather, define, and document requirements to meet existing and anticipated needs across the rocket


• Develop algorithms capable of meeting safety requirements


• Develop, analyze and review data to validate and verify system meets specifications and design requirements


• Ensure system quality and performance through rigorous software test, verification and validation (V&V) techniques


• Write test plans and testing cases while leading the execution of unit/integration/systems level verification and validation


• Partner with vehicle hardware teams to develop requirements (e.g. switches and computers) needed to meet the needs of the vehicle


• Knowledge of lower levels of the stack is vital, as is being comfortable with hardware
  
   

• Work as the avionics systems level architect and hardware development lead, from component design through integration, test, and operations.


• Specify, evaluate and test components ranging from batteries and processors to solenoids and IMUs


• Define and maintain the interface requirements to coordinate across engineering teams


• Stand up development integrated test bed or "Hardware in the Loop" (HITL), working with the Software, GNC and hardware teams in HITL environment to develop transitions and commands


• Work with vendors to define system requirements and possible solutions


• Work with vendors to maximize the benefits of already certified and qualified Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) components and systems


• Develop sensor and support GNC systems requirements


• Support critical sensor (e.g. IMU) system engineering, integration and test


• Support critical controller (e.g. Thrust Vector Control Actuators, Throttle Valves) system engineering, integration, and test


• Work with Software and Integration Checkout teams to stand up racks required to "talk" to the launch vehicle typical launch vehicle Avionics functionality includes:
  
  
  
  • Power systems, budgeting, and battery sizing
  
  
  • Redundancy and contingency management, capabilities for "Failure Detection Isolation and Recovery" (FDIR)
  
  
  • Telemetry packet encoding and decoding
  
  
  
  

• B.S. in Computer Science (CS), Computer Engineering (CE), Electrical Engineering (EE), or similar from an accredited university


• One of the following:
  
  
  
  • ‍2+ years experience in the development of aircraft, missile, spacecraft or similar critical flight software
  
  
  • 2+ years experience in the development of medical device software
  
  
  • 2+ years experience in game development
  
  
  
  

• Demonstrated skills in applications development in at least one or more high-level programming languages (e.g. C, C++)


• Programming of FPGA or microcontrollers (MCUs)


• Embedded system design/programming


• Proficiency in writing software for UNIX/Linux platform


• ‍Object-Oriented-Design


• Simulation and Modeling


• One or more low-level programming languages (e.g. Ladder Diagram, Structured Text, Instruction List)


• Day of Launch and systems testing support, including vehicle network and switch health verification


• Demonstrated leadership of or within a small project team either in current role or during project-based team in school

• Unlimited PTO (and people actually take vacation time)


• Great healthcare coverage (Including Dental, Vision, Disability and Life Insurance)


• Market value compensation 


• Working on incredible technology with brilliant people