Embedded Software Engineer
Summary
Designs and owns bare-metal and low-level embedded software for ICEYE's SAR satellite payload hardware — device drivers, HALs, BSP bring-up, and hardware/software co-design on SoCs and microcontrollers — plus testing frameworks and command-and-control ICDs. Core stack: C/C++, RTOS/bare-metal, FPGAs, and protocols like UART, SPI, I2C, CAN, and SpaceWire.
Third-party recruiters: Please do not contact us about this role.
Embedded Software Engineer
At ICEYE, we design, build and operate the largest fleet of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites in the world. Using advanced technology, our constellation collects topographical data about any location on Earth, day or night, through any weather conditions.
Headquartered in Southern California, our customers are society’s heroes – intelligence professionals, warfighters, first responders, and scientific researchers. As a trusted mission partner, the United States and its allies depend on us for critical information when it matters most.
Role Description
The Embedded Software Engineer will be directly responsible for designing, developing, and integrating bare-metal and low-level embedded software for spaceborne SAR payload hardware. Operating within the Space Systems engineering team, this role demands deep technical ownership of embedded software running on SoCs, and microcontrollers— with a strong emphasis on hardware-proximate development, deterministic execution, and hardware/software co-design.
In the near term, the engineer will rapidly gain a working understanding of the current ICEYE satellite system and SAR payload architecture to port and adapt the design to ICEYE US products with minimal change. They will own the embedded software architecture, define regression and software-only test strategies throughout development, and deliver a generic command-and-control ICD for payload integration.
Responsibilities
Own the bare-metal and embedded software architecture for payload SoCs, microcontrollers, and FPGA-hosted soft processors, from BSP bring-up through application-layer integration.
Develop and maintain low-level software including device drivers, hardware abstraction layers (HAL).
Perform hardware/software co-design and integration, including schematic review, pin mapping, register-level peripheral configuration (UART, SPI, I2C, CAN, SpaceWire, MIL-STD-1553, or LVDS), and hardware debug.
Define, implement, and own software-only unit and integration testing and regression test frameworks throughout the full development cycle, leading to formal system-level verification.
Collaborate with FPGA/firmware engineers on FPGA-to-processor interfaces, memory-mapped I/O, DMA configurations, and soft-core processor integration.
Produce software design documentation, architecture descriptions, ICD specifications, test procedures, and configuration-managed deliverables consistent with the program software development plan.
Required Qualifications
6+ years of professional experience developing bare-metal or RTOS-based embedded software in C and/or C++ for resource-constrained hardware targets.
6+ years of hands-on embedded systems development, including direct register-level peripheral programming, memory-mapped I/O, and hardware debug (JTAG, logic analyzers, oscilloscopes).
6+ years of SoC and microcontroller design and integration experience, including BSP development and hardware bring-up from schematic to operational firmware.
Demonstrated experience developing and owning communication and data protocol implementations (e.g., SPI, I2C, UART, CAN, RS-422, SpaceWire, or equivalent).
Experience developing software ICDs and interface specifications for hardware-to-hardware or system-to-system command and telemetry interfaces.
Demonstrated ownership of the full embedded software lifecycle: requirements decomposition through unit test, integration, and system verification.
Preferred Qualifications
Background in SAR payload, radar, or RF/digital signal chain embedded control software.
Experience with GN&C sensor interfaces or attitude control system (ACS) software integration.
Familiarity with avionics integration testing and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) test environments.
Experience reading and interpreting electrical schematics and PCB layouts to support firmware debug and hardware/software interface verification.
Pay Range and Compensation Package
The estimated base salary range for this role is $155k-$175k depending on experience
Other benefits include health coverage, flexible PTO, a friendly work environment, plus extra fun perks!
Physical Requirements
This position primarily works in an office environment. It requires the ability to sit or stand for long periods of time and frequent walking. Daily use of a computer, phone, office equipment and other computing and digital devices is required. Some travel may be necessary – the ability to travel by car, plane, train, bus, vessel, or metro, operate a motor vehicle and maintain a valid Driver’s License and/or effectively navigate public transportation is required.
While performing the responsibilities of the job, the employee must be able to read and respond to inter-office communications as well as effectively participate in meetings. The employee is often required to sit and use their hands or fingers, to lift up to 50 lbs., pull, push, carry, handle, or feel. The employee is required to carry, handle items, reach with arms and hands, to stoop, kneel, or crouch; talk, or hear. Mental demands may require prolonged concentration, reading comprehension, understanding and interpretation of concepts, ideas, and philosophies. The physical demands of the position described herein are essential functions of the job and employees must be able to successfully perform these tasks for extended periods. Reasonable accommodations may be made for those individuals with real or perceived disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job described unless such accommodations would cause ICEYE US an undue burden.
EEO Statement
ICEYE US is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, age, or any other protected characteristic under federal, state, or local law.
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As published by ashby · 7 questions · 1 written answer
Basics
Name, Email, Resume
Short answers (3)
- Phone Number
- If selected, when is your earliest possible start date?
- What is your yearly salary expectation?
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- Are you authorized to work in the United States?
- Will you now or in the future require visa sponsorship?
- Are you eligible to receive a Top Secret Clearance?
Written answers (1)
- Why would you like to work at ICEYE?