Embedded software engineer

Wanna join the adventure?

Loft Orbital is making space simple. We build and operate reliable, shareable satellites that give customers a faster, simpler path to orbit. By combining flight-proven spacecraft platforms with our own hardware and software, we make it easier to deploy missions in space.

As an Embedded Software Engineer, you'll develop the low-level software that brings our spacecraft hardware to life. You'll focus on hardware abstraction layers (HALs), device drivers, and hardware interfaces, working closely with hardware, FPGA, and systems engineers to integrate and debug complex electronics. This role is ideal for an engineer who enjoys digging into the details, solving problems at the hardware/software boundary, and seeing their code fly in space.

About this role:

• Design, develop, and maintain hardware abstraction layers (HALs), device drivers, and board support packages (BSPs).
• Develop and optimize hardware interfaces, peripherals, and data transfer mechanisms.
• Lead hands-on board bring-up, hardware/software integration, and low-level debugging.
• Write reliable, maintainable C/C++ software for embedded Linux and/or RTOS platforms.
• Diagnose complex issues using hardware documentation, debugging tools, and direct hardware testing.
• Develop unit and integration tests to validate software on target hardware.
• Collaborate with hardware, FPGA, and systems engineers to deliver robust, flight-ready solutions.

Must Haves:

• 5+ years of professional embedded software development experience in C and/or C++.
• Strong hands-on experience designing and developing HALs and low-level device drivers.
• Experience with BSPs, register-level programming, and hardware/peripheral configuration.
• Proven experience with board bring-up, hardware/software integration, and low-level debugging.
• Experience with embedded Linux and/or RTOS platforms.
• Understanding of hardware interfaces and protocols such as UART, SPI, I²C, DMA, Ethernet, LVDS, or SpaceWire.
• Experience with debugging tools such as GDB, JTAG, logic analyzers, or oscilloscopes.
• Ability to read schematics and datasheets and troubleshoot issues across hardware and software.
• Strong problem-solving skills, ownership, and ability to work across multidisciplinary teams.

Nice to Haves:

• Linux kernel internals, kernel-space driver development, and device trees.
• Embedded Linux build systems such as Yocto or Buildroot.
• ARM-based SoCs and FPGA integration.
• Aerospace, spaceflight, or safety-critical software experience.
• Radiation mitigation techniques, including Single Event Upset (SEU) handling.
• Embedded virtualization or hypervisor experience.

Some of Our Awesome Benefits:

• 100% company-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance option for employees and dependents
• Flexible Spending (FSA) and Health Savings (HSA) Accounts offered with an employer contribution to the HSA
• 100% employer paid Life, AD&D, Short-Term, and Long-Term Disability insurance
• Flexible Time Off policy for vacation and sick leave, and 12 paid holidays
• 401(k) plan and equity options
• Daily catered lunches and snacks
• International exposure to our team in France
• Fully paid parental leave; 14 weeks for primary caregiver and 10 weeks for secondary caregiver
• Carrot Fertility provides comprehensive, inclusive fertility healthcare and family-forming benefits with financial support
• Off-sites and many social events and celebrations
• Relocation assistance when applicable

$150,000 - $190,000 a year

State law requires us to tell you the base compensation range for this role, which is $150,000 - $190,000 per year, determined by your education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities. The salary range for this role is intentionally wide as we evaluate individuals based on their unique experience and abilities to fit our needs. Most importantly, we are excited to meet you, and see if you are a great fit for our team. What we can’t quantify for you are the exciting challenges, supportive team, and amazing culture we enjoy.

*Research shows that while men apply to jobs where they meet an average of 60% of the criteria, women and other underrepresented people tend to only apply when they meet 100% of the qualifications. At Loft, we value respectful debate and people who aren’t afraid to challenge assumptions. We strongly encourage you to apply, even if you don’t check all the boxes.

Who We Are

Loft: Space Made Simple.

Founded in 2017, Loft provides governments, companies, and research institutions with a fast, reliable, and simple way to deploy missions in orbit.

We integrate, launch, and operate spacecraft, offering end-to-end missions as a service across Earth observation, IoT connectivity, on-orbit AI, national security missions, and more. Leveraging our existing space infrastructure and an extensive inventory of satellite buses, Loft is reducing years-long integration and launch timelines to months. With more than 30 missions flown, Loft’s flight heritage and proven technologies enable customers to focus on their mission objectives.

With a growing fleet on track to reach 30 satellites by 2027, we are scaling up quickly across our offices in San Francisco, CA | Golden, CO | and Toulouse, France to meet accelerating demand for space infrastructure.

As an international company your resume will be reviewed by people across our offices so please attach a copy in English.