Staff Embedded Software Engineer

Are you passionate about shaping the future of humanity's presence in space? Lunar Outpost, an industry leader in space robotics and planetary vehicles, invites you to join our team! Lunar Outpost is dedicated to creating a permanent presence in space, while also driving positive impacts here on Earth. We are currently seeking a Staff Embedded Software Engineer to contribute to our mission in a dynamic startup environment. The main responsibility of the Staff Embedded Software Engineer is to act as a subject matter expert in deploying VxWorks on embedded systems for mission-critical space robotics. They will lead VxWorks development efforts and mentor engineers on RTOS best practices, ensuring the system meets stringent real-time, safety, and reliability requirements for crewed and autonomous space operations. Take the #NextLeap with Lunar Outpost and work on the Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV), which will carry NASA astronauts farther than they've ever been before on the lunar surface!

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the technical authority for VxWorks design, configuration, and deployment on a robotics-based avionics platform
• Design, implement, integrate, and maintain VxWorks RTOS-based software for space avionics
• Perform board bring-up for new avionics hardware, including processor initialization, bootloader configuration, and peripheral driver development
• Implement real-time task scheduling, memory partitioning, and time partitioning in alignment with mission safety standards
• Develop and integrate device drivers for rover avionics subsystems
• Collaborate with systems, hardware, and robotics teams to define and implement fault-tolerant operating system configurations
• Support hardware/software integration using engineering models, simulators, and hardware-in-the-loop testbeds
• Document OS configuration, integration steps, and operational procedures to flight-certifiable standards
• Mentor engineers in VxWorks concepts, architecture, and mission-proven workflows
  
  

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer or electrical engineering or related field
• 7 years in embedded software or avionics systems for space or mission-critical robotics applications
• Hands-on board bring-up experience for avionics or robotics hardware
• Strong proficiency in C for embedded system development
• Experience with real-time debugging, timing analysis, and performance optimization
• Experience with deterministic networking, symmetric multiprocessors (SMP,) and safety-critical software architecture
• Self-motivated, focused, and driven to meet critical deadlines
• Excellent organization and time management skills
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• U.S. Person
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior work with crewed vehicle avionics architecture or planetary robotics
• Knowledge of LEON3/4 or RISC-V space-grade processors
• Time-sensitive Networking (TSN) protocol configuration and validation for deterministic ethernet
• Experience working with NASA core flight system (cFS)
• Familiarity with space mission development phases and associated documentation and standards
• Experience with VxWorks 7 DKMs and RTPs
• Experience with OCI containerization
  
  

Any offer of employment for this position is conditional upon Lunar Outpost receiving the LTVS Phase II contract from NASA. If the contract is not awarded to Lunar Outpost, this offer will be considered null and void, without further obligation to Lunar Outpost.

Lunar Outpost is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate against protected characteristics (gender, age, sexual orientation, race, nationality, ethnicity, religion, disability, veteran status). We want all employees (including executives and HR) to treat others with respect and professionalism.