Flight Software Platform Engineer

York Space Systems is seeking a Junior / Early Career Flight Software Platform Engineer to support the Flight Software Engineering team.

This role is intended for an engineer early in their career who is interested in embedded Linux, spacecraft systems, mission-critical software, and hands-on platform development. The Platform Team owns the operating system foundation used to deliver embedded flight software for space applications.

The ideal candidate is curious, technically motivated, and excited to learn Linux platform development, embedded software practices, hardware/software integration, and flight software delivery in a fast-moving aerospace environment.

This is a hands-on engineering role with mentorship from senior engineers and technical leads. Over time, this engineer will grow ownership in embedded Linux platform components, integration workflows, test automation, and software release support.

Key Responsibilities:

Participate in an agile scrum team focused on supporting the embedded Linux platform used to deliver flight software for space applications.
Support development and maintenance of the embedded Linux platform, including:

Linux kernel configuration and debugging

Bootloader and BSP support

Root filesystem updates

Core system services and systemd configuration

Device driver integration and troubleshooting

Platform scripts, tools, and configuration files

Embedded Linux interfaces and processes
Collaborate with team members, management, systems engineers, hardware teams, application teams, and mission operations to support project execution.
Assist with understanding and expanding requirements based on high-level specifications, system needs, and mission use cases.
Contribute to platform stability, security, and maintainability by:

Investigating bugs and integration issues

Supporting software updates and release activities

Helping maintain reproducible builds

Documenting changes, assumptions, and troubleshooting steps

Identifying risks and raising issues early

Communicating challenges, failures, and successes clearly
Participate in technical design reviews and code reviews to improve quality and maintainability of deliverables.
Support implementation of software architectures and designs that meet requirements.
Develop code following project coding guidelines, process requirements, and review expectations.
Assist with unit, integration, software-in-the-loop, and hardware-in-the-loop testing, including:

Developing and executing unit tests

Verifying requirements and interface behavior

Supporting code coverage activities

Helping analyze test results

Supporting SITL and HITL integration and testing

Capturing test results and release artifacts
Work with other subsystems to support proper integration of platform software into the broader flight software design.
Participate in implementation approach discussions by helping evaluate cost, complexity, schedule, and technical risk.
Support continuous improvement of team practices, including:

Improving documentation and knowledge sharing

Automating repetitive development or test tasks

Contributing to CI/CD improvements

Participating in retrospectives and post-release reviews

Helping improve release confidence and integration quality
Grow technical ownership over time in areas such as:

Yocto-based build systems

Linux kernel customization

Device trees and low-level hardware interfaces

Embedded networking concepts

Platform test automation

Flight software deployment and update flows

Software-in-the-loop and hardware-in-the-loop environments

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field, or equivalent experience
0–3 years of experience in software development, embedded systems, Linux, or related areas
Basic programming experience in one or more of:
C , C++ , Python, Bash / shell scripting
Familiarity with Linux development environments
Interest in embedded Linux, spacecraft systems, or mission-critical software
Familiarity with basic software development practices, including Git, code reviews, debugging, and documentation
Ability to troubleshoot technical issues with support from senior engineers
Willingness to learn complex systems and ask good questions
Ability to communicate technical challenges, risks, and progress clearly
Strong teamwork and collaboration skills
Ability to work in a cross-functional engineering environment
Love Space!

Preferred Qualifications

Internship, academic, hobbyist, or project experience with Linux or embedded systems
Exposure to Linux internals, bootloaders, kernels, device trees, or root filesystems
Exposure to Yocto, Buildroot, or other embedded Linux build systems
Exposure to cross-compilation and low-level system interaction
Familiarity with device drivers or hardware/software interfaces
Familiarity with networking concepts and protocols
Experience with GitLab, CI/CD, issue tracking tools, or automated test pipelines
Experience with hardware bring-up, lab equipment, or debugging on target hardware
Familiarity with unit testing, integration testing, SITL, or HITL testing
Interest in aerospace, spacecraft operations, or operational software systems
Hobbyist project experience using Linux, embedded boards, robotics, radios, or home lab environments
Ability to obtain or maintain a US Secret Clearance