Lead Flight Software Engineer

Direct message the job poster from Approach Venture

Approach Venture | Advancing Frontier Tech with Top Talent

Founding Flight Software Engineer – Build the Software Stack for a Reusable Satellite Platform!

Opportunity Summary

An early-stage, stealth-mode space startup headquartered in Denver is developing a breakthrough reusable satellite architecture aimed at both national security and commercial markets. With venture backing, a strong runway, and a leadership team drawn from the top ranks of aerospace and startup engineering, we’re laying the foundation for the next phase of in-orbit and reentry innovation. We’re hiring our first dedicated Flight Software Engineer, a technical leader who will design, implement, and own the core software infrastructure that controls our spacecraft. This is a unique 0-to-1 opportunity to define how the system operates, scale future software development, and be part of a mission-driven team tackling hard aerospace problems with speed and precision.

About Us

We’re a stealth startup building reusable spacecraft designed for rapid turnaround and high-performance reentry. Our platform supports a range of use cases from national defense to commercial deployment and is engineered for resilience, modularity, and reusability. The team includes engineers and operators from top space startups and tier-1 aerospace programs. We move fast, operate lean, and value first-principles thinking over legacy constraints.

Job Duties

• Architect and build the entire flight software system, from bootloader to mission operations
• Design low-level embedded software for vehicle command, telemetry, fault detection, and autonomous operation
• Collaborate directly with GNC, avionics, propulsion, and ground systems engineers to define interfaces and control logic
• Establish software infrastructure for testing, including hardware-in-the-loop simulations and test harnesses
• Own system-level fault management, redundancy strategies, and flight safety logic
• Support flight readiness, post-flight analysis, and iterative improvements across missions
• Build internal tools and documentation to support future hires and scale the codebase over time
• Lead early technical decisions that will shape the trajectory of the platform and company

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering, Aerospace, or a related technical field
• 7+ years of experience developing embedded or flight-critical software
• Strong command of C and C++ for real-time, bare-metal, RTOS, or embedded Linux systems
• Experience building from scratch or contributing to early-stage software stacks
• Ability to break down ambiguous problems into testable, reliable code with minimal supervision
• Demonstrated track record of ownership, initiative, and interdisciplinary collaboration
• Comfort working in fast-moving environments with high agency and minimal bureaucracy

Preferred Experience

• Prior involvement in building embedded systems for spacecraft, launch vehicles, or autonomous vehicles
• Familiarity with flight certification processes, fault-tolerant software, and hardware interface protocols
• Understanding of avionics, GNC loops, and real-time telemetry processing
• Experience writing integration and validation frameworks for embedded systems
• Background in satellite bus systems, capsule reentry, or reusable launch vehicle software
• Solid fundamentals in operating systems, microcontroller architecture, and low-level debugging
• Exposure to in-flight operational environments or flight software deployment

Security Clearance

• Must be able to obtain US Secret clearance.

Why Join Us

• Founding-level role with the opportunity to build from the ground up
• Work on a high-impact space platform with real defense and commercial relevance
• Small team, big mission—your contributions matter from day one
• Clear path to grow into engineering leadership as the company scales
• Hands-on access to hardware, avionics, and flight test environments
• Equity and early-stage ownership
• Relocation support available if needed

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Industries

  Software Development, Defense and Space Manufacturing, and Space Research and Technology

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Medical insurance

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