SES S.A Brazil
(Senior) Manager, On-Board Embedded Firmware/Software, meoSphere
SES S.A Brazil, New Bremen, Ohio, United States
(Senior) Manager, On-Board Embedded Firmware/Software, meoSphere
Requisition Number: 19458 • Contract Type: Permanent • Location(s): Betzdorf, LU
PROGRAMME DESCRIPTION meoSphere is SES’s next-generation Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellite constellation, designed to deliver secure connectivity services to government agencies, enterprises, and commercial customers. It will also provide high-speed broadband internet to eliminate global connectivity dead zones.
To accelerate development timelines, reduce costs, and ensure quality, SES is internalizing a critical segment of the satellite supply chain: the final integration of partner satellite platforms with SES’s software-defined payloads, all within a cutting-edge manufacturing and test facility.
ROLE DESCRIPTION Own the on‑board payload software for a high‑performance satellite communications system. You will set the architecture and technical direction, deliver flight‑ready software, and build the engineering team and practices required to scale from early demonstrations to series deployment—balancing new‑space agility with systems engineering rigor.
In your first twelve months, you and your team will architect, develop, test, and integrate a complete on‑board software suite running on different equipment of a satellite payload and interfacing with satellite bus computer. Within two years, your on‑board software will have flown in space, demonstrating cutting‑edge software designs.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Define on‑board software architecture for high‑throughput payload functions; select languages, RTOS/middleware, diagnostics, and observability
Lead implementation of real‑time data‑plane and control‑plane components (Rust/C/C++), including scheduling, resource management, and fault detection/isolation/recovery (FDIR)
Own software integration on flight‑representative hardware; drive performance, determinism, and reliability
Hardware/Software co‑design
Partition algorithms across CPU/FPGA/DSP/ASIC; align with power/thermal/memory budgets and radiation constraints
Define high‑rate data movers, buffer management, and timing interfaces; ensure testability and maintainability
Specify robust APIs and telemetry between on‑board functions and ground systems; ensure compatibility with modern network architectures (including NTN‑relevant concepts)
Quality, safety & security
Establish flight‑software engineering practices: coding standards, code reviews, static/dynamic analysis, unit testing, continuous integration, and hardware‑in‑the‑loop regression
Bake in security‑by‑design, resilience to adverse conditions, and comprehensive observability for operations
Design for future in orbit upgradeability (secure OTA updates) without compromising mission safety
Hire and coach senior engineers; create a culture of ownership, curiosity, and respectful challenge
Run crisp cadences (technical reviews, design controls) that accelerate delivery without bureaucracy
COMPETENCIES, QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE
Deep experience (10+ years) in
embedded/real‑time software
for satcom payloads, avionics, or equivalent safety‑critical domains
Proficiency in
RUST/C/C++ , deterministic scheduling, and high‑reliability coding practices
Expertise with
Linux
systems programming and
driver
development
Experience in low level programming and hardware description languages such as
VHDL ,
Assembly
and/or
Verilog
Experience with hard
real‑time
embedded systems
(bare‑metal or RTOS)
Strong understanding of
RF/DSP/SDR
building blocks and
PHY/MAC‑like
functions in high‑throughput systems
Hands‑on with
HIL, EM/PFM‑style
integration & test, and automated verification pipelines
Experience with
cross‑compilation ,
toolchains , and
debugging tools
(e.g., JTAG, GDB)
Demonstrated leadership of
senior engineering teams
and delivery of mission‑critical systems
Nice to Have
Knowledge of
satellite systems ,
payload operations ,
space‑grade electronics ,
beam management
and/or
resource orchestration
Experience with
5G/NTN
integration patterns and QoS/slicing concepts
Familiarity with aerospace/space
software assurance
frameworks and secure development lifecycle
Mindset & values
Owner’s mindset : ships, learns, iterates; knows when to prototype and when to harden
Pragmatic rigor : uses reviews and verification to go faster, not slower
Talent magnet : attracts and develops exceptional engineers; low‑ego collaborator across disciplines
What success looks like (mid-term)
A clear, documented
on‑board software architecture
with stable interfaces to RF/ASIC/Platform and Ground
Flight‑representative software
executing on HIL benches with automated regression and performance telemetry
A staffed
core team , healthy engineering practices, and demonstrable reliability and security posture
OTHER KEY REQUIREMENTS
Eligibility for ESA/EU/NATO/National SECRET personnel security clearances. Candidates must be prepared to undergo a security clearance procedure, as this position may require holding such clearance, is considered an asset.
Able to travel nationally & internationally
SES and its Affiliated Companies are committed to providing fair and equal employment opportunities to all. We are an Equal Opportunity employer and will consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, pregnancy, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, genetic information, protected veteran status, disability, or any other basis protected by local, state, or federal law.
For more information on SES, click here .
#J-18808-Ljbffr
PROGRAMME DESCRIPTION meoSphere is SES’s next-generation Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellite constellation, designed to deliver secure connectivity services to government agencies, enterprises, and commercial customers. It will also provide high-speed broadband internet to eliminate global connectivity dead zones.
To accelerate development timelines, reduce costs, and ensure quality, SES is internalizing a critical segment of the satellite supply chain: the final integration of partner satellite platforms with SES’s software-defined payloads, all within a cutting-edge manufacturing and test facility.
ROLE DESCRIPTION Own the on‑board payload software for a high‑performance satellite communications system. You will set the architecture and technical direction, deliver flight‑ready software, and build the engineering team and practices required to scale from early demonstrations to series deployment—balancing new‑space agility with systems engineering rigor.
In your first twelve months, you and your team will architect, develop, test, and integrate a complete on‑board software suite running on different equipment of a satellite payload and interfacing with satellite bus computer. Within two years, your on‑board software will have flown in space, demonstrating cutting‑edge software designs.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Define on‑board software architecture for high‑throughput payload functions; select languages, RTOS/middleware, diagnostics, and observability
Lead implementation of real‑time data‑plane and control‑plane components (Rust/C/C++), including scheduling, resource management, and fault detection/isolation/recovery (FDIR)
Own software integration on flight‑representative hardware; drive performance, determinism, and reliability
Hardware/Software co‑design
Partition algorithms across CPU/FPGA/DSP/ASIC; align with power/thermal/memory budgets and radiation constraints
Define high‑rate data movers, buffer management, and timing interfaces; ensure testability and maintainability
Specify robust APIs and telemetry between on‑board functions and ground systems; ensure compatibility with modern network architectures (including NTN‑relevant concepts)
Quality, safety & security
Establish flight‑software engineering practices: coding standards, code reviews, static/dynamic analysis, unit testing, continuous integration, and hardware‑in‑the‑loop regression
Bake in security‑by‑design, resilience to adverse conditions, and comprehensive observability for operations
Design for future in orbit upgradeability (secure OTA updates) without compromising mission safety
Hire and coach senior engineers; create a culture of ownership, curiosity, and respectful challenge
Run crisp cadences (technical reviews, design controls) that accelerate delivery without bureaucracy
COMPETENCIES, QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE
Deep experience (10+ years) in
embedded/real‑time software
for satcom payloads, avionics, or equivalent safety‑critical domains
Proficiency in
RUST/C/C++ , deterministic scheduling, and high‑reliability coding practices
Expertise with
Linux
systems programming and
driver
development
Experience in low level programming and hardware description languages such as
VHDL ,
Assembly
and/or
Verilog
Experience with hard
real‑time
embedded systems
(bare‑metal or RTOS)
Strong understanding of
RF/DSP/SDR
building blocks and
PHY/MAC‑like
functions in high‑throughput systems
Hands‑on with
HIL, EM/PFM‑style
integration & test, and automated verification pipelines
Experience with
cross‑compilation ,
toolchains , and
debugging tools
(e.g., JTAG, GDB)
Demonstrated leadership of
senior engineering teams
and delivery of mission‑critical systems
Nice to Have
Knowledge of
satellite systems ,
payload operations ,
space‑grade electronics ,
beam management
and/or
resource orchestration
Experience with
5G/NTN
integration patterns and QoS/slicing concepts
Familiarity with aerospace/space
software assurance
frameworks and secure development lifecycle
Mindset & values
Owner’s mindset : ships, learns, iterates; knows when to prototype and when to harden
Pragmatic rigor : uses reviews and verification to go faster, not slower
Talent magnet : attracts and develops exceptional engineers; low‑ego collaborator across disciplines
What success looks like (mid-term)
A clear, documented
on‑board software architecture
with stable interfaces to RF/ASIC/Platform and Ground
Flight‑representative software
executing on HIL benches with automated regression and performance telemetry
A staffed
core team , healthy engineering practices, and demonstrable reliability and security posture
OTHER KEY REQUIREMENTS
Eligibility for ESA/EU/NATO/National SECRET personnel security clearances. Candidates must be prepared to undergo a security clearance procedure, as this position may require holding such clearance, is considered an asset.
Able to travel nationally & internationally
SES and its Affiliated Companies are committed to providing fair and equal employment opportunities to all. We are an Equal Opportunity employer and will consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, pregnancy, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, genetic information, protected veteran status, disability, or any other basis protected by local, state, or federal law.
For more information on SES, click here .
#J-18808-Ljbffr