Flight Software Engineer Intern, Turion Space
Summer/Winter 2025
$70-90k
Office located in Irvine, CA
Satellite manufacturer & operator
Open for applications
Satellite manufacturer & operator
21-100 employees
Open for applications
$70-90k
Office located in Irvine, CA
21-100 employees
Company mission
To advance space sustainability, bridge national security capability gaps, and realign incentives across the value chain in satellite manufacturing.
Role
Who you are
- Pursuing a Bachelor’s or Graduate degree in an engineering or science discipline (typically junior or senior year)
- Proficiency in C or C++ for embedded systems, demonstrated through coursework, personal projects, lab work, club experience, or prior internship
- Experience with Linux and shell command-line tools
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively in a multidisciplinary environment
Desirable
- Previous internship experience in embedded software, robotics, or aerospace
- Exposure to driver development, board bring-up, or real-time operating systems in a project or lab setting
- Experience with scripting languages (e.g., Python) for testing, automation, or data analysis
- Familiarity with commonly used protocols and standards for spacecraft or embedded systems (e.g., CAN, SpaceWire, CCSDS)
- Experience with NASA’s Core Flight System (cFS)
- A love for small fast paced teams and fast-moving organizations
What the job involves
- The Flight Software Engineering Intern will be responsible for assisting in the design, development, and testing of software that controls and manages Turion’s fleet of spacecraft
- This role involves working closely with operators and ground software teams to ensure that flight software meets mission-specific requirements
- As an intern at Turion, you will gain hands-on experience in embedded systems and have the opportunity to contribute to real spacecraft missions over a minimum three-month period
- Help architect and test flight software that is used on-board Turion’s fleet of satellites, including driver development and integration with onboard components
- Assist in defining and executing test procedures for component-level and system-level validation, including hardware-in-the-loop (HITL) testing
- Participate in architecture discussions to improve fault detection, isolation, and recovery (FDIR) strategies for spacecraft missions
- Prepare and maintain comprehensive documentation for flight software, including design specifications, test plans, and user manuals. Ensure documentation is accurate and complies with company standards
- Provide support for flight software during mission operations. Troubleshoot and resolve software issues that arise during testing and in-flight operations
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including systems engineers, hardware engineers, and mission planners, to address and resolve software-related issues
- Reporting To: Jeffrey St. Jean
Application process
- Applied
- Review
- Technical Interview
- Take Home Assessment
- Hired
Our take
To empower critical space missions, Turion Space builds and operates DROID Satellites that its clients can control through the company's operating system (known as Starfire).
The idea behind Turion's approach is to simplify satellite operations by making them non-configurable, instead handling day-to-day operations itself. In this way, the company helps its clients to eliminate friction between platform and bus suppliers, which can hinder the potential of missions.
To support the expansion of its operations, which include non-earth imaging, space debris removal and satellite servicing, the company has raised strategic funding. This positions it well to move towards its goal of producing 45 satellites annually by 2027.
Kirsty
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
Company
Funding (1 round)
Dec 2022
$5m
EARLY VC
Total funding: $5m
Company HQ
Irvine Spectrum Center, Irvine, CA
Leadership
Ryan Westerdahl
(Co-Founder & CEO)Previously spent over 8 years at SpaceX, initially as a Propulsion Development Engineering Intern before becoming a Dynamics Engineer.
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