Staff Flight Software Engineer, Xona Space Systems
$190-230k
More information about location
Office located in Burlingame, CA
Satellite navigation system
Posted today
Satellite navigation system
21-100 employees
Posted today
$190-230k
More information about location
Office located in Burlingame, CA
21-100 employees
Company mission
To remove the boundaries from modern technologies by providing precise and protected navigation services anywhere on Earth.
Role
Who you are
- Are passionate about writing clean, maintainable embedded code and enjoy collaborating on low-level hardware/software integration
- Thrive in influencing technical outcomes through expertise and teamwork, without direct managerial authority
- Demonstrate meticulous attention to detail, a methodical debugging approach, and strong analytical skills in real-time systems
- Take pride in elevating team practices and sharing knowledge to drive continuous improvement
- Requirements
- Experience: 8+ years developing C/C++ embedded software on RTOS or space-grade frameworks (cFS, F', TASTE, etc.)
- Integration & Testing: Proven track record executing full-system hardware/software validation and fault-injection test campaigns
- Protocols & Interfaces: Deep expertise with RS-422/485, Ethernet, I2C, or similar communication buses in embedded environments
- Real-Time Systems: Solid understanding of real-time scheduling, FDIR principles, and performance profiling under resource constraints
- Communication: Excellent written and verbal skills for cross-team collaboration and technical documentation
- CCSDS Expertise: Hands-on experience implementing CCSDS Telemetry (TM) and Telecommand (TC) packet standards, including header/payload formats, Virtual Channel multiplexing, and CRC/error-control procedures
- To comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the United States (i.e. Green Card holder), or other protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)
Desirable
- Hands-on experience with on-orbit operations, telemetry analysis, or spacecraft HIL testbeds
- Background in aerospace or other safety-critical industries
- Advanced degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related field
What the job involves
- Xona is redefining satellite navigation with a resilient, high-performance alternative to GPS. Powered by a commercial constellation of LEO satellites, we deliver precise, secure, and robust positioning services that enable autonomy, advanced mobility, and infrastructure resilience. We don’t settle for incremental gains—we’re building the next generation of GNSS from the ground up
- Design Contribution: Serve as a primary contributor to the flight software design, working to shape system interfaces and component interactions
- Develop & Integrate: Implement embedded flight software modules in C++ on RTOS or space-grade frameworks; carry features from concept through flight-ready validation
- System Validation: Plan and execute comprehensive hardware/software integration tests, including fault-injection scenarios and performance benchmarking
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with hardware engineering, GNC, and operations to define interfaces, manage fault conditions, and implement mitigation workflows
- CCSDS TT&C Integration: Develop and validate CCSDS-compliant Telemetry, Tracking & Command (TT&C) subsystems—implement frame assembly/disassembly, packetization, CRC/error-control coding, and end-to-end link workflows
- Optimization & Reliability: Profile and tune software for CPU, memory, and I/O efficiency; contribute to FDIR logic and scheduler enhancements to maximize on-orbit reliability
- Mentorship & Best Practices: Coach mid-level engineers through design reviews and code walks; promote coding standards, automated testing, and CI/CD pipelines
- Documentation & Tooling: Produce clear technical artifacts - ICDs, test plans, runbooks - and help build digital tools for telemetry analysis and on-orbit diagnostics
Our take
Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) is crucial for autonomy, tying vehicles to their environment and making autonomous operation possible. Xona Space Systems is developing a network of small satellites to provide high-precision PNT services, essential for modern technologies like autonomous vehicles and robotics.
The company has set its sites on pushing the limits of modern technology, setting itself apart in its space with its PULSAR service, which offers superior accuracy, availability, and security compared to traditional GPS. This makes it crucial for the widespread adoption of autonomous systems in unstructured environments.
The company has secured $150 million to date, the most recent round of which will accelerate the deployment of its low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation. Its partnerships with the US Space Force and industry leaders highlight the growing confidence in its innovative approach, while future plans include the commercialisation of PULSAR, which will enable autonomous systems to operate effectively anywhere.
Kirsty
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
Company
Funding (last 2 of 9 rounds)
Jun 2025
$92m
SERIES B
Jun 2025
$20m
GRANT
Total funding: $166.3m
Company HQ
Baywood Park, CA
Leadership
Brian Manning
(Co-Founder & CEO)Previously worked as a Responsible Engineer on Thrust Structure for SpaceX, and an Engineering Manager for Power Solutions International.
Tyler Reid
(Co-Founder & CTO)Was also a Lecturer at Stanford University and a Research Engineer in Controls and Automated Systems at Ford Motor Company.
Adrien Perkins
(Co-Founder & VP of Engineering)Worked as a Research Assistant for Stanford University and was Lead Software Developer at Callsnapp.
Bryan Chan
(Co-Founder & VP of Corporate Strategy)Also the Co-Founder, President and CEO at Night Crew Labs. Previously Co-founded and was Technical Director for Mothership Communications.
Jerami Martin
(Co-Founder & Director of Payload Mechanical)Also works as a Mechanical Design and Systems Engineer at Pumpkin. Prior to this, they were an Engineer at Crosstrac Engineering.
Kazuma Gunning
(Co-Founder & Director of Navigation and Software)Previously worked as a GNSS Modeling and Simulation Engineer for Booz Allen Hamilton and was a Doctoral Student at Stanford University.
Paul Tarantino
(Co-Founder & Director of Integration and Test)After studying at Stanford University, they went on to work as a Propulsion and Fluid Flight Systems Engineering Intern for the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Salary benchmarks
We don't have enough data yet to provide salary benchmarks for this role.
Submit your salary to help other candidates with crowdsourced salary estimates.
Share this job
View 6 more jobs at Xona Space Systems