Embedded Software Engineer

From telescopes to software architecture, Observable Space provides the foundational elements every organization needs to operate in space. Observable Space is unlocking continuous, real-time observations of space with the industry’s first line of vertically integrated hardware and software products. The company is the result of a merger between PlaneWave Instruments, the leader in advanced telescope design and manufacturing in the US, and OurSky, a company founded by SpaceX’s former VP of software engineering to create a developer platform for space data applications. Observable Space’s full line of products serves all sectors of the space industry including commercial, science, education, and government customers, as well as astronomy enthusiasts discovering the cosmos.

Observable Space is backed by top institutional investors–Upfront Ventures, Oceans Ventures, Venrex, Marlinspike Partners, and Embedded Ventures.

We are seeking a highly experienced and motivated Computer Vision Engineer to join our dynamic team. Join a rockstar team of experienced entrepreneurs, engineers, scientists and astronomers from SpaceX, DARPA, SmartThings, and Bird. This role will report to the CTO.

As an Embedded Software Engineer, you will work across our full product line—from robotic ground telescopes to on-orbit compute platforms. You will design and maintain embedded Linux systems, bring up complex peripherals, build rock-solid drivers, and architect software that will run for decades in remote and harsh environments.

This role is deeply hands-on: you will read schematics, work shoulder-to-shoulder with electrical and mechanical teams, debug unusual edge cases, and own Yocto-based platforms down to the metal. You will report to the Embedded Engineering Lead.

• Architect, implement, and document embedded Linux systems composed of multiple daemons, services, and hardware interfaces—designed for extreme reliability in remote and space environments.

• Own the BSP and driver stack across PCIe, SPI, I2C, UART, MIPI CSI-2, GPIO, and other hardware interfaces.

• Bring up high-speed peripherals (PCIe endpoints, MIPI cameras, high-bandwidth data links) and ensure their long-term robustness.

• Maintain build system health: keep Yocto builds unblocked, reproducible, and hardened through strict CI/CD testing gates.

• Design for resilience: create systems that can run autonomously for years with minimal human intervention.

• Collaborate on automated testing: help the test team build lab infrastructure that enables frictionless writing and execution of hardware-in-the-loop tests.

• Participate in product design reviews to ensure manufacturability, serviceability, and field reliability.
  

• 2+ years in embedded software engineering or systems-level development.

• Strong proficiency in C and modern C++—and good judgment about when not to overuse templates.

• Solid understanding of DC power systems, motor drivers, and common hardware interfaces (I2C, SPI, CAN, Ethernet, MIPI, PCIe).

• Experience bringing up high-speed interfaces, especially PCIe and MIPI CSI-2 (D-PHY 1.4+).

• Deep familiarity with oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, spectrum analyzers, multimeters, and power debugging tools.

• Ability to read and interpret schematics, understand board-level considerations, and debug at the electrical–software boundary.

• Strong debugging intuition—and the humility to know that debugging is 90% of the job.

• Experience in fast-paced prototyping environments and a bias toward quick iteration.

• Strong product sense: you prioritize manufacturing reliability, robustness, and long-term serviceability.

• Passion for astronomy, physics, and scientific exploration.

• Experience with Zephyr RTOS, embedded networking stacks, or sensor fusion.

• Experience with Qualcomm SoCs and their BSP/driver ecosystems.

• Background in vision processing, image pipelines, or camera-focused algorithms.

• Contributions to open-source embedded or Linux kernel projects.

• Competitive compensation (140,000 to 225,000 depending on experience) and comprehensive benefits.

• The opportunity to work on cutting-edge hardware and software that will operate on Earth and beyond.

• A collaborative, engineering-driven culture that values curiosity, precision, and continuous learning.

• Meaningful ownership over systems that directly shape the future of space operations.

Please submit your résumé and any relevant project links or work samples. We love seeing code, technical write-ups, GitHub repos, or anything that showcases how you think and build.

Observable Space is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment for all employees.