(Senior) Manager, On-Board Embedded Firmware/Software, meoSphere (Long Beach, CA, US)

Senior Manager, On-Board Embedded Firmware/Software, meoSphere
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-space software designs.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Architecture & delivery
   • 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
2. 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
3. Interfaces & interoperability
   • Specify robust APIs and telemetry between on‑board functions and ground systems; ensure compatibility with modern network architectures (including NTN‑relevant concepts)
4. 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
5. People & ways‑of‑working
   • 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

The salary range for this full-time position is $170,000.00 - $220,000.00 + bonus + benefits. Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. The range displayed on this job posting reflects the target salary for new hires in Torrence, California. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process. We understand market salaries can evolve and we are conscious that sometimes these will be open to review.
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.
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