Senior Software Engineer, Operating Systems

Los Angeles. Posted 26 days ago

The role

You will design, develop, and own software that brings spacecraft to life. You will work on the Flight Software team to build robust software for autonomous systems and reliable spacecraft operation.

What you will do

Develop low level software that configures and drives processor peripherals and communication interfaces on avionics.
Develop, configure, and maintain embedded Linux platforms and bootloader frameworks, including Yocto, Buildroot, WolfBoot, and U-Boot.
Design, implement, and validate firmware update mechanisms, including bootloader integration, secure firmware deployment, and recovery procedures.
Design and implement security enhancements across complex software architectures to improve system integrity, resilience, and secure operation.

Required qualifications

U.S. Person status is required
Bachelor's degree in CS, EE or equivalent, or equivalent professional experience
8+ years writing code for operating systems, ideally Yocto or embedded Linux on spacecraft, robotics, automotive, or other hardware what that interacts with the physical world
Strong proficiency in programming languages such as Python, C++, or Rust

Nice to have

Experience developing, testing, deploying, and troubleshooting mission-critical satellite software from prototyping through flight operations
Experience with embedded Linux platforms and bootloader frameworks (e.g., Yocto, Buildroot, WolfBoot, U-Boot)
Experience bringing up new avionics and flight hardware from initial power-on through functional verification
Experience with hardware/software integration, schematic analysis, and hardware debugging using oscilloscopes and logic analyzers
Familiarity with spacecraft attitude control systems, including reaction wheels, magnetorquers, thrusters, and associated sensors
Experience designing, implementing, and validating firmware update mechanisms, including bootloader integration, secure firmware deployment, and update recovery
Experience designing secure systems and implementing security enhancements in complex software architectures

Benefits

Equity in Apex
100% company-paid medical, dental, and vision for you and your dependents
$100k life insurance at no cost
Starting at 15 days vacation, growing to 20+ days annually
10 paid holidays
100% match on first 3% and 50% on next 2% 401(k) matching
8 weeks paid parental leave
Childcare reimbursement up to $350/day for work-related travel
Daily catered lunch and unlimited snacks
Monthly office socials, pickleball tournaments, run club, and gatherings
Dream desk setup

Before you apply

U.S. Person status is required to access export controlled data
Must qualify as a U.S. Person (U.S. citizen or national, lawful permanent resident, refugee, or individual granted asylum) or be able to obtain required export authorizations

About the company

Apex manufactures satellite buses at scale using software, vertical integration, and hardware. They are a fast-growing startup that has raised more than $500M in funding.