Staff Engineer, Flight Software/Embedded Software
Company websiteblacksky.com (BlackSky, opens in new tab)
Base salary From $155K
Employer-published annual base salary, USD. Advertised base range in Seattle, WA
You apply on the employer's own site. Six Figure Work does not handle applications.
- LocationSeattle, WA
- WorkplaceWorkplace not stated
- Status at last checkSource accepting applications when checked
- Last checked (2 h ago) · observed since
About this job
Staff Engineer, Flight Software/Embedded Software
About Us:
BlackSky is a real-time intelligence company. We own and operate the world's most advanced space-based intelligence platform and provide customers satellite imagery, automated analytics and high-frequency monitoring of strategic locations, economic assets and events from around the globe. BlackSky is trusted by the most demanding allied military and intelligence organizations and commercial companies to deliver foresight into critical matters that affect national security and the economy. BlackSky's data enables governments and businesses to see, understand and anticipate change as it happens, giving them the ultimate strategic advantage so they can act quickly. Our global team works with cutting-edge technology to make a difference around the world and prides itself on being people-first, customer-focused and fun.
Join the Satellite Embedded Software Group (ESG) as a Staff Flight Software Engineer. This is a hands-on individual contributor role that reports to the Senior Manager of Flight Software. You’ll be responsible for software design, development and technical leadership primarily for the satellite imaging payload and ADCS subsystems. This role will also contribute to software requirements and test plan support. As you grow with the team, you’ll have opportunities to work on other flight software subsystems as well as mentorship.
As a staff member of the ESG team, you’ll make a large business impact across multiple critical programs from design to execution. You’ll collaborate across our embedded systems group and work closely with other cross-functional and program team members, including Satellite Operations and Mission Management. The preferred location is Tukwila, WA with the ability to work in the Tukwila office 1-2 days a week but we may be open to strong remote candidates.
Responsibilities:
- Provide subject matter expertise for ADCS and imaging payload subsystem software design and development.
- Drive work to timely completion using task management tools like Jira in an Agile-like environment; participate and lead in status and standup meetings, sprint planning, tasking, etc.
- Collaborate with other ESG software team members and other cross-functional engineers from multiple disciplines to deliver mission-critical software features and bugfixes that are on-time and defect free.
- Ensure that adequate documentation, test, inspection, and analysis is delivered and performed to verify compliance with requirements and other goals.
- Assist with Systems Engineering with requirements development and management.
- Execute and provide feedback for flight software design, development, unit tests and releases processes.
- Other job-related duties as assigned.
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or Electrical Engineering or equivalent experience
- At least 10 years of experience delivering and maintaining commercial/embedded1
software in a production environment. - Expertise in engineering clean and maintainable C/C++ and Python code.
- Expertise in embedded systems, ideally in Embedded Linux including related build systems (Buildroot, Yocto, etc.).
- Proven experience leading cross-functional teams to deliver products on time and on budget.
- Outstanding root cause analysis and problem-solving skills.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Demonstrated ability to work across teams, skill sets, communication in a diverse environment.
- Must be able to work with minimal supervision.
- Due to program requirements, this role requires US-born citizenship.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Advanced degree (masters or PhD) in a relevant field of study.
- Experience in board bring-up for embedded linux platforms.
- Familiarity with hardware interfaces (GPIO, I2C, SPI, CAN, USART, PHY, SpaceWire, Cameralink, RS-422), or high-speed interfaces (10G Ethernet, DMA, PCIe).
- Experience with Real Time Operating Systems, including FreeRTOS.
- Familiarity with u-boot, or other boot loaders.
- Space Industry Experience, and familiarity with satellite components.
- Experience working on embedded software relevant to ADCS/GNC.
Life at BlackSky for full-time benefits-eligible employees includes:
- Medical, dental, vision, disability, group term life and AD&D, voluntary life and AD&D insurance
- BlackSky pays 100% of employee-only premiums for medical, dental and vision and contributes $100/month for out-of-pocket expenses!
- 15 days of PTO, 11 Company holidays, four Floating Holidays (pro-rated based on hire date), one day of paid volunteerism leave per year, parental leave and more
- 401(k) pre-tax and Roth deferral options with employer match
- Flexible Spending Accounts
- Employee Stock Purchase Program
- Employee Assistance and Travel Assistance Programs
- Employer matching donations
- Professional development
- Mac or PC? Your choice!
- Awesome swag
The anticipated salary range for candidates in Seattle, WA is $155,000-180,000 per year. The final compensation package offered to a successful candidate will be dependent on specific background and education. BlackSky is a multi-state employer, and this pay scale may not reflect salary ranges in other states or locations outside of Seattle, WA.
BlackSky is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. All Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.
To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.
EEO/ Pay Transparency Statements: https://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf
https://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/OFCCP_EEO_Supplement_Final_JRF_QA_508c.pdf
Source: BlackSky on Greenhouse · View original posting (opens in new tab)
Pay in context
This role's base floor ($155,000) is above 59% of the 1,388 Software Engineering roles in Washington listed on this site; 2 others list the same floor. Their median floor is $143,700; the middle half runs from $143,700 to $168,100.
Only jobs on this site count, and each one publishes a base salary of $100,000 or more, so this compares six-figure jobs with each other, not with the whole market. Computed Nov 6, 2026.
This listingStaff Engineer, Flight Software/Embedded SoftwareFrom $155K
Staff Mission Solutions EngineerFrom $165K
Senior Engineer - Embedded/Flight Software$140K to $165K
Senior Assembly, Integration & Test (AI&T) Engineer$135K to $170K
Senior Accounting Manager$135K to $165K
Director of Marketing & Corporate Communications$175K to $200K
Accounting Manager$135K to $155K
Chart as a table
| Role | Published base |
|---|---|
| Staff Engineer, Flight Software/Embedded Software (this listing) | From $155K |
| Staff Mission Solutions Engineer | From $165K |
| Senior Engineer - Embedded/Flight Software | $140K - $165K |
| Senior Assembly, Integration & Test (AI&T) Engineer | $135K - $170K |
| Senior Accounting Manager | $135K - $165K |
| Director of Marketing & Corporate Communications | $175K - $200K |
| Accounting Manager | $135K - $155K |
Observed changes
- Began meeting the published-salary criteria
- First observed on the employer's board
- fields changed
- Observed since
- Employer-stated posting date
- 2026-10-16
Where this pay comes from
Location as the employer wrote it: Seattle, WA
The anticipated salary range for candidates in Seattle, WA is $155,000-180,000 per year. The final compensation package offered to
- Method
- Employer text, read with fixed rules and re-verified
- Checked
- Rule set
- us-base-v2
The pay passage appears in the employer's own job text. Fixed, deterministic rules located it, and the passage below was checked against the stored copy of the posting.
What we verified
- The pay figures come from the employer's own listing, quoted exactly above.
- The pay is an annual base salary in US dollars with a minimum of at least $100,000.
- The role was publicly listed on the employer's job board when last checked.
We do not verify what the employer will actually offer, whether the employer is still recruiting for the role, or anything beyond what the employer published. Full methodology.
