Onboard Software Engineer - Deployment & Runtime Environments
Loft’s Onboard Software group provides the on-orbit software that powers our satellite fleet — from the Linux services running on the hub processor, to the containerized workloads executing customer applications in low Earth orbit.
The Deployment & Runtime Environments team is where software meets the satellite. We own how software gets packaged, deployed, and executed onboard: from the tool that assembles and maintains mission-specific software stacks, to the Runtime Container Environment that lets partner and customer workloads run securely in orbit, to the Linux infrastructure that makes it all reliable. As more satellite programs come online and as we open our container runtime to a growing number of external workloads, the team’s scope is expanding fast.
We’re looking for someone scrappy — the kind of engineer who digs into an unfamiliar system, maps it out, and gets it shipped without needing the path handed to them. You’ll move between Linux internals, container runtimes, and CI pipelines, sometimes in the same afternoon.
- Contribute to and evolve our bundle management tool — the tool that resolves package dependencies, assembles mission-specific software stacks, and enables the Solutions team to spin up and maintain an ever-growing number of satellite programs
- Develop and harden our onboard Linux infrastructure: how services are deployed on the rootfs, what system manages their execution, and how we ensure reliable and recoverable Linux operation in orbit
- Evolve our Runtime Container Environment — the container manager and the full stack around it (base images, container registry service) — enabling partner and customer workloads to run securely onboard our vehicles
- Support scaling of the deployment pipeline as new hardware platforms are added and the number of active satellite programs grows
- Contribute to Product Validation — as the last step in the development pipeline, the team plays a key role in validating software readiness before it goes to orbit
- Design, implement, and refine software with a high degree of ownership, driving features from concept through delivery
- Participate in code reviews, design proposals, and the continuous improvement of development processes
- Strong understanding of containerization technologies (Docker, Kubernetes, or similar runtimes)
- Deep Linux system knowledge: boot process, service management, filesystem layout, and failure recovery
- Experience with CI/CD pipelines (GitLab-CI, Jenkins, or similar)
- Proficiency with Git and collaborative development workflows
- Experience with embedded or resource-constrained systems
- Working Python
- Understanding of software deployment strategies for critical or hard-to-reach systems — OTA updates for cars, drones, or consumer hardware, or software updates on satellites — including concepts like golden images, A/B partitions, staged rollouts, and safe rollback
- C++ knowledge
- Experience with CUE (cuelang)
- Familiarity with additional programming languages such as Go or Rust
- Experience with embedded Linux: Yocto, device trees, systemd, and Linux on ARM platforms
- Proficiency with unit test frameworks (e.g., pytest, Googletest, Unity)
- Experience with middleware frameworks (gRPC, ZMQ/NATS, etc.)
- 100% company-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance option for employees and dependents
- Flexible Spending (FSA) and Health Savings (HSA) Accounts offered with an employer contribution to the HSA
- 100% employer paid Life, AD&D, Short-Term, and Long-Term Disability insurance
- Flexible Time Off policy for vacation and sick leave, and 12 paid holidays
- 401(k) plan and equity options
- Daily catered lunches and snacks in office
- International exposure to our team in France
- Fully paid parental leave; 14 weeks for birthing parent and 10 weeks for non-birthing parent
- Carrot Fertility provides comprehensive, inclusive fertility healthcare and family-forming benefits with financial support
- Off-sites and many social events and celebrations
- Relocation assistance when applicable
Description
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- Strong understanding of containerization technologies (Docker, Kubernetes, or similar runtimes)
- Deep Linux system knowledge: boot process, service management, filesystem layout, and failure recovery
- Experience with CI/CD pipelines (GitLab-CI, Jenkins, or similar)
- Proficiency with Git and collaborative development workflows
- Experience with embedded or resource-constrained systems
- Working Python
Who We Are
Loft: Space Made Simple.
Founded in 2017, Loft provides governments, companies, and research institutions with a fast, reliable, and simple way to deploy missions in orbit.
We integrate, launch, and operate spacecraft, offering end-to-end missions as a service across Earth observation, IoT connectivity, on-orbit AI, national security missions, and more. Leveraging our existing space infrastructure and an extensive inventory of satellite buses, Loft is reducing years-long integration and launch timelines to months. With more than 30 missions flown, Loft’s flight heritage and proven technologies enable customers to focus on their mission objectives.
With a growing fleet on track to reach 30 satellites by 2027, we are scaling up quickly across our offices in San Francisco, CA | Golden, CO | and Toulouse, France to meet accelerating demand for space infrastructure.
As an international company your resume will be reviewed by people across our offices so please attach a copy in English.
- How much does the Onboard Software Engineer - Deployment & Runtime Environments at Loft Orbital pay?
- The posting lists a range of $144K–$198K per year. Ranges reflect what Loft Orbital publicly declared on the source posting.
- Where is this Onboard Software Engineer - Deployment & Runtime Environments role based?
- The role is based in San Francisco, CA.
- What experience does Loft Orbital expect for this role?
- The posting is tagged as a mid-level role, typically 3+ years of experience. Check the requirements section for specifics.
- Where is Loft Orbital headquartered?
- Loft Orbital is headquartered in San Francisco, USA.
- How was this posting sourced?
- This role was pulled directly from Loft Orbital's Lever careers site. Apply links open in the employer's own ATS — no reposts or aggregator middleware.
Apply links open in the employer's official ATS. Always verify recruitment messages on the company's careers page before sharing personal information.