About this opportunity
Urban Sky lists this Software Engineer - Vehicle Software & Firmware opportunity in denver, Colorado. Review the employer’s description below for duties, qualifications and application requirements.
Job description
Software Engineer - Vehicle Software & Firmware
Join to apply for the Software Engineer - Vehicle Software & Firmware role at Urban Sky.
About Urban Sky
Urban Sky is a venture-backed aerospace startup that pioneers the utilization of the stratosphere and reimagines the way humans view and analyze the earth. We design, build, operate, and sell stratospheric balloon systems, and the data we collect supports a wide range of applications, from real-time wildfire monitoring to urban mapping. Our technology is also employed by government customers including the Department of Defense, NASA, and others. Urban Sky sends flight vehicles to the stratosphere on a weekly basis.
About The Role
Urban Sky is seeking a Software Engineer to join our Engineering team in Denver, CO. In this role, you will own vehicle software and high‑level firmware for a family of high‑altitude stratospheric balloon systems with active altitude control. You will design and implement embedded and application‑layer systems that interface with power, sensing, actuation, navigation, and communications hardware to enable safe, reliable, and repeatable stratospheric operations. This role requires strong embedded/real‑time engineering fundamentals and an ability to ship robust software in a fast‑paced aerospace startup environment. You'll work hands‑on with solar power generation, charge control, batteries and BMS, power distribution, valves and motor controllers, GPS/IMU‑based navigation sensors, onboard communication networks (CAN, UART/RS‑485, Zigbee, Ethernet), and satellite communications (Globalstar, Iridium, Starlink, etc.).
Vehicle Software & Firmware
Design, implement, and maintain onboard software and high‑level firmware for stratospheric balloon systems with altitude control
Integrate and manage vehicle power systems: solar arrays, MPPT/charge controllers, battery packs, BMS interfaces, and power distribution hardware
Build command and control for actuators and mechanisms (valves, pumps/compressors, motor controllers, heaters, deployment mechanisms, payload interfaces)
Integrate navigation and situational awareness sensors (GNSS/GPS, IMU, magnetometer, barometric/pressure sensors, temperature sensors, transponders)
Develop robust telemetry, logging, and command protocols with clear fault handling, watchdogs, and safe‑mode behaviors
Embedded Systems & Integration (Core Focus)
Design software interfaces for common embedded buses and protocols (CAN, SPI, I2C, UART, RS‑485/Modbus, Ethernet) and manage timing/latency constraints
Integrate and validate radios and internal networks (Zigbee/802.15.4, LoRa, LTE where applicable) and ensure deterministic behavior for critical loops
Integrate satellite modems and external communications links (Globalstar, Iridium, Starlink, etc.) including message framing, prioritization, and retries
Implement configuration, provisioning, and secure update mechanisms for fielded vehicles (versioning, compatibility, rollback strategies)
Build test infrastructure: hardware‑in‑the‑loop rigs, flight software simulation hooks, and automated regression tests for vehicle subsystems
Create tools for ground‑side, bring‑up, and debugging (command‑line utilities, log parsers, telemetry dashboards as needed)
Partner with electrical, mechanical, and flight operations teams to define interfaces, validate requirements, and close issues quickly
Drive reliability improvements through root‑cause analysis, instrumentation, and structured verification plans
Types Of Projects You Will Work On
Vehicle Power & Energy Management
Command, Control & Altitude Management
Navigation, Avionics & Tracking
Communications & Vehicle Networks
Test, Simulation & Flight Operations Tooling
Core Experience
5+ years of experience as a software engineer with embedded and/or real‑time systems
Strong proficiency in C/C++ and Python (or similar), including building, testing, and debugging production systems
Excellent teamwork and communication skills; comfortable working across hardware and software disciplines
Strong computer science fundamentals (data structures, algorithms, concurrency) and engineering judgment
Experience owning systems end‑to‑end: requirements, design, implementation, verification, and operational support
Ability to work quickly and effectively in a fast‑paced startup environment
Embedded Systems & Flight Software
Experience with embedded Linux and/or RTOS environments, cross‑compilation, and resource‑constrained design
Strong understanding of real‑time communication and hardware interfaces (CAN, SPI, I2C, UART, RS‑485, Ethernet)
Experience integrating sensors and actuators with robust fault handling and safety considerations
Comfortable with low‑level debugging (logs, oscilloscopes/logic analyzers, JTAG/SWD, hardware bring‑up workflows)
Knowledge of telemetry/command systems, binary protocols, and structured data serialization (e.g., protobufs) where appropriate
Experience designing reliable state machines and control‑oriented software with clear invariants and testability
Power, Avionics, & Communication Integration
Experience with power systems integration (battery packs, BMS, charge controllers/MPPT, DC‑DC converters, power distribution)
Experience integrating navigation/tracking sensors and avionics (GNSS/GPS, IMU, magnetometer, barometric/pressure sensors, transponders)
Experience with wired/wireless device networking (CAN bus, Zigbee/802.15.4, LoRa, Ethernet) and message routing patterns
Familiarity integrating satellite communication hardware (Globalstar, Iridium, Starlink, etc.) and designing resilient link protocols
Comfort with structured logging/telemetry, time synchronization, and post‑flight data analysis workflows
Reliability, Test, & Tooling
Experience building automated tests for embedded systems (unit tests, integration tests, HIL) and using simulators/replay for debugging
Strong version control and review practices (Git, code reviews, design reviews) with a bias toward maintainable architectures
Experience with build and deployment tooling (CMake/Bazel, containerized dev environments, CI systems such as GitHub Actions)
Understanding of observability for embedded/fielded systems: logs, metrics, event traces, and alerting for operations
Experience producing clear documentation for interfaces, procedures, and flight readiness reviews
Nice‑To‑Haves
Experience with aerospace flight software, autonomy, or safety‑critical systems (FMEA/FTA, redundancy, verification)
Experience with satellite communication systems and constrained‑link protocol design
Experience with GN&C concepts, sensor fusion, and control systems implementation
Experience with power electronics, battery safety, and energy management for long‑duration platforms
Experience with CAN tooling, embedded networking stacks, and field diagnostics
Experience with environmental testing and operations in extreme conditions (thermal, vacuum/low pressure, vibration)
Requirements
Must be US Citizen or Permanent Resident
Must be located near Denver, CO
Benefits
Medical, Vision and Dental
Unlimited Vacation Days
Parental Leave
Cell Phone Bill Stipend
Stock Options
Compensation
Colorado Pay Transparency: $135,000 USD - $170,000 USD
AI Tooling Expectations
We expect all team members to actively leverage and continuously adapt to emerging AI tools as a core part of their daily workflow. Proficiency with job‑relevant modern AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude, GitHub Copilot) is expected and integral to success in this role.
Export Controls
This position may require the candidate to deal with commodities, software, technology, defense articles, and/or technical data which are subject to the Export Administration Regulations and/or the International Traffic in Arms Regulations. Additional information may be requested so as to determine whether export authorization is required from the Bureau of Industry and Security and/or the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls. If authorization is required, employment will be contingent upon the Company successfully obtaining such authorization from the relevant government agency.
EEO Statement
Urban Sky is an equal opportunity employer, and we value diversity. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.
NOTE
Research suggests that women and BIPOC individuals may self-select out of opportunities if they don’t meet 100% of the job requirements. We encourage anyone who believes that they have the skills and the passion necessary to succeed here to apply for this role.
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Worksite address
denver, CO, 80285, US
Who can apply
Review the original listing for work authorization, qualifications and employer requirements.