{"id":1302943,"url":"https://alion.io/job/ast-science-principal-fsw-engineer","title":"Principal FSW Engineer","company":{"id":2057930,"name":"AST SpaceMobile","domain":"ast-science.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/ast-science","size_band":"1001-5000","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Greenhouse","truth_index":{"grade":"A","score":88,"open_postings":240,"ghost_share":0.121,"stale_share":0,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":114,"computed_at":"2026-10-29T05:49:05Z"}},"role":"Industrial Engineering","role_family":"Industrial Engineering","seniority":"lead","employment_type":null,"work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Lanham, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":null,"salary_estimate":{"min_usd":102000,"max_usd":207000,"period":"year","method":"role_seniority_country_remote_cell","sample_n":1961},"experience_years_min":8,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"C++","optional":false},{"name":"CI/CD","optional":false},{"name":"Git","optional":false},{"name":"Jira","optional":false},{"name":"Linux","optional":false},{"name":"Python","optional":false},{"name":"RTOS","optional":false},{"name":"TCP/IP","optional":false},{"name":"CUDA","optional":true}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-08-24T22:59:53Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-08-24","last_verified_at":"2026-10-30T00:24:23Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":66,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":0,"flags":["company_stale"],"days_open":65},"description":"AST SpaceMobile is building the first and only global cellular broadband network in space to operate directly with standard, unmodified mobile devices based on our extensive IP and patent portfolio and designed for both commercial and government applications. Our engineers and space scientists are on a mission to eliminate the connectivity gaps faced by today’s five billion mobile subscribers and finally bring broadband to the billions who remain unconnected.\nPosition Overview\nWe are seeking a Principal Flight Software Engineer with deep expertise in embedded Linux and networking to join our Flight Software Team. This role is central to the design and development of our satellite fleet's Linux-based networking capabilities, with a specific focus on networking subsystems; general embedded computing knowledge is also crucial, since there are RTOS platforms in our stack that are not Linux. The ideal candidate brings hands-on embedded experience, a focus on process improvement, and the technical leadership to drive architectural decisions across the team. \nKey Responsibilities:\nLead the design, development, and deployment of embedded Linux software for flight systems, including BSP bring-up, device driver development, and system-level integration.\nOwn the networking subsystem architecture for satellite flight software, including protocol stack implementation, network driver development, and link-layer communication.\nCollaborate with hardware, RF, and systems engineering teams to define interfaces and integrate networking subsystems with spacecraft hardware.\nDefine and enforce software architecture, coding, and review standards across the Flight Software Team.\nMentor junior and mid-level engineers; conduct code reviews and contribute to engineering best practices.\nSupport Software-in-the-Loop (SiL) simulation environments that accurately reflect flight networking behavior.\nParticipate in integration and test activities, diagnosing and resolving complex hardware/software issues.\nLead technical projects end to end - scoping, planning, staffing, and driving them to delivery.\nOwn the larger systems and processes the team depends on: build and CI infrastructure, release and configuration management, and software development lifecycle standards.\nServe as the Flight Software technical point of contact for other engineering teams and program leadership, communicating status, risk, and trade-offs. \nQualifications \nEducation:\nExperience:\n8+ years of professional software engineering experience, with significant focus on embedded Linux.\nDeep expertise in Linux kernel internals: network and platform driver development, device tree authoring, and kernel configuration and build.\nStrong understanding of networking fundamentals: TCP/IP, UDP, routing, network interfaces, and socket programming.\nExperience implementing or integrating custom communication protocols at the application, transport, or link layer.\nProficiency in C and C++ (C++17 standard library); Python for tooling and automation.\nExperience with embedded Linux build systems such as Yocto or Buildroot.\nFamiliarity with cross-compilation toolchains and embedded debugging techniques (JTAG, SWD, GDB).\nExperience with real-time or latency-constrained Linux environments (PREEMPT_RT or similar).\nStrong debugging skills across hardware/software boundaries; comfortable with oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and network analyzers.\nPracticing modern development workflows: Git, unit testing, continuous integration, Jira.\nTrack record leading projects that extend beyond a single embedded target - larger systems, services, or engineering infrastructure and tooling.\nExperience defining and improving engineering processes that span multiple teams. \nPreferred Qualifications:\nBackground in RF or radio-frequency systems integration.\nExperience with network security in embedded contexts (TLS, secure boot, key management).\nExperience with CUDA.\nExperience with high-reliability or fault-tolerant software design patterns. \nSoft Skills:\nExcellent written and verbal communication skills.\nAble to lead technical discussions across engineering and program teams.\nSkilled at extracting requirements from stakeholders. \nTechnology Stack:\nEmbedded Linux kernel development, device drivers, and device tree authoring.\nC, C++ (C++17), and Python for tooling and automation.\nEmbedded Linux build systems such as Yocto and Buildroot.\nCross-compilation toolchains and embedded debugging tools (JTAG, SWD, GDB).\nReal-time Linux environments (PREEMPT_RT or similar) and RTOS platforms.\nGit, unit testing frameworks, CI pipelines, and Jira.\nHardware/software debugging equipment, including oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and network analyzers. \nPhysical Requirements \nAbility to lift up to 25 lbs.\nAbility to use a computer for extended periods.\nAbility to work in an office and lab environment, including hands-on hardware/software debugging using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and network analyzers.\nAbility to travel occasionally to support integration, testing, or cross-team collaboration as needed.\nThis job description may not be inclusive to the duties and responsibilities listed. Additional tasks may be assigned to the employee from time to time or the scope of the job may change as needed by business demands. \nAST SpaceMobile is an Equal Opportunity, at will Employer; employment is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.","description_format":"text","description_chars":5702,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":8,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":null,"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":[],"hiring_locations":[],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Satellite Communications","Satellite Manufacturing","Mobile Networks"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-09-26T12:21:47Z"}],"visa":[{"country":"US","licensed_sponsor":true,"evidence":"H-1B filings in 12 months: 12 · green card filings: 3","filings_12m":12,"filings_prev_12m":2,"green_card_filings_12m":3,"median_offered_wage_usd":139833,"route":null,"cap_exempt":false,"checked_at":"2026-10-29T16:27:21+00:00","sources":["US Department of Labor: LCA disclosure data (H-1B, H-1B1, E-3)","US Department of Labor: PERM disclosure data (green cards)"],"filings_for_role_12m":0}],"liveness":{"score":65,"band":"ok","label":"Likely open","p_open":1,"p_active":0.901,"p_room":0.72,"age_days":65,"expected_fill_days":114,"reasons":["conf:3","velocity","win:mid","crowd:brand"],"computed_at":"2026-10-29T05:49:05Z"},"pay":null,"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/ast-science-principal-fsw-engineer","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/ast-science-principal-fsw-engineer.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-30T03:49:13Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":5190,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-10-31T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":2057930},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=2057930"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fast-science-principal-fsw-engineer"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fast-science-principal-fsw-engineer"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fast-science-principal-fsw-engineer"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/ast-science-principal-fsw-engineer\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fast-science-principal-fsw-engineer"}],"agent":{"mcp":"https://alion.io/mcp/jobs","mcp_open":"https://alion.io/mcp/open","next":[{"tool":"get_job","arguments":{"id":1302943}},{"tool":"search_jobs","arguments":{"company":"ast-science.com","detail":"compact"}},{"tool":"match_people","arguments":{"job_id":1302943},"note":"people open to offers who fit this vacancy"}],"note":"The same data through MCP tools: https://alion.io/mcp/open needs no sign-in (compact searches, postings, people); https://alion.io/mcp with an Alion account has everything. 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