Flight Software Systems Engineer for Space Missions

Led by Prof. Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen, ETH Zurich | Space brings together space-related research, education and technology development across ETH Zurich. Working with academic, industrial and institutional partners, the initiative develops new space missions, instruments and technologies.

This position is offered as a fixed-term appointment for an initial period of two years, with the possibility of extension.

Project background

The objective of this initiative is to establish and grow a centralized pool of space engineering expertise within ETH Zurich | Space. This pool supports ETH Zurich-led space projects and technology programs, strengthening ETH Zurich’s role in the Swiss and international space ecosystem.

The Flight Software Systems Engineer will support a diverse portfolio of small spacecraft, scientific instruments, robotic systems, and technology demonstrators. The work includes resource-constrained missions, integration with externally supplied spacecraft platforms, autonomous functions, and future distributed or coordinated spacecraft concepts. This role interfaces across systems engineering, avionics, payloads, and software development, and coordinates with external platform providers and mission operations teams.

Job description

As part of the specialized resource pool, you will provide flight software and software systems engineering expertise across multiple ETH Zurich space projects. You will contribute from early mission formulation and software architecture through implementation, integration, verification, launch preparation, and operations.

As part of your role, you will:

• Take technical ownership of assigned flight software developments and act as the primary software interface to systems engineering, avionics, payload teams, mission operations, and external platform providers.
• Translate mission concept of operations into spacecraft behaviors and define flight software architectures and functional decompositions
• Allocate hardware-software functions, and define associated software requirements and interfaces.
• Translate mission and system requirements into software specifications, interface control documents, operational concepts, and verification plans.
• Develop embedded flight software in C and C++ and supporting tools and test scripts (e.g., Python), including device drivers, telemetry and telecommand handling, onboard data management, application software, and fault-management functions.
• Integrate flight software with onboard computers, sensors, actuators, payload electronics, communication interfaces, ground systems, and externally supplied spacecraft platforms.
• Set up and maintain flat-sat flight software testbeds
• Perform software-related trade studies covering processing capacity, memory, timing, bandwidth, autonomy, reliability, and fault tolerance.
• Develop real-time, event-driven, autonomous, synchronization, and GNC-related software functions where required.
• Establish and maintain software baselines, configuration control, versioning, build automation, continuous integration, release management, and requirements traceability.
• Develop and execute flight software unit tests, conduct integration, software-in-the-loop, processor-in-the-loop, hardware-in-the-loop, and system-level verification and validation activities.
• Support software risk management, anomaly investigation, non-conformance handling, and technical review boards.
• Support spacecraft and payload assembly, integration, and test activities, commissioning, in-flight software updates, telemetry analysis, and mission operations.
• Contribute to technical reviews, early-stage mission concepts, proposals, and software feasibility studies.

• Provide technical guidance to junior engineers, researchers, and student teams.

Profile

You have a strong background in embedded and real-time software development combined with systems-level experience in software architecture, requirements engineering, interface definition, integration, and functional verification. You are comfortable working across mission, spacecraft, avionics, payload, software, and operations domains.

We are looking for someone with:

• Master’s degree in computer science, electrical engineering, computer engineering, aerospace engineering, robotics, or a related field.
• 5+ years of professional experience in flight software, embedded software, or mission-critical software systems.
• Strong programming skills in C and C++ for resource-constrained embedded targets.
• Experience with real-time operating systems, embedded Linux, or bare-metal development.
• Experience in software systems engineering, including architecture definition, functional decomposition, hardware-software allocation, requirements management, and interface control.
• Ability to translate mission and spacecraft requirements into software specifications, operational concepts, and verification strategies.
• Experience integrating flight software with avionics hardware, sensors, actuators, communication buses, payloads, or ground systems.
• Understanding of telemetry and telecommand, onboard data handling, timing, autonomy, fault management, and spacecraft operations.
• Hands-on experience with software integration, debugging, automated testing, and hardware-in-the-loop environments.
• Experience with configuration management, version control, release processes, technical baselines, and requirements traceability.
• Ability to assess software-related technical resources, including processing capacity, memory, timing, bandwidth, and reliability margins.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary and multicultural teams.
• Knowledge of radiation effects, redundancy, memory protection, watchdogs, and FDIR.
• Excellent command of English, both written and spoken; German is an advantage but not required.

Additionally, the following characteristics are a plus:

• Experience developing flight software for CubeSats, small satellites, scientific instruments, planetary systems, or Class D/Gamma-type missions.
•  Experience leading or coordinating software-related and functional AIT activities, including test planning, execution, anomaly resolution, and system-level functional verification.
• Experience integrating payload software with spacecraft platforms supplied by external industrial partners.
• Familiarity with ECSS software engineering and software product assurance standards, NASA software practices, or comparable development frameworks.
• Experience with spacecraft protocols and buses such as SpaceWire, CAN, UART, SPI, I²C, Ethernet, or CCSDS-based services.
• Experience with flight software frameworks or operating systems such as NASA cFS, F Prime, RTEMS, FreeRTOS, Zephyr, or equivalent.
• Experience with autonomous systems, robotic software, relative navigation, formation flying, or distributed spacecraft coordination.
• Experience with FPGA or firmware interfaces and hardware-software co-design. 
• Experience with EGSE, simulators, ground software, commissioning, or in-orbit operations.
• Experience collaborating with international partners, space agencies, research institutions, or spacecraft suppliers.
• Good knowledge of flight software suppliers.

We offer

• A dynamic, international, and interdisciplinary work environment at one of the world’s leading technical universities.
• A motivated team sharing a passion for space, science, and engineering.
• The opportunity to contribute to space missions from early concept and software architecture through integration, launch, and operations.
• Work across spacecraft, payload, robotics, autonomy, and distributed-system applications.

Working, teaching and research at ETH Zurich

We value diversity and sustainability

In line with our values, ETH Zurich encourages an inclusive culture. We promote equality of opportunity, value diversity and nurture a working and learning environment in which the rights and dignity of all our staff and students are respected. Visit our Equal Opportunities and Diversity website to find out how we ensure a fair and open environment that allows everyone to grow and flourish. Sustainability is a core value for us – we are consistently working towards a climate-neutral future.

Curious? So are we.

We look forward to receiving your application by Wed Nov 4th, 2026 with:

• Your CV
• Job references (if available) and diplomas
• In lieu of a motivation letter, a short max. 90-sec video about yourself and your motivation for this position*

* We would like to get to know you better. Therefore, we kindly request a brief video introduction. A professionally produced video is not required; a simple recording using your smartphone is sufficient. Please upload the video to a platform of your choice (e.g., Dropbox, YouTube, Vimeo, Google Drive, etc.) and include the link either in your CV or in the comment field of the online application portal.

Please note that we exclusively accept applications submitted through our online application portal. Applications via email or postal services will not be considered.

Further information about Department can be found on our website. Questions regarding the position should be directed to Florian Kehl (florian.kehl@eaps.ethz.ch) (no applications).

For recruitment services the GTC of ETH Zurich apply.

About ETH Zürich

ETH Zurich is one of the world’s leading universities specialising in
science and technology. We are renowned for our excellent education,
cutting-edge fundamental research and direct transfer of new knowledge
into society. Over 30,000 people from more than 120 countries find our
university to be a place that promotes independent thinking and an
environment that inspires excellence. Located in the heart of Europe,
yet forging connections all over the world, we work together to
develop solutions for the global challenges of today and tomorrow.