Embedded Software Engineer

Join an aerospace-focused team building mission-critical embedded software in a collaborative engineering environment. This onsite contract role in Frederick, MD supports development that must meet recognized aerospace and defense safety standards, combining hands-on embedded work with laboratory validation and compliance activities. Competitive hourly pay is offered in the range of $72.11 to $96.15/hr, with a contract-to-hire path and a comprehensive benefits package where eligible.

What you’ll be doing

• Act as both an individual contributor and a mentor, providing technical guidance and supporting career development for embedded software engineers.
• Partner with senior technical leadership to architect and implement embedded software that satisfies program requirements for aerospace and defense applications.
• Design, develop, and maintain embedded software primarily in Embedded C, with additional development in C++ and Python as needed.
• Ensure software compliance with applicable aerospace/defense standards, including AS9115 and DO-178C, with emphasis on system safety and reliability.
• Own assigned tasks by monitoring and reporting progress to team leaders and adjusting priorities to align with schedule and budget constraints.
• Perform thorough code reviews, enforce coding standards, and uphold software quality across the embedded codebase.
• Coordinate with systems engineering and hardware teams to support integration with the broader system architecture.
• Plan and execute laboratory testing to validate embedded software functionality, performance, and safety.
• Support safety-compliant software and system safety processes aligned with MIL-STD-882.
• Participate in requirements and compliance management, including tracing and verification using appropriate modeling and tools.

Required skills and experience

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a closely related field.
• 5+ years of experience developing embedded software for defense or aerospace systems.
• Strong proficiency with Embedded C, including experience on bare-metal platforms and RTOS.
• Hands-on experience with microcontroller-based embedded systems and low-level software development.
• Experience with embedded tooling such as compilers, debuggers, and version control systems.
• Ability to perform and participate in code reviews and enforce coding standards.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills across software, systems, and hardware teams.
• Excellent organization and problem-solving skills, including task management and progress tracking.
• Familiarity with aerospace and defense standards including AS9115 and DO-178C, plus safety processes aligned with MIL-STD-882.
• Experience developing embedded software for System-on-Chip (SoC) designs, including RFSoC or similar platforms.
• Experience with embedded software for advanced systems including RF front ends, mixed-signal, and digital solutions.
• Experience with requirements and compliance management tools such as DOORS, Visure, or similar platforms.
• Prior hands-on work with aerospace/defense embedded platforms and associated test environments.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor and provide technical oversight to embedded team members.
• Familiarity with mission-critical, high-reliability systems and associated verification and validation practices.

Tools and technologies

C, C++, Python, Embedded C, bare-metal platforms, real-time operating systems (RTOS), microcontroller-based embedded systems, compilers, debuggers, version control systems, AS9115, DO-178C, MIL-STD-882, System-on-Chip (SoC) designs, RFSoC, DOORS, Visure.

Benefits

• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan (pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available)
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Job type & location: Contract to Hire; fully onsite in Frederick, MD.

Pay and benefits note: Pay range is $72.11 - $96.15/hr. Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on job classification and length of employment.

Application deadline: Anticipated to close Sep 25, 2026.