Software Engineer

Job Title: Software EngineerJob Description

The Software Engineer develops functional, well-architected software that directly drives hardware for advanced optical communication and tracking systems. This role focuses on building and improving control software and system architecture for hardware such as moving mirrors, ensuring high performance, reliability, and maintainability in complex, noisy environments. The position is foundational and long-term, supporting a major space-focused project well beyond its anticipated launch timeline.

Responsibilities

• Design and set up the software and system architecture that governs how hardware and control systems operate, with an initial focus on significantly improving the speed and performance of mirror movement over the first three to six months.
• Develop, implement, and refine software controls that interface with hardware components, including evaluation cards that connect computer programs to physical devices such as moving mirrors used for tracking.
• Work closely with the PAT Engineer and other team members to create robust control loops and tracking algorithms that perform reliably in noisy, real-world environments.
• Write clean, well-structured, and thoroughly documented code with extensive comments to ensure clarity and maintainability for both software engineers and non-technical team members, including optics engineers.
• Drive and uphold standards for documentation, code quality, and coding rigor within small development groups, helping to define and enforce best practices for maintainable and reusable code.
• Collaborate with existing engineers and interns to organize, refactor, and advance the codebase, ensuring that the software architecture supports long-term scalability and future enhancements.
• Develop functional embedded software and firmware that interacts with real-time operating systems and hardware components, ensuring reliable performance for tracking and control applications.
• Contribute to system design and software architecture decisions, particularly around control systems and tracking systems used in industrial, aerospace, defense, and autonomous applications.
• Ensure that code and system designs support long-term reusability and understandability, so future team members can extend and maintain the software even after the original developer is no longer involved.
• Participate in problem-solving and optimization efforts to accelerate overall system performance and support the transition from lab testing to deployed components for a planned space launch.

Essential Skills

• Proven experience writing functional code that directly drives hardware in real-world applications, such as embedded systems, evaluation cards, or hardware control interfaces.
• Hands-on experience with tracking systems from industrial, aerospace, defense, or military applications, specifically systems that actively track object coordinates in noisy environments.
• Experience with autonomous systems, such as self-driving cars, drones with collision avoidance, or advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), with a focus on control and sensing integration.
• Deep controls experience, including a strong understanding of control systems and control loops, and the ability to design and implement robust control algorithms.
• Proficiency in programming languages such as C, C++, Python, and MATLAB, with the ability to write generic, maintainable code suitable for long-term use.
• Experience with embedded software and firmware development, including working with embedded C and C/C++ in environments that may involve real-time operating systems and IoT-style hardware.
• Demonstrated ability to set up software architecture and system design for hardware-interfacing applications, including evaluation cards that bridge computer programs and physical devices.
• Strong focus on code quality, including writing well-documented, controlled code with extensive comments to ensure clarity for technical and non-technical team members.
• Ability to work effectively in small, collaborative development teams, contributing to coding standards, documentation practices, and shared understanding of the codebase.
• Professionalism and strong cultural fit, with the ability to communicate clearly, collaborate across disciplines, and consistently deliver practical, effective solutions.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience in software engineering and software development for hardware-centric or embedded applications.
• Background in defense, aerospace, industrial automation, or related domains involving complex tracking and control systems.
• Familiarity with real-time operating systems and IoT environments, including designing software that interacts with sensors, actuators, and networked devices.
• Experience with system design architecture and software architecture for complex, multi-component systems.
• Exposure to drones, autonomous vehicles, or ADAS technologies, particularly in the context of collision avoidance and object tracking.
• Ability to explain technical concepts and code behavior to non-software specialists, such as optics engineers or hardware-focused team members.
• Demonstrated commitment to code reusability, maintainability, and long-term support of software projects.
• Interest in working on long-term, high-impact projects that involve advanced optical communication and tracking systems and space-related applications.
• Comfort working in environments that balance remote and local collaboration, with a focus on results and effective communication.

Work Environment

The work environment is collaborative, interdisciplinary, and results-oriented, bringing together software engineers, hardware engineers, and specialists such as PAT engineers and interns to solve complex real-world problems. The Software Engineer works closely with these team members to develop functional code that drives hardware, accelerate system performance, and support the transition from lab testing to deployed components for a planned space-focused launch. The culture emphasizes professionalism, clear communication, and a strong cultural fit, with an expectation that team members can explain technical concepts to non-software specialists and ensure that code is understandable and maintainable by the broader team. Code quality and maintainability are central values, with a strong emphasis on thorough documentation and extensive comments so that software remains usable and extensible even after the original developer has moved on. The environment is dynamic and fast-paced, reflecting an active development phase with significant milestones ahead, while also offering long-term stability and opportunities for continued contribution and growth beyond the initial launch.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Reno, NV.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $86.53 - $105.76/hr.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: • 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)

Workplace Type

This is a fully remote position.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Aug 4, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

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