Flight Software Validation Engineer

Posted 11 days 8 hours ago by Darwin Recruitment

Permanent
Full Time
Engineering Jobs
Oxfordshire, Oxford, United Kingdom, OX1 1
Job Description
Overview

Validation & Verification Engineer - Oxfordshire, UK Hybrid (2 days onsite) • Industry: Space Systems, Embedded Software, Test Engineering

A UK-based space company is hiring a Validation & Verification Engineer to join their Flight Software team. You'll be working on critical real-time embedded systems that control satellites in orbit, helping make sure the software behaves exactly as intended before it flies.

This role is focused on testing and verifying low-level flight software. If you enjoy writing test scripts, building test environments, and digging into system behaviour at a detailed level, this one's for you.

What You'll Do
  • Design and run test cases for embedded flight software
  • Review and validate technical specs, ICDs, and requirements
  • Write automated test scripts using Python
  • Help set up simulation environments to support software testing
  • Work closely with system and subsystem teams to understand software needs
  • Support mission-level simulations and validation campaigns
  • Be part of a team ensuring reliability for hardware that's heading into space
What You'll Need
  • Solid experience writing and automating software tests
  • Strong Python skills (especially for testing workflows and scripting)
  • Familiarity with real-time embedded systems (C/C++)
  • Understanding of the software lifecycle in critical environments
  • Hands-on with Git and managing software in a test or CI/CD context
  • Background in aerospace, space, or similar high-reliability domains
  • Experience with test setups for hardware or hybrid systems
Nice to Have
  • Experience with real-time OS like VxWorks or RTEMS
  • Knowledge of protocols like CCSDS, CAN, or SpaceWire
  • Familiarity with ECSS standards, especially ECSS-E-ST-40C
  • Exposure to CI/CD pipelines and versioned test environments
  • Any background with NASA cFS or SPARC/PowerPC architectures
  • Experience building test environments or test interfaces
  • Linux admin or scripting skills (Bash, Make, etc.)
Why This Role?
  • You'll test software that controls real spacecraft
  • Your work will directly impact flight safety and mission success
  • You'll be part of a close-knit team where quality really matters
  • It's a technical, hands-on job, not just compliance or checklists
  • The company is building real flight hardware, and you'll help make it fly

If you enjoy turning complex requirements into reliable, well-tested software that ends up in orbit, this is a great opportunity to put those skills to use. Get in touch.