Onboard Software Engineer - Deployment & Runtime Environments

About this role

Wanna join the adventure? Loft’s Onboard Software group provides the on-orbit software that powers our satellite fleet — from the Linux services running on the hub processor, to the containerized workloads executing customer applications in low Earth orbit. The Deployment & Runtime Environments team is where software meets the satellite. We own how software gets packaged, deployed, and executed onboard: from the tool that assembles and maintains mission-specific software stacks, to the Runtime Container Environment that lets partner and customer workloads run securely in orbit, to the Linux infrastructure that makes it all reliable. As more satellite programs come online and as we open our container runtime to a growing number of external workloads, the team’s scope is expanding fast. We’re looking for someone scrappy — the kind of engineer who digs into an unfamiliar system, maps it out, and gets it shipped without needing the path handed to them. You’ll move between Linux internals, container runtimes, and CI pipelines, sometimes in the same afternoon.

Contribute to and evolve our bundle management tool — the tool that resolves package dependencies, assembles mission-specific software stacks, and enables the Solutions team to spin up and maintain an ever-growing number of satellite programs

Develop and harden our onboard Linux infrastructure: how services are deployed on the rootfs, what system manages their execution, and how we ensure reliable and recoverable Linux operation in orbit

Evolve our Runtime Container Environment — the container manager and the full stack around it (base images, container registry service) — enabling partner and customer workloads to run securely onboard our vehicles

Support scaling of the deployment pipeline as new hardware platforms are added and the number of active satellite programs grows

Contribute to Product Validation — as the last step in the development pipeline, the team plays a key role in validating software readiness before it goes to orbit

Design, implement, and refine software with a high degree of ownership, driving features from concept through delivery

Participate in code reviews, design proposals, and the continuous improvement of development processes Strong understanding of containerization technologies (Docker, Kubernetes, or similar runtimes)

Deep Linux system knowledge: boot process, service management, filesystem layout, and failure recovery

Experience with CI/CD pipelines (GitLab-CI, Jenkins, or similar)

Proficiency with Git and collaborative development workflows

Experience with embedded or resource-constrained systems

Working Python Understanding of software deployment strategies for critical or hard-to-reach systems — OTA updates for cars, drones, or consumer hardware, or software updates on satellites — including concepts like golden images, A/B partitions, staged rollouts, and safe rollback

C++ knowledge

Experience with CUE (cuelang)

Familiarity with additional programming languages such as Go or Rust

Experience with embedded Linux: Yocto, device trees, systemd, and Linux on ARM platforms

Proficiency with unit test frameworks (e.g., pytest, Googletest, Unity)

Experience with middleware frameworks (gRPC, ZMQ/NATS, etc.) 100% company-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance option for employees and dependents

Flexible Spending (FSA) and Health Savings (HSA) Accounts offered with an employer contribution to the HSA

100% employer paid Life, AD&D, Short-Term, and Long-Term Disability insurance

Flexible Time Off policy for vacation and sick leave, and 12 paid holidays

401(k) plan and equity options

Daily catered lunches and snacks in office

International exposure to our team in France

Fully paid parental leave; 14 weeks for birthing parent and 10 weeks for non-birthing parent

Carrot Fertility provides comprehensive, inclusive fertility healthcare and family-forming benefits with financial support

Off-sites and many social events and celebrations

Relocation assistance when applicable