---
title: 'Lead Flight Software Engineer at NewOrbit Space'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/lead-flight-software-engineer-neworbit-space-reading-jmfg9e7vae5t'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-11'
---

# Lead Flight Software Engineer at NewOrbit Space

- **Company:** NewOrbit Space
- **Location:** Reading, United Kingdom
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** hybrid
- **Posted:** 2026-01-07
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-11
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/neworbit/1129e632-9da9-4d8f-b1d7-9030e6b9700d

## Job description

At NewOrbit Space, our mission is to engineer the lowest orbiting satellites on Earth to rapidly advance global connectivity and insight. We are currently building satellites that can operate at an altitude of just 200 km - one-third that of conventional satellites.

## Role

- You’ll lead the team that owns the software that makes the spacecraft behave: real-time control flows, autonomy, mode management, FDIR, and the core flight applications that coordinate every subsystem.
- You’ll design and implement robust flight-software services on RTOS or Embedded Linux - turning mission requirements into deterministic, testable software - then take it from simulation all the way to launch and on-orbit operations.
- You’ll ensure our VLEO satellites stay safe and productive with strong fault tolerance, clean observability, and rapid iteration through over-the-air updates.

## Key Responsibilities

- Lead the flight software engineering team – recruit, coach, and direct the work of a team of software engineers to deliver the flight software elements of a novel spacecraft to operate in VLEO.
- Own the on-board flight-software stack – design, implement and test real-time C/C++ on RTOS or Embedded Linux
- Integrate subsystems end-to-end – define ICDs and build drivers/middleware over I2C/SPI/UART/CAN(-FD)/SpaceWire (as applicable).
- Build spacecraft behaviors & autonomy – implement mode management, sequencing, and autonomous FDIR for safe and productive operations.
- Deliver reliable real-time performance – manage concurrency, timing, CPU/memory budgets, and observability under tight constraints.
- Build verification infrastructure – prototypes, SIL/HIL test harnesses, simulations, and telemetry analysis tooling to validate designs early.
- Ship code from review to orbit – push through CI/CD, support integration and launch ops, and deliver secure over-the-air updates.
- Work across disciplines – collaborate with avionics, AOCS, comms and mission teams to trade compute, power, thermal, storage and link budgets.

## Key Requirements

- 5+ years’ experience in development of flight software for spacecraft, including experience in leading engineers with flight software deliverables.
- Proven experience in building production embedded or real-time systems in C/C++ and/or Rust on RTOS or Embedded Linux for space systems.
- Strong grasp of real-time software: scheduling, interrupts, concurrency primitives, determinism, and designing for constrained CPU/memory.
- Proven ability to build reliable, testable systems: unit/integration testing, simulation-first development, HIL validation, and disciplined debugging.
- Hands-on experience integrating with hardware via common interfaces (I2C, SPI, UART, CAN(-FD), GPIO, etc.) and practical lab debugging.
- Solid software engineering fundamentals: architecture, code review, static analysis, CI/CD, configuration management, and observability/logging.
- Ability to own systems end-to-end: from requirements and design through implementation, verification, operations support, and iterative improvement.

Nice-to-haves

- Experience with spacecraft flight software frameworks, (e.g., cFS, F´, or building lightweight component-based equivalents).
- Familiarity with autonomy and fault management patterns for radiation/SEUs, watchdog strategies, redundancy, and safe-mode design.
- GNC/AOCS-adjacent experience: sensor/actuator pipelines, control-loop integration, estimation/filters, timing analysis.
- Digital-twin / simulator / SIL-HIL experience for end-to-end behavior validation and regression testing.
- On-orbit operations know-how: commissioning flows, anomaly response, telemetry triage, and OTA update strategies.

Why NewOrbit Space?

- Pioneering Space Technology – You'll contribute to launching groundbreaking technology into space. Your work on our revolutionary ion propulsion system and ULEO satellite platform will redefine satellite operations and disrupt traditional LEO operations.
- Unmatched Ownership and Impact – You'll experience a level of ownership that's rare in the space industry. You will participate in the full lifecycle of satellite technology.
- Equity and Competitive Salary – You'll receive not just a competitive salary but also company ownership stakes. Your dedication and hard work are rewarded with a share in the technology you help build, ensuring you're a part of our collective success.
- Comprehensive Benefits Package – Including private health insurance with dental and optical coverage, annual healthcare check-ups etc.
- Hybrid Work - A hybrid setup with one dedicated remote day per week.
- Visa Sponsorship & Relocation Support - We provide a relocation package and sponsor your visa if you’re joining us from abroad.

## About NewOrbit Space

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: NewOrbit designs and builds the world's lowest orbiting satellites for very-low Earth orbit (VLEO), enabling enhanced Earth observation, direct‑to‑device connectivity, and advanced weather forecasting.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series A)
- **Headquarters**: Reading, England, United Kingdom
- **Founded**: 2021
- **Founders**: Anatolii Papulov (CEO) and Ruslan Rakhimov (CTO)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Space technology / Satellite manufacturing
- **Target customers**: Commercial and government organisations needing high‑resolution imagery, atmospheric data, and global connectivity (B2B, Enterprise)
- **Mission or purpose**: Engineering Earth’s lowest orbiting satellite to advance global connectivity and insight, while keeping space clean for future generations.

## Products & Services
- **[NEO-1]**: A very‑low Earth orbit satellite capable of sustained operation at ~200‑300 km altitude. It delivers drone‑quality imagery (20× cheaper than conventional satellites), direct‑to‑device 5G‑equivalent internet, and precise atmospheric data for weather forecasting. The satellite uses a proprietary air‑breathing electric propulsion system, tailored attitude control, and advanced materials to overcome drag and atomic oxygen. It operates in a naturally self‑cleaning orbit (deorbits within a month after decommission).

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed
- **Key Metric**: Total Funding raised – **$18.77 M** (Series A of $18.5 M closed June 2026)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**:
  - Lead: Voyager Ventures
  - Participants: Atlantic VC, Lifeline Ventures, Illusian, Custos Family Office, David Kirk (former Nvidia chief scientist), Lawrence Leuschner (co‑founder of TIER Mobility)
  - Advisory board includes Jean‑Jacques Dordain (former ESA Director General) and Sir Chris Deverell (former UK Joint Forces commander)
  - Partners: European Space Agency, UK Space Agency, SPRIND
- **Growth Signals**:
  - Headcount of ~25 employees (as of mid‑2026), with yearly growth of +45 % and monthly growth of +7.4 %
  - Plans to open the NEO Production Complex in 2027, scaling from 10 satellites/year to several per week
  - First commercial flight targeted for 2028
  - 5 active job postings, with a strong pipeline of engineering hires

## Competitive Advantages
- **Altitude advantage**: Operates at one‑third the altitude of conventional satellites, enabling 20× cheaper imagery, higher‑resolution data, and 5G‑equivalent direct‑to‑device bandwidth.
- **Proprietary technology**: Built‑from‑scratch subsystems (attitude control, propulsion, electronics, thermal, embedded software) that handle the extreme conditions of VLEO (aerodynamic drag, atomic oxygen, torque).
- **Self‑cleaning orbit**: Satellites deorbit naturally within a month, mitigating space debris – a key regulatory and sustainability differentiator.
- **Sovereign industrial asset**: Positioned as Europe’s largest dedicated VLEO production facility, supported by UK and European space agencies.

## Strategic Focus
- **Current priorities**: First mission in 2028, ramp‑up of satellite production, and establishment of a scalable manufacturing facility. The company is building a product platform for any customer to “fly at VLEO” with integrated payloads.
- **Direction for growth**: Expand from Earth observation into global telecom (direct‑to‑device) and weather services, while securing defence and national‑security missions.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: A “make it happen” ethos with high ownership; engineers design, build, and test hardware in weeks rather than years. Cross‑disciplinary collaboration driven by a shared mission to solve one of space’s toughest engineering problems.
- **Facilities**: State‑of‑the‑art testing facility for multi‑propellant ion propulsion systems, and purpose‑built labs for satellite subsystem development.
- **Work style**: Based in Reading, UK – likely on‑site due to hardware‑intensive work. The team is small (~25), flat‑structured, and encourages rapid iteration.
- **Notable perks**: Chance to work alongside world‑class engineers and advisors (former ESA Director, UK military leaders), lead a function from day one, and directly impact the opening of a new orbital regime.

## Sources
1. [neworbit.space](https://neworbit.space/) – Company homepage and product details
2. [neworbit.space/about](https://neworbit.space/about) – About page, founders, advisory board, partners
3. [neworbit.space/careers](https://neworbit.space/careers) – Careers page, culture details
4. [cbinsights.com](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/neworbit-space) – Funding, headcount, headquarters
5. [linkedin.com](https://uk.linkedin.com/company/neworbit-space) – Employee growth, open positions, talent sources
6. [spacenews.com](https://spacenews.com/uk-startup-neworbit-raises-18-5-million-in-series-a-round/) – Series A announcement, first mission details (cited via cbinsights)

## Other roles at NewOrbit Space

- [VP Sales](https://feeny.ai/job/vp-sales-neworbit-space-reading-4edd0tzx9878) — Reading, United Kingdom
- [Commercial Lead](https://feeny.ai/job/commercial-lead-neworbit-space-reading-m8h1174kagff) — Reading, United Kingdom
- [Satellite Mechanical Design Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/satellite-mechanical-design-engineer-neworbit-space-reading-b87twktm156f) — Reading, United Kingdom
- [Contract Mechanical Design Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/contract-mechanical-design-engineer-neworbit-space-reading-s3pd70b3dmcq) — Reading, United Kingdom
- [AIT & Mechanical Technician](https://feeny.ai/job/ait-mechanical-technician-neworbit-space-reading-hv25phf79n6h) — Reading, United Kingdom
- [AIT & Electronics Technician](https://feeny.ai/job/ait-electronics-technician-neworbit-space-reading-df8j5mkw2n7z) — Reading, United Kingdom
- [Spacecraft Structural Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/spacecraft-structural-engineer-neworbit-space-reading-eqthy390xbdg) — Reading, United Kingdom
- [AOCS Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/aocs-engineer-neworbit-space-reading-enngfz05ch0c) — Reading, United Kingdom
- [Lead Flight Software Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/lead-flight-software-engineer-space-kinetic-el-segundo-3qrbkwxkyyxx) — El Segundo, CA