---
title: 'Senior Flight Software Engineer - Embedded Linux at Starpath Robotics'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-flight-software-engineer-embedded-linux-starpath-robotics-hawthorne-6s0rba5b8hd2'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-08'
---

# Senior Flight Software Engineer - Embedded Linux at Starpath Robotics

- **Company:** Starpath Robotics
- **Location:** Hawthorne, CA
- **Compensation:** $155k–$200k
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Posted:** 2026-07-29
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-08
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/starpath.space/2adfba48-777a-4fcf-91d4-1da38d9edfa4

## Job description

## ABOUT STARPATH

Starpath is building the technology to enable human expansion into the Solar System. We are developing a complete end-to-end system for in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) on the Moon and Mars. We plan to launch autonomous rovers to the Moon that will gather icy regolith from permanently-shadowed regions of craters near the Lunar South Pole and deliver that regolith to an automated plant that can process it into liquid oxygen, which will be used to refuel landers for their return flights to Earth.

If high ownership, fast pace, and doing hands-on work that will enable our rovers to explore and mine the Moon sounds like a dream come true, come join the team!

## SENIOR FLIGHT SOFTWARE ENGINEER - EMBEDDED LINUX

We’re building a rover to explore the Lunar South Pole, and we’re looking for an embedded Linux expert to own the systems software for our NVIDIA Orin-based Autonomy Computer. This position requires deep experience working with the Linux kernel, device tree, boot chain, device drivers, and board support packages for ARM platforms. Previous experience with space flight software is strongly preferred, but not an absolute requirement.

As the owner of the Linux platform software for the Autonomy Computer, you will work closely with experts in robotics, autonomy, teleoperation, and network communications as well as the embedded software engineers developing the microcontroller-based Control Computer. The platform software will provide the foundation for the autonomy and teleoperation software that directs the low-level control system. This platform must support rapid development of autonomy capabilities with our rover prototypes, but also be sufficiently reliable and fault-tolerant to be launched as flight software on our rover’s mission to the Moon.

Starpath is a fast-paced, low-bureaucracy work environment, and the people who thrive here are those who enjoy working hard, facing difficult challenges, and making rapid progress toward an ambitious vision of the future. Our goal is to launch our rovers to the Moon within the next 1-2 years, demonstrate industrial-scale ISRU for refueling landers, and pave the way for a permanent human lunar base.

## RESPONSIBILITIES

- Own the rover’s Linux platform layer – kernel, drivers, BSP, and boot chain – and be expert on the Autonomy Computer’s systems software
- Own and extend the current BSP, including device tree and pin muxing
- Own the interface software for CAN, RS-485, USB, CSI, and Ethernet devices, including sensors, cameras, and. motor controllers
- Own the over-the-air software update system
- Design robust systems for fault detection, identification, and recovery
- Work closely with the software engineers developing the autonomy and control software and the electrical engineers designing the avionics hardware

## REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

- Deep hands-on experience with the Linux kernel and boot chain
- Experience authoring and debugging device trees and pin muxing for embedded ARM platforms
- Experience with serial, CAN, and Ethernet device drivers
- 5+ years experience with embedded Linux at the kernel/driver/BSP level
- 5+ years experience programming in C
- Evidence of exceptional engineering ability
- Degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related field OR demonstrated excellence at coding via significant professional experience
- A desire to make humans a multi-planet species

## PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

- Experience developing space flight software (strong preference)
- Experience developing software to control real robots, autonomous vehicles, or remotely-controlled vehicles
- Experience with NVIDIA Jetson platform
- Experience with ZFS
- Experience developing software that is tolerant to radiation effects (SEEs)
- Track record of delivering highly reliable software on a tight schedule

## POSITION DETAILS

- Location: Los Angeles - Hawthorne
- Salary base rate is $155-200k/yr plus equity package; compensation scales with candidate experience
- PTO & health/dental/vision coverage included

## ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

- Willingness to work extended hours as needed

## EAR REQUIREMENTS:

- To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

## About Starpath Robotics

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Starpath Robotics designs and manufactures robotic propellant production factories for the Moon and Mars, aiming to reduce the cost of deep-space transport and enable a self-sustaining human city on Mars.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Seed stage)
- **Headquarters**: Hawthorne, California, United States
- **Founded**: 2022
- **Founders**: Saurav Shroff (CEO & Co-Founder), Mihir Gondhalekar (Co-Founder)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry/industries**: Space Research and Technology, Air Transportation, Space Travel, Robotics
- **Target customers**: B2B – space agencies (NASA), commercial space companies (e.g., Starship operators), satellite operators, and future Mars/Moon infrastructure developers.
- **Mission or purpose statement**: “Building a self-sustaining city on Mars” by producing propellant and infrastructure in space.

## Products & Services
- **Rover (R10)**: Autonomous lunar ice prospecting rover that excavates and delivers hundreds of kilograms of icy regolith. Built for NASA testing and future lunar operations.
- **Refinery System**: Full-stack hardware system for producing and distributing propellant (oxygen, hydrogen, methane) from water ice on the Moon and Mars.
- **Starlight Solar**: Space-rated solar panels that are 90% cheaper than traditional alternatives, with lead times of weeks instead of months. Available for purchase now.
- **Starlight Air**: The world’s lightest space solar panel (announced March 2026). Engineered for high-efficiency power generation.
- **Shadow Voyager**: Exploration vehicle designed for permanently shadowed regions at the Lunar South Pole.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed
- **Key Metric**: Total Funding – $12.0M (Seed round closed August 20, 2024)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: 
  - Fusion Fund (lead investor in Seed round per LinkedIn)
  - 8VC and 10 other investors (per Crunchbase)
  - Contrary, Valhalla Ventures
  - NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (testing partnership)
  - Atomic-6 (development contract for deployable lunar boom)
- **Growth Signals**: 
  - Headcount grew 73.7% year-over-year to 28 employees (LinkedIn, 2026)
  - Successful thermal vacuum chamber testing at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (2025)
  - Launch of Starlight Air solar panels (2026)
  - Active hiring for technical roles including first Technical Recruiter

## Competitive Advantages
- **Ex-SpaceX founding team**: Deep expertise in space hardware and propulsion.
- **Full-stack approach**: Covers rover mining, propellant refinery, and solar power – a vertically integrated solution for in-situ resource utilization.
- **NASA collaboration**: Early access to NASA’s test facilities (e.g., 20-ft thermal vacuum chamber) and credibility.
- **Cost disruption**: Starlight solar panels claim 90% cost reduction vs. traditional space solar.
- **First-mover on lunar ice**: Autonomous rover designed to establish the first American claim to lunar ice resources.

## Strategic Focus
- **Lunar testbed**: Use the Moon as a proving ground for Mars propellant production technology, leveraging lunar water ice.
- **City-scale infrastructure**: Scale from propellant production to energy grids, mining capacity, and life support for a self-sustaining Mars city.
- **Revenue diversification**: Selling Starlight solar panels and rover services to generate near-term revenue while pursuing long-term Mars goals.
- **Talent scaling**: Aggressively hiring to grow the engineering team (technical roles are 48% of workforce).

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Startup environment with a bold mission (“build a city on Mars”). High ownership and fast iteration – interns are expected to do “whatever needs doing.”
- **Growth**: Company growing rapidly (+73.7% YoY headcount); opportunities for early employees to take on significant responsibility.
- **Technical depth**: Team includes alumni from SpaceX, Boston Dynamics, Anduril, Astrobotic – strong engineering culture.
- **Work location**: Hawthorne, CA (HQ) with additional office in Burlingame, CA. Onsite presence expected (manufacturing and testing require hands-on work).
- **Notable perks**: Not explicitly listed, but startup equity and the chance to work on hardware that goes to the Moon and Mars.
- **Recent hiring signals**: Actively recruiting Technical Recruiter, software engineers, and rover engineers – indicating scaling phase.

## Sources
1. [starpath.space](https://www.starpath.space/)
2. [starpath.space/about](https://starpath.space/about/)
3. [crunchbase.com](https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/starpath-robotics)
4. [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/starpathspace)

## Other roles at Starpath Robotics

- [Intern/Associate Engineer - All Roles](https://feeny.ai/job/intern-associate-engineer-all-roles-starpath-robotics-hawthorne-x72ernec0zvg) — Hawthorne, CA
- [Chemical / Materials Engineer – Space Solar](https://feeny.ai/job/chemical-materials-engineer-space-solar-starpath-robotics-hawthorne-pjhey2tmt22v) — Hawthorne, CA
- [CNC Machinist Setup & Operation – MILL](https://feeny.ai/job/cnc-machinist-setup-operation-mill-starpath-robotics-future-factory-z0f3k4xnmat8) — Future Factory
- [CNC Machinist Setup & Operation – LATHE](https://feeny.ai/job/cnc-machinist-setup-operation-lathe-starpath-robotics-future-factory-fej8ssxcxj3d) — Future Factory
- [Senior CNC Programmer & Prototype Machinist – MILL](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-cnc-programmer-prototype-machinist-mill-starpath-robotics-future-factory-0f5924ch61c5) — Future Factory
- [Senior CNC Programmer & Prototype Machinist – LATHE](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-cnc-programmer-prototype-machinist-lathe-starpath-robotics-hawthorne-thk919345d3r) — Hawthorne, CA
- [Lead Designer](https://feeny.ai/job/lead-designer-starpath-robotics-hawthorne-axk08ca5qr0j) — Hawthorne, CA
- [Senior Robotics Software Engineer – Lunar Rover Localization](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-robotics-software-engineer-lunar-rover-localization-starpath-robotics-sgmwr7nk47dk) — Hawthorne, CA
- [Electrical Engineer - Space Solar](https://feeny.ai/job/electrical-engineer-space-solar-starpath-robotics-hawthorne-t4cv2by8p1mk) — Hawthorne, CA
- [Senior Manufacturing Engineer - Space Solar](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-manufacturing-engineer-space-solar-starpath-robotics-hawthorne-sj1bj4s7wn0s) — Hawthorne, CA