Take Flight with Your Code: Lead Embedded Software Innovation in Aerospace

Engineer, Embedded Software | Algorithm Software Engineer Lead

PDS Tech Commercial | Partnering with a Leader in the Aviation & Aerospace Industry

Location: Azusa, CA 91702

Job Type: Full-Time, Contract | 3 Months

Schedule: Monday-Friday | 9/80 Schedule

Pay Rate: $75.00 - $85.00 per hour

Work Location: On-site

Contract-to-Hire Opportunity: This position is intended to be contract-to-hire; however, conversion to a direct-hire position is not guaranteed.

Build the Software Behind Mission-Critical Flight Systems

PDS Tech Commercial is seeking an accomplished Embedded Software Engineer to join our aerospace partner’s Flight Software organization in Azusa, California.

In this high-impact role, you’ll serve as an Algorithm Software Engineer Lead, transforming complex algorithms and mission requirements into robust embedded flight software. You’ll work at the intersection of software, hardware, algorithms, and real-time processing, helping develop solutions for advanced systems where performance, precision, and reliability matter.

If you thrive on solving complex technical challenges and want to help turn cutting-edge concepts into flight-ready software, this is an opportunity to put your expertise to work.

What You’ll Do

As an Embedded Software Engineer, your day-to-day responsibilities will include:

• Lead the development and implementation of algorithms within embedded and flight software environments.
• Translate MARs into functional flight software code.
• Apply strong mathematical and analytical skills to algorithm development and implementation.
• Develop, execute, test, and integrate software for embedded and flight systems.
• Work with operating systems, kernels, and other low-level software concepts.
• Develop solutions within the constraints of real-time operating systems and flight software environments.
• Integrate software into third-party platforms and existing system architectures.
• Support flight hardware and hardware-software integration activities.
• Map complex algorithms to fixed hardware configurations while balancing system resources and performance requirements.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary engineering teams to solve complex system and integration challenges.
• Participate in an Agile development environment, supporting iterative development and program objectives.
• Help drive reliable, high-performance software solutions from algorithm development through implementation.

Required Qualifications

We're looking for an experienced engineer with the technical depth to lead complex flight software development.

Candidates must have one of the following combinations of education and experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline with 12 years of relevant experience, or
• Master’s degree in a STEM discipline with 10 years of relevant experience, or
• PhD in a STEM discipline with 8 years of relevant experience.

You should also bring:

• Ability to translate MARs into flight software code.
• Strong mathematical proficiency for algorithm development and implementation.
• Proficiency in embedded and/or flight software development and execution.
• Strong background in embedded systems development.
• Understanding of operating systems, kernels, and low-level software concepts.
• Experience working within flight environments, including real-time operating systems and flight software constraints.
• Experience integrating software with third-party platforms.
• Experience working with flight hardware and hardware-software integration.
• Hands-on experience implementing algorithms within embedded or flight software.
• Familiarity with Agile project management and development practices.

Preferred Qualifications

Standout candidates may also bring experience in one or more of the following areas:

• Optimizing intra-SoC distributed processing across integrated FPGA, CPU, and GPU components.
• Expertise with NVIDIA Orin Jetson platforms for high-performance, real-time processing.
• Experience with PolarFire FPGAs and their integration into embedded systems.
• Designing and implementing high-bandwidth, approximately 20 Gbps or greater, real-time processing solutions.
• Minimizing processing latency across heterogeneous compute architectures.
• Mapping and fitting complex algorithms to fixed hardware configurations.
• Hardware-software co-design for embedded and compute-intensive systems.

Why Join Us?

At PDS Tech Commercial, we connect talented technical professionals with opportunities to work on programs that push engineering and technology forward.

This opportunity gives you the chance to:

• Earn a highly competitive rate of $75.00 - $85.00 per hour.
• Work on advanced, mission-critical flight software and embedded systems.
• Take on a technical leadership role where your expertise can directly influence software implementation and system performance.
• Work with sophisticated technologies spanning CPUs, GPUs, FPGAs, real-time processing, and embedded computing.
• Collaborate with talented engineers tackling challenging aerospace problems.
• Work a 9/80 schedule, providing a structured alternative to the traditional workweek.
• Gain valuable experience supporting a recognized leader in the aerospace industry.
• Pursue a role that is intended to convert to a full-time Flight Software Lead position, while recognizing that conversion is not guaranteed.

This is more than another software development assignment. It’s an opportunity to bring together code, algorithms, hardware, and aerospace engineering to build systems designed to perform when it matters most.

Ready to Engineer What’s Next?

If you’re an experienced embedded software engineer who enjoys solving problems at the intersection of algorithms, hardware, and flight software, we want to hear from you.

**Apply today with PDS Tech Commercial and bring your technical leadership to the future of aerospace and flight software.

This position requires use of information or access to facilities subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and/or Export Administration Regulations (EAR). These regulations may limit access of controlled technologies: 1) to U.S. Persons, including U.S. Citizens, lawful permanent residents, and other narrow categories including refugees and asylees, or 2) to certain foreign nationals that have received an export license. **

Pay Details: $75.00 - $85.00 per hour

Benefit offerings available for our associates include medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, additional voluntary benefits, EAP program, commuter benefits and a 401K plan. Our benefit offerings provide employees the flexibility to choose the type of coverage that meets their individual needs. In addition, our associates may be eligible for paid leave including Paid Sick Leave or any other paid leave required by Federal, State, or local law, as well as Holiday pay where applicable.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled

Military connected talent encouraged to apply

To read our Candidate Privacy Information Statement, which explains how we will use your information, please navigate to https://www.pdstech.com/candidate-privacy

The Company will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in accordance with federal, state, and local laws and/or security clearance requirements, including, as applicable:

• The California Fair Chance Act
• Los Angeles City Fair Chance Ordinance
• Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers
• San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance

Massachusetts Candidates Only: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Ref: US_EN_33_022581_2607600

You should be proficient in:

• Bachelor's Degree
• 12 years of experience
• Flight Software