Company Description

HawkEye 360 is delivering a revolutionary source of global knowledge based on radio frequency (RF) geospatial intelligence to those working to make the world a safer place. The company operates the first-of-its-kind commercial satellite constellation to detect, characterize, and geolocate a broad range of RF signals. This unique RF data and analytics equip our global customers with high-impact insights needed to make decisions with confidence. HawkEye 360 is headquartered in Herndon, Virginia.

Build the world’s first RF-Derived Geospatial Analytics Firm

The mission of the Processing Team at Hawkeye 360 (HE360) is to build cross-domain systems to perform RF-based data collection and geolocation. The Processing team includes experts across FPGA development, embedded software, software defined radio, and cloud development; plus deep knowledge of signal-of-interest (SOI) digital signal processing, RF communications systems, RF measurement systems, and geolocation. HE360 is currently seeking an Embedded Software Engineer who can help the Processing team deploy their world-class algorithms for embedded ARM-based platforms.

A great Embedded Software Engineer does not need to be an expert in signal processing or geolocation – you just cannot be afraid of the topic! We work in small teams to rapidly prototype and productize new ideas based on hands-on, in-the-weeds engineering. You'll be responsible for designing and implementing embedded software for HE360’s satellite payloads; primarily system on chip (SoC) platforms, specifically Zynq-7000 and Zynq Ultrascale+. This requires a broad and deep range of software and embedded expertise spanning embedded Linux (OpenEmbedded/Yocto), Linux kernel drivers, userspace C++, python, and some FPGA familiarity. We expect the embedded software engineer will take ownership of the payload system configuration and onboard processing software architecture to continuously improve the spacecraft capacity and functionality.

We’ll Expect You To…

• Provide experienced leadership for the design and implementation of embedded software systems and spacecraft onboard processing
• Support and improve existing software and build/deploy/upgrade processes for embedded targets
• Contribute to the design and implementation of tightly integrated FPGA & Software algorithms
• Validate software using hardware-in-the-loop tests for reliable, production-level deployments
• Guide and mentor other individual contributors

You’ll Need to Have…

• B.S. degree in relevant field or equivalent experience
• 5+ years of experience with embedded software development using C, C++, or python
• A track record of building and delivering software applications in both team & solo settings; a passion for writing clean code, scalable architectures, and test-driven development
• Experience writing and optimizing software drivers (both kernel and userspace) to interact with custom FPGA peripherals or other heterogeneous coprocessors
• A strong understanding of embedded Linux concepts related to SoC development, for example: using and manipulating device trees, compiling and debugging kernel modules, etc
• Experience building mission-critical applications and CI/CD processes
• Solid written and oral communication
• A passion for completing a job well – Attention to detail
• A good attitude and team oriented spirit

We’d Like to See…

• Experience using OpenEmbedded (or comparable Linux build system such as Buildroot) to provide BSP and/or application software for a SoC target using custom meta-layers
• Experience writing and debugging AXI-based FPGA peripherals using HDL languages (Verilog, VHDL) or other tools (HLS, System Generator, HDL Coder, etc)
• Familiarity with Ettus USRP radio hardware or other Software Defined Radio (SDR) devices
• Familiarity with communications and/or software defined radio and software packages such as GNURadio

Cultural Fit…

• Ability to work in a small and fast-paced environment.
• A good attitude and team-oriented spirit.
• A curious outlook – willingness to learn new things and solutions to fit the problem.
• A passion for completing a job well - Attention to detail.
• Ability to work well with all levels of company disciplines (i.e. Legal, HR, etc.).
• Sense of humor and ability to proactively problem solve.