Job description
ATMOS Works is seeking an Embedded Software Engineer – Payload Integration (m/f/d) to develop the onboard software that connects our customers' payloads to the Phoenix capsule, from microcontroller firmware and embedded Linux to the communication interfaces between payloads and our avionics. As our system and the payloads we fly keep evolving, you will help shape the architecture and adapt it to new requirements. Working closely with customers, hardware engineers, and the AIT team, you will take payloads from the first interface definition through testing all the way to flight.
Key responsibilities
- You will design, implement, and test embedded software for onboard computers and payload interface units, bare-metal or RTOS-based, for example on STM32 microcontrollers.
- You will develop embedded Linux software on compute modules such as the Raspberry Pi CM4.
- You will integrate customer payloads into the Phoenix avionics over interfaces such as CAN, RS232, RS422, RS485, USB, and Ethernet.
- You will define and maintain Interface Control Documents together with payload customers, and translate their requirements into software.
- You will build simulation and test environments, including software-in-the-loop and hardware-in-the-loop setups, automate tests, and support payload integration and debugging at the hardware and software boundary.
- You will contribute to the evolution of the avionics and payload software architecture with a focus on robustness and fault tolerance, and document the software in line with project and quality requirements.
Profile required
- Degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, Aerospace Engineering, or a comparable field, or equivalent practical experience.
- 3+ years of professional experience in embedded software development.
- Excellent C skills and good knowledge of C++.
- Hands-on experience with microcontrollers such as ARM Cortex-M and STM32 and their peripherals, and with real-time operating systems such as FreeRTOS or Zephyr.
- Solid understanding of common serial and bus interfaces such as CAN, UART, RS232, RS422, RS485, SPI, I2C, and Ethernet.
- Experience with software-in-the-loop or hardware-in-the-loop testing, and confident use of lab equipment such as oscilloscopes and logic analyzers.
- An independent, hands-on working style and the ability to work with changing requirements.
- Very good written and spoken English; German is a plus.
*Please note that we can only consider applicants for this position who are nationals of an EU member state.*
Preferred qualifications
- Experience with embedded Linux, for example Yocto, Buildroot, device trees, and drivers.
- Experience with ROS or ROS 2.
- Background in space or another safety-critical industry such as automotive, aviation, or medical, and familiarity with the related standards.
- Knowledge of space protocols and concepts such as CCSDS, SpaceWire, or FDIR.
- Python skills for test automation and tooling.
ATMOS Works is a dedicated business unit of ATMOS Space Cargo, based in Kraków, with a business unit in Lichtenau, established to serve European government and defence customers. ATMOS Works develops and operates dual-use orbital capabilities, including the secure, sovereign return of sensitive hardware and data, in-orbit demonstration and validation (IOD/IOV), and advanced space systems.
Company description
ATMOS was founded as a European company built on the values of freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law, and human rights. We are committed to protect these values by making our technology available to others who share the same values, strengthening infrastructure and innovation for prosperity on Earth.
Our team is multinational and diverse, with offices in Lichtenau and Strasbourg. We work in a collegial, hands-on culture where people support each other, take ownership, and keep learning every day. Motivation for the mission comes first — building spacecraft is not a nine-to-five pursuit. We align the mission, the team, and the individual in mutual dependence. This principle shapes our work environment where exceptional people, as committed as they are competent, can grow and contribute to a mission that matters.
On 10/16/2026