Senior Control Software Engineer (Space Laser Communications)

Summary

Transcelestial’s vision is to improve the connectivity experience for the next billion people. We believe that connectivity is a human right and Transcelestial is on a mission to solve the problem of internet distribution and provide affordable, high-speed internet to everyone.

Transcelestial’s next-generation wireless laser communication technology is one of the most effective solutions in the distribution of high-quality, high-speed internet connectivity, making it well-poised to solve civilization’s long-term communication needs - and ultimately improve connectivity for 1 billion users globally.

Highly reliable and secure, its light-weight, shoe-box sized CENTAURI device leverages its proprietary laser technology to create a wireless distribution network and can be quickly, easily and cost-effectively installed on any standard telecom pole or tower at a faster time-to-market than standard fiber-optic cable.

Over the longer-term, Transcelestial aims to develop a constellation of small satellites positioned in Low Earth Orbit, allowing their laser network to not only beam across cities but upwards to connect continents across the world too.

Our Values

• Lean & Simple. Our products are simple to use, we focus on what matters, we solve issues one by one and we spend smart.
• Approachable. Whoever you are, wherever you come from, don’t be shy! The best ideas can come from anywhere in the organisation.
• Supportive. We are a bunch of smart individuals delivering at their best working in teams. If you face an issue, you can be sure someone will jump in and help you.
• End user obsessed. Customers and end users are at the core of everything we do.
• Relentless innovators. Our technology is at the forefront of innovation. We are curious, we question everything, we love research and are passionate about the next big thing.

About the Role

The Senior Control Software Engineer (Space Laser Communications) is responsible for design and performance improvements of control systems at Transcelestial, specifically for our space laser communication devices. This position is part of the Space Team, led by Dr. Jan Smisek (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-smisek/). This position will also interact with the rest of the hardware, manufacturing and software design teams to assist with the overall development of the optical systems and new optical alignment technologies.

As a Senior Control Software Engineer, you will:

• Develop and maintain embedded software for laser-based communication devices, focusing on control design for high-performance, fault-tolerant systems.
• Define and implement technical requirements for key software components, such as control systems, signal processing, modulation/demodulation algorithms, fault detection.
• Collaborate with hardware and systems engineering teams to ensure seamless software-hardware integration and optimization for performance in space environments.
• Design software that adheres to industry standards and best practices, ensuring robustness in space applications.
• Develop, test, and validate software using both simulations and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) environments. Contribute to system-level test plans, including hardware-software integration and comprehensive validation in various mission scenarios.

What you will bring:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Software Engineering, or equivalent practical experience.
• 5+ years of experience in C++ software development, specifically for embedded systems in challenging environments.
• Proven ability to work independently while also thriving in a collaborative, cross-functional, and potentially international team.
• Strong problem-solving skills, with a history of diagnosing and addressing complex technical challenges.

It is a bonus if you:

• Experience working on laser-based communication, especially in aerospace applications.
• Experience with ADCS (Attitude Determination and Control Systems) for spacecraft.
• Hands-on experience with satellite missions, preferably through the full lifecycle of a spacecraft or its components.
• Proficiency with orbital simulation software (e.g., STK, Matlab Aerospace toolbox).
• Familiarity with control systems design, including development, testing, and validation in simulations (e.g., Mathworks Simulink) and on real hardware.
• Direct experience in developing embedded software for satellite communication payloads, with a solid grasp of space industry standards.
• Expertise with Robot Operating System (ROS/ROS2), and experience in integrating ROS modules into aerospace systems.
• Demonstrated experience with hardware-in-the-loop testing and system-level test planning.
• Signal processing and control algorithm development for spacecraft applications, including modulation/demodulation, fault tolerance, and encryption.
• Experience with FPGA development and integration for high-performance systems.

What’s in it for you:

• Be part of a high-performing team working on groundbreaking technology
• Earn a competitive salary and stock options package
• Company-provided Macbook Laptop
• Generous Annual Leave
• Comprehensive, top-tier medical benefits
• Daily lunch allowance (in-office)
• Free coffee and snacks
• A monthly “Nerd” fund for professional development

More About Transcelestial

Transcelestial has won numerous industry and global awards including the SPIFFY San Andreas Award for Most Disruptive Technology by Telecom Council, Forbes 30 Under 30 and Prestige 40 under 40 for our CTO Dr. Mohammad Danesh, Edge 35 Under 35 to our CEO Rohit Jha, The Most Ambitious Start-Up in Photonics Award by The Optical Society (OSA), etc.

Founded in Dec 2016, the Transcelestial team is located in Singapore and is backed by major investors such as Wavemaker Partners, EDBI, Airbus Ventures, Kickstart Ventures, Cap Vista, SEEDS Capital (Enterprise SG), Entrepreneur First, Partech Ventures, 500 Startups, AirTree Ventures, Tekton Ventures, SGInnovate, SparkLabs Global Ventures, Michael Seibel (CEO of Y-Combinator, Founder of Twitch.tv), Charles Songhurst (Microsoft’s former Head of Corporate Strategy) and others.