About the role#
The Flight Software team manages the software running on the Spark-1 flight computer and peripheral boards. This includes everything from command and telemetry handling to GNC execution, fault management, and the reentry sequence. You will own technical tasks and work with engineers across GNC, avionics, and mission operations to design, test, and operate our spacecraft.
What you'll do#
- Write flight software for Spark-1 in Rust and firmware for peripheral boards in C++.
- Implement logic for GNC, power, thermal, and fault management based on analysis and simulation models.
- Develop command and telemetry handling, packet definitions, sensor and actuator drivers, and ground decoding tools.
- Build and maintain test infrastructure, including unit tests, software-in-the-loop and hardware-in-the-loop regression, and flatsat automation.
- Support the integration and testing of flight software with avionics hardware and mission operations tools.
What you'll need#
- Current enrollment in a BS, MS, or PhD program in computer science, computer engineering, electrical engineering, or a related field.
- Experience in embedded software, systems programming, real-time systems, or hardware interfacing through coursework, research, or projects.
- Familiarity with Rust, C, C++, Python, Linux development, and git.
- Ability to write software that communicates over interfaces like SPI, I2C, UART, CAN, or Ethernet and test it against real hardware.
- Preferred experience includes at least one year on a technical project team like a CubeSat, Rocket Team, or Formula SAE group.
- Bonus points for experience with flight software for spacecraft or robotics, embedded Rust, embedded Linux, RTOS environments, SoC platforms like Zynq UltraScale+, or frameworks such as F Prime or cFS.
- Strong communication and technical documentation skills.
Location & details#
- This is an on-site internship based in San Francisco, California.
- We are hiring for the Winter 2027 and Summer 2027 terms. Please indicate which term you are applying for in your application.
- This is a paid, full-time position.
- Due to U.S. export control requirements, candidates must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. We do not provide visa sponsorship.
About Dispatch | YC P26
Dispatch builds satellites designed to manufacture products in space and return them to Earth. The company operates within the space research and technology sector. Founded in 2026, it maintains its headquarters in San Francisco, California. The organization currently employs three people.
How to get in at Dispatch | YC P26
Applying to Dispatch early is a distinct advantage because the team is small and reviews applications as they arrive. Intern Insider sends an instant alert the moment a role matching your target is published, so you can apply before the pile grows and your resume gets lost in the shuffle. Reaching out to the right person often beats submitting an application into a general queue. Intern Insider surfaces the recruiters behind the company roles so you can reach out directly to ask about the position or a referral, which materially improves your response rates.
