Entry Level- Front End Software Engineer (Onsite, Aberdeen MD)

Fairwinds Technologies is continuously looking for curious, hands-on early-career engineers who want to build software that connects directly to real hardware and operational systems. In this role, you may support either our xG or Mixed Signal product development team, or technical-services contracts aligned with those product areas.

You will work alongside experienced software, RF, FPGA, DSP, systems, and test engineers to develop, integrate, automate, and troubleshoot embedded solutions. Assignments may span internal product development and customer-funded research, integration, test, demonstration, and field-support activities. This structure gives an entry-level engineer exposure to the full engineering lifecycle while contributing to products and capabilities that move from the lab toward operational use., * Develop, integrate, debug, and maintain embedded software on Linux-based platforms, including Ubuntu and other embedded Linux distributions.

• Write and test software in C and C++, with opportunities to use Python for automation, test tooling, data handling, and engineering utilities.
• Bring up processors, development kits, carrier boards, microcontrollers, peripherals, and connected subsystems in close coordination with hardware engineers.
• Support device control, monitoring, configuration, logging, health/status reporting, and web-based or API-driven management interfaces.
• Integrate software with radios, modems, network interfaces, RF subsystems, FPGA-based signal-processing hardware, sensors, and edge devices.
• Create automated test scripts, repeatable lab procedures, troubleshooting tools, and clear engineering documentation.
• Participate in code reviews, configuration management, defect tracking, and continuous integration practices as the team expands its software development discipline.
• Support laboratory and field testing, customer demonstrations, technical-service deliverables, and root-cause troubleshooting.
• Collaborate across the xG and Mixed Signal teams and grow into increasing technical ownership as your skills develop., Depending on assignment, you may contribute in one or more of the following areas:
• Embedded Linux platform integration, board bring-up, system services, networking, and management software.
• xG wireless systems, including 5G, non-terrestrial networking, software-defined radio, tactical gateways, radio integration, and automated test infrastructure.
• Mixed Signal products, including Global Link and EchoPhase-related capabilities, control and monitoring software, channel emulation, coherent combining, and FPGA/DSP hardware interfaces.
• Ruggedized mission modules and edge systems that combine compute, network, radio, and RF functions.
• Government-funded R&D and technical-services contracts involving integration, test, performance characterization, documentation, and field support., * First 90 days: learn the assigned platform, development workflow, lab environment, and product or contract objectives; complete scoped tasks with mentoring.
• First 6 months: independently develop and test small software features or automation tools; contribute useful documentation and troubleshooting results.
• First year: own a defined embedded software component, integration activity, or test capability and become a dependable contributor across software and hardware boundaries., * Work on products and customer-funded R&D activities within the same technical domain, creating a direct connection between experimentation, productization, and operational support.
• Gain broad exposure to embedded computing, networking, wireless systems, RF hardware, FPGA/DSP interfaces, laboratory integration, and field testing.
• Learn from experienced multidisciplinary engineers while receiving meaningful, hands-on work early in your career.
• Join a growing technology organization building repeatable product-development practices and expanding its xG and Mixed Signal portfolios.

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a closely related field, completed or expected before start date.
• Academic, internship, personal-project, laboratory, or work experience programming in C or C++.
• Basic familiarity with Linux through coursework, projects, labs, internships, or personal use.
• Foundational understanding of computer architecture, digital interfaces, networking, operating systems, or embedded systems.
• Ability to use structured problem solving, learn unfamiliar hardware and software, and document work clearly.
• Ability to collaborate in a multidisciplinary engineering environment and communicate respectfully with technical and non-technical teammates.
• Ability to satisfy customer, site-access, export-control, and security requirements associated with assigned work., * Hands-on experience with a single-board computer, microcontroller, FPGA-connected processor, development kit, or custom electronics project.
• Exposure to Python, Bash, Git, build systems, debuggers, serial consoles, oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, or network-analysis tools.
• Familiarity with device drivers, boot processes, Linux services, containers, web services, REST APIs, or embedded user interfaces.
• Coursework or project experience in wireless communications, RF systems, digital signal processing, software-defined radio, 5G/LTE, or computer networks.
• Experience with automated testing, CI/CD, hardware-in-the-loop testing, or writing test procedures and technical reports.

At Fairwinds, we consider many factors when it comes to compensation, including the scope of the position as well as your background and experience. Base pay may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, location and experience. Additional incentives may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to a range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits.