4 ms·

Tangential - any advice for software devs looking for entry level experience in the industry? It's a topic I'm passionate about and would love to branch into, b

Tangential - any advice for software devs looking for entry level experience in the industry? It's a topic I'm passionate about and would love to branch into, but I started in computer science and don't have any aerospace experience.

AWildC182 8y ago
In short, learn C, FPGA development or both, and get used to low level computing. Pay attention in your computer architecture class!
- adonnjohn 8y ago
  Thank you for the advice! Been out of school for about a year now, but that class was my favorite by far.
Jtsummers 8y ago
Look into companies like Boeing and Airbus, then branch out into their suppliers and subcontractors. CS is all you need to get started in safety critical software (entry level positions). You’ll learn more on the job, and learn what other disciplines you should study. Working with a supplier may prove more fruitful. Depending on the size of their components, you can be more active throughout the year. Working direct for Boeing and their peers can leave you with months of downtime sometimes (especially if you end up in the maintenance end of a system’s lifecycle and not the initial development period).
- adonnjohn 8y ago
  I appreciate the bit about looking into other firms in the supply chain, as I hadn't thought of that whatsoever. I'll start looking into how I fit entry level reqs for safety critical software roles. Thank you for the advice!
  - Jtsummers 8y ago
    I got my start in the supply chain end (safety critical systems, mostly for airliners some DoD aircraft). I moved to other related areas (though not always safety critical). I had a number of friends who went to the big companies like Boeing and Airbus and they found it either very good or very bad, not much in the middle. They either had interesting (for them) work, or were stuck in a kind of nursery waiting for things to do for months at a time, and prevented from doing anything else meaningful by various corporate policies. That is my only real hesitation with those types of companies as places for a first job in the field.
walterbell 8y ago
Systemantics by John Gall is worth a look, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Systemantics https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Systemantics
- adonnjohn 8y ago
  Will definitely add this to my study list. Thank you for sharing!

AWildC182 8y ago

In short, learn C, FPGA development or both, and get used to low level computing. Pay attention in your computer architecture class!

adonnjohn 8y ago
Thank you for the advice! Been out of school for about a year now, but that class was my favorite by far.

Jtsummers 8y ago

Look into companies like Boeing and Airbus, then branch out into their suppliers and subcontractors. CS is all you need to get started in safety critical software (entry level positions). You’ll learn more on the job, and learn what other disciplines you should study. Working with a supplier may prove more fruitful. Depending on the size of their components, you can be more active throughout the year. Working direct for Boeing and their peers can leave you with months of downtime sometimes (especially if you end up in the maintenance end of a system’s lifecycle and not the initial development period).

adonnjohn 8y ago
I appreciate the bit about looking into other firms in the supply chain, as I hadn't thought of that whatsoever. I'll start looking into how I fit entry level reqs for safety critical software roles. Thank you for the advice!
- Jtsummers 8y ago
  I got my start in the supply chain end (safety critical systems, mostly for airliners some DoD aircraft). I moved to other related areas (though not always safety critical). I had a number of friends who went to the big companies like Boeing and Airbus and they found it either very good or very bad, not much in the middle. They either had interesting (for them) work, or were stuck in a kind of nursery waiting for things to do for months at a time, and prevented from doing anything else meaningful by various corporate policies. That is my only real hesitation with those types of companies as places for a first job in the field.

walterbell 8y ago

Systemantics by John Gall is worth a look, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Systemantics https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Systemantics

adonnjohn 8y ago
Will definitely add this to my study list. Thank you for sharing!