Principal GNC Engineer Verified today
About the Role
As a Principal GNC Engineer you will directly shape the in-orbit performance of a novel space vehicle. Your work will span vehicle-level dynamics and control, orbit propagation, flight software and HITL testing on avionics. You will bring full-stack GNC development capability to the team.
Responsibilities
- Design, develop and test closed-loop guidance, navigation and control for both attitude and orbit
- Come up with creative solutions to the unique problems that come with precisely putting a spot of reflected sunlight on the ground from space
- Plan trajectories and attitude motion profiles that satisfy spot serving constraints
- Develop and own the 6-DOF simulation of vehicle attitude and orbital dynamics, and use it to characterize performance through Monte Carlo analysis
- Write GNC algorithms in flight software (C++/Rust) and validate them using avionics in the loop
- Drive sensor and actuator selection with avionics engineers to ensure reliable attitude determination and control in flight
- Analyze and plan orbits and constellation design to maximize overall spot serving capability
Ideal Qualifications
- 10+ years of professional GNC engineering experience, ideally on spacecraft or other dynamically controlled vehicles
- Clear technical ownership of a GNC subsystem that has flown, covering simulation, algorithms and flight software
- Strong background in modeling physical systems from first principles, including flexible body dynamics, sensors, actuators and the space environment
- Expertise in state estimation design for attitude and orbit determination, validated in flight
- Ability to verify and validate GNC flight software in an integrated environment using HITL testing
- Experience in guidance, maneuver and constellation design, including orbit selection, coverage and station-keeping
- Experience in real-time spacecraft operations support, from commissioning through console operations to on-orbit anomaly resolution
- Fluency in Python, C++ and/or Rust
Even if you don't meet 100% of these qualifications, we encourage you to apply. We prioritize hiring exceptional individuals and are open to carving out unique roles for unconventional people we are excited to work with.
Benefits
- Broad choice of medical, dental and vision coverage; Reflect covers 100% of each base policy
- Access to HSA, FSA and 401K
- Unlimited paid time off
- Healthy lunches provided daily