GNC Engineer, Attitude Determination and Optical Navigation (Starlink) Verified today

GNC Engineer, Attitude Determination and Optical Navigation (Starlink)

SpaceX is seeking engineers to maintain and upgrade the attitude determination system on Starlink satellites, contribute to sensor development, and improve object tracking within the Stargaze space surveillance system. This role directly supports the reliability and performance of the world's largest satellite constellation, delivering high-speed broadband internet to underserved regions and enabling applications in education, healthcare, and disaster response.

What you will do

• Maintain, upgrade, and operate the attitude determination systems onboard Starlink satellites.
• Maintain, upgrade, and operate the object detection pipeline supporting the Stargaze space surveillance system.
• Analyze sensor performance and support the design of future navigation and situational awareness sensors.

Basic qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, aerospace, physics or an engineering discipline.
• Software development experience in C++ and Python.

Preferred skills and experience

• Advanced degree in an engineering discipline, mathematics, or physics, with focus on attitude determination, rotational dynamics, or image processing.
• Real-world experience with star trackers, gyroscopes, magnetometers, sun sensors, and accelerometers, including ground testing, qualification, and on-orbit operations.
• Proficiency in image processing for astrometric applications including background subtraction, spot finding, centroiding, frame stacking, and star pattern identification.
• Expertise in sequential estimation techniques including Kalman filtering, residual editing, filter tuning, covariance analysis, consider parameters, adaptive processes, and covariance realism applied to spacecraft attitude determination.
• Strong background in astrometric and photometric measurement handling including measurement processing, modeling, debiasing, calibration, and light-curve reduction.
• Experience with sensor fusion in real operational environments including failure detection and recovery, fault tolerance, measurement weighting, and alert handling.
• Experience with optical sensors for vision-based navigation and space surveillance, including tracking resident space objects and inferring rotational motion.
• Experience with hardware acceleration for real-time image processing using GPUs and FPGAs.
• Proven ability to develop, test, and deploy algorithms for real-world space applications with proficiency in version control systems like Git.
• Ability to solve complex problems independently in a fast-paced, innovative environment.
• Passion for space safety, satellite operations, and advancing the commercial space industry.
• Excellent communication skills for collaborating across multidisciplinary teams.

Additional requirements

• Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed.
• Applicant must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. lawful permanent resident, Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State to conform to U.S. Government export regulations.

Compensation

• Level 1: $125,000 to $165,000
• Level 2: $145,000 to $200,000
• Actual level and base salary determined on a case-by-case basis based on job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience.
• Long-term incentives in the form of company stock or long-term cash awards, discretionary bonuses, and Employee Stock Purchase Plan eligibility.
• Comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage; 401(k) retirement plan; short and long-term disability insurance; life insurance; paid parental leave.
• 3 weeks paid vacation and 10 or more paid holidays per year.
• Paid sick time accrual in Washington State in compliance with state and federal law.
• Company shuttles for roundtrip travel from select Seattle locations to Redmond office, Monday to Friday.