GNC Engineer, Orbit Determination/Stargaze (Starlink) Verified today

GNC Engineer, Orbit Determination/Stargaze (Starlink)

Reliable knowledge of object orbits and accurate predictions are essential to preventing collisions, ensuring mission success, and protecting critical space infrastructure. SpaceX is seeking engineers with expertise in orbit determination and object tracking to enhance space surveillance efforts, leveraging optical or radar observations to maintain a precise catalog of space objects and support collision avoidance.

This role directly contributes to the safety of the Starlink constellation, which delivers high-speed internet to underserved regions and enables applications in education, healthcare, and disaster response.

Responsibilities

• Maintain, update, and operate orbit determination tools and pipelines to support collision avoidance and space safety operations
• Develop and refine image processing algorithms for object detection and data association to enhance system performance
• Operate surveillance systems and collaborate closely with collision avoidance and mission operations teams to support real-time decision-making
• Improve overall system performance by updating orbit determination, image processing, and prediction algorithms for higher accuracy and reliability

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering, physics, computer science, or other STEM discipline
• Experience in software development using Python or C++

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Advanced degree in aerospace engineering or a related field with a focus on orbit determination or space situational awareness
• Expertise in sequential estimation techniques, including Kalman filtering, residual editing, filter tuning, covariance analysis, consider parameters, adaptive processes, and covariance realism
• Strong background in orbital modeling and propagation, including high-fidelity orbit propagation, perturbations in low-Earth orbit, drag modeling, density models, and space weather parameters
• Hands-on experience with sensors, telescopes, astrometry, photometry, and image reduction for optical observations
• Proficiency in measurement and sensor handling, including measurement processing, measurement modeling, debiasing, sensor calibration, image processing, optical observations, and radar measurements
• Experience with orbit determination methods, such as angles-only orbit determination and initial orbit determination
• Proficiency in data analysis techniques, including statistical tests such as chi-squared and Kolmogorov-Smirnov, and data correlation methods
• Familiarity with space traffic management and situational awareness, including conjunction data messages (CDMs) and two-line element (TLE) sets
• 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
• Excellent communication skills for collaborating across multidisciplinary teams

Compensation

Pay Range:
Level 1: $125,000 to $165,000
Level 2: $145,000 to $200,000

Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience.

Base salary is one part of your total rewards package. You may be eligible for long-term incentives in the form of company stock or long-term cash awards, discretionary bonuses, and the ability to purchase additional stock at a discount through an Employee Stock Purchase Plan. Benefits include comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, paid parental leave, 3 weeks of paid vacation, and 10 or more paid holidays per year. Employees in Washington State accrue paid sick time in compliance with state and federal law. Company shuttles are offered for roundtrip travel from select Seattle locations to the SpaceX Redmond office Monday to Friday.

ITAR Requirements

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. lawful permanent resident (green card holder), Refugee under 8 U.S.C. Section 1157, or Asylee under 8 U.S.C. Section 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.