GNC Engineer, Starlink Controls (Starlink) Verified today
About the Role
As a control systems engineer on the Starlink Guidance, Navigation, and Control team (GNC), you will apply expertise in dynamics and closed-loop controls to achieve robust and precise pointing on satellites, payloads, propulsion systems, and mechanisms. This role spans design trades, simulation, flight code implementation, and deployment of your features in space.
Responsibilities
- Design, analysis, and implementation of electromechanical control systems such as solar array actuators, antenna gimbals, and high-bandwidth active optics.
- Design, analysis, and implementation of satellite attitude control and momentum management systems.
- Design, analysis, and implementation of fluid and power system controls for Starlink hall thrusters.
- Optimal state estimation applied to mechanical alignment and attitude determination.
- Hardware performance specification and sizing; support for hardware iteration, firmware bringup, design qualification, automated production screening, and fleet performance monitoring.
- Development and maintenance of high-fidelity simulations using C++, Python, and MATLAB; integration into collaborative analysis tools.
- Implementation, validation, unit testing, and deployment of production software (C++) for control systems.
- Engineering and data review support for hardware development and network-level performance monitoring.
Basic Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in aerospace, physics, or an engineering discipline.
- Software development experience in C++.
- Experience with design and analysis of closed-loop control systems.
Preferred Skills and Experience
- Master's degree or PhD in physics or an engineering discipline.
- Strong expertise in linear closed-loop control analysis and design, including state-space and frequency-domain methods.
- Experience with flexible-body dynamics and reduced finite-element models in closed-loop control systems analysis.
- Expertise in state estimation, Kalman filters, and information filters.
- Strong expertise in embedded C++ for electromechanical control systems firmware.
- Strong understanding of classical rigid-body dynamics, orbital mechanics, and modeling and simulation thereof.
- Direct experience with spacecraft operations and flight software development, testing, and deployment.
- Ability to identify and solve complex problems independently.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Additional Requirements
- Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed.
Compensation and Benefits
Base salary: Level 1 $125,000 to $165,000; Level 2 $145,000 to $200,000. Salary determined based on job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience.
Benefits include long-term incentives in the form of company stock or long-term cash awards, potential discretionary bonuses, employee stock purchase plan, comprehensive medical/vision/dental coverage, 401(k) retirement plan, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, paid parental leave, 3 weeks paid vacation, 10+ paid holidays per year, and paid sick time accrual in compliance with Washington State law. Company shuttles offered for roundtrip travel from select Seattle locations to Redmond office Monday to Friday.
ITAR Requirement
To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, 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.