GNC Engineer (Starfall)
$125,000–$150,000 year
On-siteHawthorne, California, United States
Job Summary
Develop highly reliable GNC algorithms, simulations, and dashboards using C++ or Python for Starfall entry capsules, writing production code rather than prototypes. Perform bulk data analysis on flight and simulation performance, conduct trajectory design and optimization for atmospheric entry, and execute precision navigation and state estimation for reentry and recovery. Manage attitude determination and control across orbital, deorbit, and flight phases while coordinating fleet-level logistics delivery and recovery operations. Validate simulation models against atmospheric, aerodynamic, and thermal environments, and integrate GNC systems with vehicle avionics for military logistics and in-space manufacturing missions. Requires extended hours and weekends as needed.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, aerospace, physics or an engineering discipline
- 1+ years of software development experience in either C++ or Python
- Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed
- Must be a U.S. citizen, national, lawful permanent resident, refugee, or asylee (or eligible for required authorizations)
- Must be able to identify and solve complex problems with little to no supervision or direction
Desired Qualifications
- Master's degree or PhD in an engineering discipline or physics
- Developed, debugged and deployed software that has been used in real world applications/projects
- Creative approach to problem solving, exceptional analytical skills and engineering fundamentals
- Experience with atmospheric entry guidance, navigation, and control for capsules or reentry vehicles
- Strong understanding of orbital mechanics, deorbit planning, and entry trajectory optimization
- Experience in verifying GNC algorithm performance via simulation, and validation of the simulation's models (including atmospheric, aerodynamic, and thermal environments)
- Experience with state estimation, particularly for reentry vehicles (IMU, GNSS, radar/optical, or other sensors)
- Familiarity with hypersonic flight regimes, aeroheating considerations, and precision landing/recovery techniques
- General familiarity with the disciplines necessary for spacecraft and entry vehicle flight including structures, propulsion, avionics, GNC, flight software, dynamics, launch and mission operations, and integration
- Practical experience in real world development of these systems
- Passion for advancing the commercial space industry and enabling new applications such as military logistics and in-space manufacturing
- Ability to work in a fast-paced, autonomously driven, and demanding start-up atmosphere
- Excellent communication skills both written and verbal
Hiring someone like this?
Get your role in front of qualified candidates on Sorce.