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SpaceX · 3 months ago

GNC Engineer, ADCS (Starshield)

Hawthorne, CA

Full-time

Onsite

Mid, Senior Level

$120K/yr - $145K/yr

SpaceX is actively developing technologies to enable human life on Mars, with a focus on national security efforts through their Starshield program. The GNC Engineer will be responsible for designing and implementing satellite GNC software, ensuring mission success through vehicle autonomy and fault tolerance, and collaborating across disciplines to maintain system-level design.

Advanced MaterialsAerospaceManufacturingNational SecuritySpace Travel

Growth Opportunities

No H1B

Security Clearance Required

U.S. Citizen Only

Responsibilities

Design and implementation of satellite GNC software that can facilitate all mission concepts of operations across all phases of flight, including off-nominal/contingency scenarios

Design of concepts of operations (CONOPs) that intelligently balance thermal constraints, power budgets, momentum management, satellite-to-ground and satellite-to-satellite contact, and payload-pointing needs

Design, development, and flight software implementation of onboard GNC algorithms to achieve a high level of vehicle autonomy and fault tolerance while providing adequate navigation and control performance

Update and maintain GNC software configurations for a variety of minor satellite design revisions and mission sets

High fidelity time domain 6DOF modeling and simulation of satellite dynamics, sensors, actuators, algorithms, and all of their interactions

Monte Carlo simulation analysis to validate safe and reliable flight and quantify navigation and control performance

Heavy involvement in integrated hardware-in-the-loop (HITL) testing efforts, including but not limited to test case design, data review automation, and modeling fidelity improvements

Navigation filtering and control systems design and optimization

Spacecraft design activities related to ADCS sensor and actuator hardware sizing and layout

Develop, validate, and improve upon complex sensor, actuator, and dynamics models for use in 6DOF simulation analysis

Maintain a robust and tight interface with other disciplines and subsystems (e.g. thermal, power, communications) to ensure a good and consistent system-level design

Qualification

Spacecraft dynamicsNavigation filteringControl systems designSoftware developmentC++PythonMATLAB/SimulinkMonte Carlo simulationGitLinuxContinuous improvementProblem-solvingTeam collaborationCommunication skills

Required

Bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering, computer science/software engineering, or an engineering discipline

Software development experience in C++, Python, and/or MATLAB/Simulink

Able to work extended hours and weekends as needed to support critical path development and/or critical on-orbit operations

An active clearance may provide the opportunity for you to work on sensitive SpaceX missions; if so, you will be subject to pre-employment drug and random drug and alcohol test

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

Preferred

Master's or PhD in aerospace engineering, computer science/software engineering, or an engineering discipline

Basic familiarity with the GNC discipline and associated technical fundamentals

Extremely strong technical fundamentals in the areas of spacecraft attitude and orbit dynamics, navigation filtering and/or control systems design

Capable of identifying and solving complex problems with a high degree of autonomy

Willingness to take on a large scope of ownership over complex problems and solve them in a multi-disciplinary fashion, striving for system and mission-level optimality

Ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic engineering environment, with a steadfast commitment to continuous improvement

Demonstrated experience owning, designing, testing, and flying real-world GNC engineering solutions, preferably on space vehicles

Experience with on-orbit space vehicle operations, commanding, debugging, and use of flight telemetry to track performance metrics and validate simulation models

Familiarity with orbit navigation filtering using GNSS measurements and attitude navigation using star trackers/rate gyros

Strong understanding of unit testing, regression testing, and CI/CD within a complex software development environment

Familiarity with GNC algorithm unit testing and implementation in flight software

Experience with Git, Linux, Confluence, and Jira

Active Top Secret, Top Secret SCI, or DOE Level Q clearance, or the ability to obtain and maintain one