Senior GNC Engineer

We are seeking a Senior Guidance, Navigation, and Controls (GNC) Engineer to take a key role in the design, development, simulation, and testing of our satellites’ attitude determination and control system. The role centers on developing, tuning, and validating mission-critical estimation and control algorithms, and on building and maintaining high-fidelity GNC simulation models and tools - running simulation campaigns and analyzing their results to verify system performance. The role requires strong fluency in simulation tools, relevant software languages, and modern development practices. This position is based in our Saratoga, CA office.

What you will do:

• Design, implement, tune, and test satellite attitude estimation and control algorithms.

• Develop, maintain, and expand high-fidelity 6-DOF GNC simulationtools, including dynamics, environment, sensor, and actuator models.

• Define and run model/software-in-the-loop and Monte Carlo simulation campaignsand build the data processing and analysis toolsto assess GNC performance from simulation and flight telemetry.

• Participate in GNC software integrationinto the real-time flight software stack, and support hardware-in-the-loop testing.

• Apply rigorous software development and configuration managementpractices, leveraging modern tooling including AI-assisted development workflows.

• Collaboratewith cross-functional teams to provide GNC domain expertise and support operations.

• Contribute to engineering reviews and produce clear, detailed technical documentationand test reports.

What you bring to this role:

• BS + 6 years / MS + 4 years / PhD + 2 yearsin Aerospace, Electrical Engineering, or equivalent, with professional work experience in GNC or another relevant field.

• Proven experience owning the design and deployment of advanced control algorithmsin safety-critical applications such as aerospace or ground vehicles, including classical, optimal, and robust control.

• Experience working with estimation algorithms- comfortable tuning, updating, and validating Kalman filters and related sensor fusion - for attitude determination or similar applications.

• Experience developing and tuning GNC modelsof actuators, sensors, kinematics/dynamics, and environment.

• Experience with model-based validation of end-to-end control systems, from stability analysis and model/software-in-the-loop simulations to Monte Carlo campaigns and hardware-in-the-loop testing.

• Hands-on experience withC/C++, Python, Git, and Linux, and Matlab/Simulink, with strong practical skills in building, debugging, and testing complex software and algorithms.

• Strong initiative, with excellent teamwork, communication, and documentation skills; comfortable in a fast-paced startup environment.

Bonus points:

• Hands-on familiarity with attitude sensor and actuator hardware(IMUs, magnetometers, GNSS receivers, star cameras, reaction wheels, magnetorquers, etc.): hardware characteristics, testing, and calibration.

• Experience with space industrypractices: design, qualification, acceptance, integration, and operations.

• Experience using AI/LLM toolsto accelerate development, analysis, and documentation, with sound judgment about their limits.

Additional Requirements

This is a fast-paced, high-impact environment - flexibility to occasionally work extended hours or weekends during critical periods is expected.