Senior GNC/AOCS Engineer

At Indra Space Systems UK, we provide end-to-end solutions that help connect, observe and understand the world, enabling organisations to respond more effectively and protect what matters most. As part of a global leader in advanced technology and space systems, we are committed to delivering innovative capabilities across the space sector.

At Indra Space Systems UK, our values guide everything we do, from developing industry-leading technology to supporting our customers around the world.

Innovation - Our capacity for innovation, cutting-edge solutions, and specialised team of professionals enable us to drive a safer, more connected future through technology.

Trust - We work with strength, commitment, and reliability, delivering quality solutions to build trust with customers, employees, partners, investors, and society.

Connection - We harness the power of collaboration, connect ideas and solutions, and adapt to our customers' needs, supporting them on the path to a better future.

Foresight - We anticipate future needs to make the world safer and more connected, transforming our experience and knowledge into solutions for a better tomorrow.

As a Senior GNC/AOCS Engineer within the Flight Systems Business Unit, you will be supporting growth in the fields of Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC), including Attitude and Orbit Control Systems (AOCS) and Failure Detection, Isolation and Recovery (FDIR).

The GNC/AOCS Competence Centre focuses on the design, development, specification and validation of autonomous systems, including GNC and AOCS solutions, for a wide range of aerospace and aeronautical platforms including but not limited to launch vehicle systems, satellite formation flying, rendezvous, in-orbit servicing (IOS) and active debris removal (ADR) and system and mission design.

What you will do:

• Supporting with specification, design, implementation and validation of AOCS and FDIR algorithms, to be applied to Earth-observation, interplanetary and ADR/IOS satellites, launchers, and re-entry vehicles.
• Model-based design implementation of GNC/AOCS algorithms
• Simulator design, implementation and testing
• Simulation of dynamic systems
• Mathematical modelling
• Specification and validation of GNC/AOCS solutions
• Analysis and trade-off of hardware solutions
• Interface with the overall system team
• Technical and team management

Requirements

Essential

• A recognised degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Aerospace, Electrical, Electronic) or a related discipline such as Physics or Mathematics
• Minimum of five years' experience applying relevant engineering principles within the domains associated with the role (relevant MSc or PhD qualifications will also be considered)
• Strong expertise in the control and simulation of dynamic systems
• Practical experience developing aeronautical or aerospace GNC/AOCS and FDIR solutions, with experience on ESA or other European programmes considered advantageous
• Ability to rapidly understand new concepts and apply them to complex engineering challenges
• Strong programming capability
• Experience using MATLAB and Simulink

Desirable

Postgraduate qualifications (MSc or PhD) or teaching experience in aeronautical or aerospace engineering, providing a strong foundation in at least two of the following areas:

o Orbital mechanics and atmospheric flight dynamics

o FDIR (Failure Detection, Isolation and Recovery) design, implementation and validation

o Classical and robust control techniques, including fixed-structure H∞ synthesis, μ-analysis and LPV control

o Flight operations

o Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE)

• Experience supporting flight operations within ESA or other European aerospace programmes
• Experience in atmospheric flight applications
• Strong theoretical understanding of GNC/AOCS principles and methodologies
• Knowledge of multivariable robust control techniques
• Programming experience in Python and C

Benefits

• Pension
• Hybrid working - typically 3 days in the office
• 40 hours/week - Monday - Friday
• 36 days holiday (including bank holidays)