GNC Algorithms Engineer

Holt Executive; Oxford; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working arrangements

Optional 9-day fortnight

25 days annual leave

Private healthcare

Life insurance

Relocation support

Job summary

Holt Executive is seeking a technically strong GNC Algorithms Engineer to join a specialist space engineering team working on advanced spacecraft systems in Oxford. You will handle the full GNC lifecycle from design and modelling to verification, integration and operational support, tackling autonomous navigation, pose estimation, guidance, control and rendezvous operations.

You will own challenging problems, craft innovative solutions and collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to deliver

Qualifications

• Degree in Aerospace Engineering or related discipline.
• At least 2 years' industrial GNC algorithm experience.
• Experience in the space industry is essential.
• Hands-on work with navigation filters, attitude/orbit control, and high‑fidelity simulations.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, implement and test GNC algorithms for spacecraft missions.
• Develop and maintain high-fidelity GNC simulation environments.
• Model spacecraft hardware and orbital/attitude dynamics in simulators.
• Contribute to GNC flight software design, development, and testing.
• Support rendezvous and proximity operations trade-offs and GNC performance.
• Integrate GNC software onto spacecraft platforms and verify system compatibility.
• Contribute to system-level engineering activities including FMECA/FDIR and test plans.
• Collaborate with Systems, Flight Dynamics, and Computer Vision teams.

Skills

GNC algorithm design

Navigation filters

Python programming

Git version control

Spacecraft dynamics

Education

Degree in Aerospace Engineering

Tools

MATLAB/Simulink

Python

Git

C/C++

Job description

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a technically strong GNC Algorithms Engineer to join a specialist space engineering team working on advanced spacecraft systems.

You will be involved across the full GNC development lifecycle, from early-stage algorithm design and modelling through simulation, verification, integration and operational support. The role offers the opportunity to work on complex spacecraft GNC challenges, including autonomous navigation, relative pose estimation, guidance, control and rendezvous and proximity operations.

You’ll take ownership of challenging technical problems, develop innovative solutions and work closely with multidisciplinary engineering teams to turn advanced GNC concepts into robust, flight-ready systems.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, implement and test GNC algorithms for spacecraft missions.
• Develop, validate and maintain high-fidelity GNC simulation environments for algorithm development and performance assessment.
• Model spacecraft hardware, orbital dynamics and attitude dynamics within simulation environments.
• Contribute to the design, development and testing of GNC flight software.
• Support hardware trade-off analysis, particularly relating to rendezvous and proximity operations and their impact on GNC performance.
• Support the integration of GNC software onto spacecraft platforms.
• Contribute to system-level engineering activities, including FMECA and FDIR definition and analysis.
• Support GNC verification and validation activities, including verification strategies, test plans, procedures and execution.
• Work collaboratively with Systems, Flight Dynamics, Computer Vision and other engineering disciplines to ensure software and hardware compatibility and performance.

Essential Experience & Skills

• Degree in Aerospace Engineering or another relevant engineering/science discipline.
• At least 2 years' industrial experience in GNC algorithm development and deployment.
• Professional experience within the space industry.
• Practical experience in several of the following areas:
  • GNC algorithm design and development, including navigation filters, guidance strategies and spacecraft attitude/orbit control.
  • High-fidelity simulation and modelling of spacecraft GNC systems.
  • GNC sensor and actuator modelling.
  • Orbital and attitude dynamics modelling.
  • MATLAB/Simulink and Python.
  • Git and collaborative software development.
  • Development, testing and deployment of GNC algorithms into software or flight-software environments.
• Eligible to obtain, or currently holding, UK Security Clearance to SC level.
• Independent right to work in the UK without sponsorship.

Desirable Experience

• Strong understanding of spacecraft relative dynamics.
• Experience with GNC hardware testing.
• Experience with automatic code generation/autocoding for GNC algorithms or flight software.
• C/C++ software development experience.
• Automated testing, continuous integration and software quality assurance.Knowledge of robotics dynamics, kinematics and control.

What’s on Offer

• Hybrid and flexible working arrangements.
• Optional 9-day fortnight working pattern.
• 25 days' annual leave, increasing with service up to 28 days, plus bank holidays.
• Private healthcare.
• Life insurance and long-term sick pay.
• Relocation support may be available.
• Modern engineering, office and cleanroom facilities.
• Regular team and social events.
• The opportunity to work alongside highly skilled engineers on cutting-edge spacecraft technology.
• A collaborative, supportive and technically challenging working environment.

This is an excellent opportunity for a GNC engineer looking to develop their career within the space sector and contribute to the development of advanced spacecraft systems.

TT