GNC Algorithms Engineer — Spacecraft Autonomy & Simulation

Holt Executive Ltd; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work

9-day fortnight

25–28 days annual leave

Private healthcare

Life insurance

Relocation support

Modern facilities

Team events

Cutting-edge spacecraft

Collaborative environment

Job summary

Holt Executive Ltd is seeking a technically strong GNC Algorithms Engineer to join a specialist space engineering team working on advanced spacecraft systems.

You will own the full GNC development lifecycle, from early algorithm design and modelling through high‑fidelity simulation, verification and integration, addressing autonomous navigation, relative pose estimation and rendezvous challenges, and ensuring flight‑ready performance.

Qualifications

• Degree in Aerospace Engineering or related discipline.
• At least 2 years' industrial experience in GNC algorithm development.
• Professional experience in the space industry.
• Eligible to obtain, or currently holding, UK Security Clearance to SC level.
• Independent right to work in the UK without sponsorship.

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 related 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 with Systems, Flight Dynamics, Computer Vision and other disciplines to ensure software and hardware compatibility and performance.

Skills

GNC algorithms

GNC design and development

Navigation filters

Guidance strategies

Attitude/orbit control

High-fidelity simulation

GNC sensor modelling

Orbital & attitude dynamics modelling

MATLAB/Simulink

Python

Git

Software deployment

Education

Degree in Aerospace Engineering or related field

Tools

Git

Simulink

Python

Job description

Holt Executive Ltd is seeking a technically strong GNC Algorithms Engineer to join a specialist space engineering team working on advanced spacecraft systems.

You will own the full GNC development lifecycle, from early algorithm design and modelling through high‑fidelity simulation, verification and integration, addressing autonomous navigation, relative pose estimation and rendezvous challenges, and ensuring flight‑ready performance.