GN&C Engineer

Moonshot Aerospace; Madison, Northern (AL, KY); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Moonshot Aerospace seeks a Guidance, Navigation & Control Engineer to support spacecraft and lander programs for government and commercial customers, including HLS and CLPS. The role requires deep expertise in at least one GN&C subdiscipline and the ability to develop high‑fidelity modeling and simulation environments.

Responsibilities include algorithm development, 6DOF simulation, flight software integration, and mission performance analysis.

Qualifications

• U.S. Citizenship and ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance.
• BS in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical, Electrical, Physics, or related field.
• 5+ years of GN&C experience with spacecraft or launch vehicle systems.
• Demonstrated depth in at least one GN&C subdiscipline: navigation/state estimation or guidance/trajectory design or control design.
• Experience developing and executing high-fidelity spacecraft simulations (3DOF/6DOF).
• Strong programming skills in C/C++, Python, and MATLAB/Simulink.
• Experience with configuration management tools (Git or equivalent).
• Effective written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and analyze GN&C algorithms for spacecraft/lander applications.
• Build, maintain, and execute 6DOF simulations and analysis tools.
• Implement and validate state estimation filters (EKF) or control laws.
• Develop sensor and actuator models for simulation environments.
• Perform Monte Carlo analyses and trade studies for performance characterization.
• Support flight software integration, testing, and verification.
• Prepare technical documentation, customer deliverables, and participate in program reviews.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams and customer organizations.

Skills

C/C++

Python

MATLAB/Simulink

6DOF simulations

Git

Communication skills

GN&C subspecialty depth

Security clearance eligibility

Education

Bachelor's degree in Aerospace/Mechanical/Electrical Engineering or Physics

Master's or Ph.D. in related field (preferred)

Tools

NASA Trick

HWIL testing frameworks

TRN / multi-sensor fusion tools

Job description

Moonshot Aerospace is seeking a Guidance, Navigation & Control Engineer to support spacecraft and planetary lander programs for commercial and government customers. Programs include the Human Landing System (HLS), Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS), and other civil and commercial space efforts.

This position requires depth in at least one GN&C subdiscipline—navigation, guidance, or controls—combined with the ability to develop and maintain high-fidelity modeling and simulation environments for spacecraft and lander design. The engineer will contribute to algorithm development, 6DOF simulation, flight software integration, and mission performance analysis. Multiple experience levels are available, and responsibilities will scale with demonstrated capability.

Responsibilities

• Develop and analyze guidance, navigation, and/or control algorithms for spacecraft and lander applications

• Build, maintain, and execute 6DOF simulations and associated analysis tools for mission performance verification

• Implement and validate state estimation filters (EKF) or control laws depending on subdiscipline focus

• Develop sensor and actuator models for simulation environments (IMU, star tracker, LiDAR, reaction control systems)

• Perform Monte Carlo analysis and trade studies to characterize system performance under dispersed conditions

• Support flight software integration, testing, and verification

• Contribute to technical documentation, customer deliverables, and program reviews

• Collaborate with multidisciplinary engineering teams and customer organizations

Required Qualifications

• U.S. Citizenship and ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance

• B.S. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or related field

• 5+ years of professional GN&C experience with spacecraft or launch vehicle systems

• Demonstrated depth in at least one GN&C subdiscipline: navigation and state estimation, guidance and trajectory design, or control system design and analysis

• Experience developing and executing high-fidelity spacecraft simulations (3DOF or 6DOF)

• Strong programming skills in C/C++, Python, and MATLAB/Simulink

• Experience with configuration management tools (Git or equivalent)

• Effective written and verbal communication skills

Preferred Qualifications

• M.S. or Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or related field

• Lunar or planetary mission experience

• Experience with Kalman filter design and tuning for spacecraft applications

• Terrain Relative Navigation (TRN), optical navigation, or multi-sensor fusion experience

• Rendezvous and proximity operations experience

• Hardware-in-the-loop (HWIL) testing and integration

• Flight software development or real-time systems exposure

• Familiarity with NASA Trick simulation framework or equivalent

• Propulsion, slosh modeling, or flexible-body dynamics exposure

• Launch vehicle or satellite GN&C experience