GNC Controls Engineer

Moonshot Aerospace; United States; Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Moonshot Aerospace is seeking a GN&C Controls Engineer to support spacecraft control system design and analysis for NASA and commercial missions. This hybrid role requires experience in spacecraft dynamics and control law development and is located in Huntsville, AL. Preferred candidates will have an M.S. or Ph.D. in a relevant field and experience with NASA projects. Competitive candidates must have strong qualifications, including 5+ years of experience in the field and proficiency in MATLAB/Simulink.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional experience in spacecraft control system design and analysis.
• Demonstrated experience with multivariable control system design techniques.
• Understanding of spacecraft dynamics and actuator systems.

Responsibilities

• Design and analyze spacecraft control systems including attitude control.
• Develop control laws and perform stability analysis.
• Build and maintain 6DOF simulations for verification.

Skills

Spacecraft control system design

Stability analysis

Multi-body dynamics modeling

Control law development

MATLAB/Simulink

Communication skills

Education

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

Tools

MATLAB

Simulink

Job description

Moonshot Aerospace is seeking a GN&C Controls Engineer to support spacecraft control system design and analysis for government and commercial customers. Initial assignment will support NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), with work spanning programs such as the Human Landing System (HLS), Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS), and related civil and commercial space efforts.

This position requires depth in spacecraft control system design, analysis, and verification. The engineer will contribute to control law development, stability analysis, multi-body dynamics modeling, and performance verification for human-rated and robotic spacecraft. This is a hybrid position requiring residence in or relocation to the Huntsville, AL area. Multiple experience levels are available, and responsibilities will scale with demonstrated capability.

Responsibilities

• Design and analyze spacecraft control systems including attitude control, vehicle stabilization, and pointing
• Develop control laws and perform stability and performance analysis (gain/phase margins, Bode, Nyquist, root locus)
• Build and maintain 6DOF simulations for control system design verification and Monte Carlo analysis
• Support multi-body dynamics modeling for docking, descent, and landing operations
• Perform control system verification analysis for compliance with requirements and flight readiness
• Develop and analyze propulsion system control interfaces including delta-velocity command and thrust vector control
• Support flight software integration and testing of control algorithms
• Contribute to technical documentation, design reviews, and customer deliverables
• Collaborate with NASA, prime contractor, and subcontractor engineering teams

Required Qualifications

• U.S. Citizenship and ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance
• B.S. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field
• 5+ years of professional experience in spacecraft or aerospace vehicle control system design and analysis
• Demonstrated experience with multivariable control system design techniques
• Proficiency in MATLAB/Simulink for control system analysis and simulation
• Experience with 6DOF simulation development and execution
• Understanding of spacecraft dynamics, rigid body mechanics, and actuator systems
• Must be located in or willing to relocate to the Huntsville, AL area
• Effective written and verbal communication skills

Preferred Qualifications

• M.S. or Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Controls, or related field
• Experience supporting NASA human spaceflight programs (HLS, Orion, SLS, ISS)
• RPO/RPOD, Docking, berthing, or contact dynamics simulation and control experience
• Descent and landing control system design
• Flexible-body or slosh dynamics modeling and control interaction analysisFlight software development or integration experience (C/C++)
• Experience with NASA Trick simulation framework or equivalent
• Active security clearance (Secret or above)
• Launch vehicle or satellite control system experience
• Technical publication or conference presentation history