GNC Engineer

Muonspace; Mountain View (CA); On-site; USD 124,000 - 189,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) retirement plan

Paid parental leave

Three weeks paid vacation

Job summary

Muonspace is looking for a Spacecraft Attitude Control System engineer in Mountain View, California. In this role, you will design and implement attitude control architectures and algorithms, working closely with product and mission execution teams.

The ideal candidate holds a PhD or Master’s degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering, has strong C++ programming skills, and is excited to thrive in a fast-paced environment. Benefits include competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package.

Qualifications

• PhD or Master's degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering plus 2+ years of relevant experience.
• Hands-on experience with GNC analysis and design.
• Experience with common LEO platform attitude actuators and sensors.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement attitude control architectures and algorithms.
• Define requirements for ACS algorithms, hardware, and systems.
• Perform analysis and simulation of mission-specific performance.

Skills

C++ Software skills

Control and optimization theory

Communication skills

ADCS/GNC subsystem design

Education

PhD or Master’s degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering

Tools

Python

MATLAB

Julia

Job description

About the Role

Muon seeks a talented Spacecraft Attitude Control System (ACS) AKA Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) engineer specializing in attitude control design to join our team. The ideal candidate can go both deep and broad across the control system analysis and design process. They would use a “systems mindset” to be a multiplier when collaborating with other disciplines to arrive at an elegant, best-fit spacecraft design. In this role, you will work with Muon’s Product and Mission Execution teams – developing modular, mission-agnostic attitude control schemes for our spacecraft platforms that can be extended to meet mission‑specific requirements.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement attitude control architectures and algorithms in an embedded C++ environment
• Define requirements for ACS algorithms, hardware, and related systems, including roadmap development that unlock new customer opportunities
• Perform analysis and simulation of mission‑specific performance
• Support performance trending and anomaly resolution of on‑orbit systems, including on‑call duties
• Support software‑ and hardware‑in‑the‑loop test planning, execution, and validation

Qualifications

• PhD or Master’s degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering or equivalent plus 2+ years of professional experience, OR several years of experience hands‑on with GNC analysis and design
• Software skills in C++
• Knowledge of control and optimization theory
• Experience working with common LEO platform attitude actuators and sensors, including reaction wheels, magnetorquers, gyros, star trackers, and magnetometers
• Expertise in common numerical programming environments (Python, Julia, MATLAB)
• Experience designing, analyzing, and implementing ADCS/GNC subsystems for spacecraft
• Excellent communication, presentation, and coordination skills
• Excited to work in a fast‑paced environment with new opportunities each week
• Experience with control stability analysis of flexible bodies

Nice‑to‑Have Skills

• Experience with ADCS of low‑jitter precision pointing platforms, control moment gyros, and vibration isolation
• Experience with spacecraft flight operations

Salary

The salary range for this role is $124,000 – $189,000 plus a competitive equity grant and comprehensive benefits package. Final compensation will be based on skills, qualifications, experience, and geographic location as assessed during the interview process.

Benefits

Full‑time employees receive equity compensation as well as benefits including medical, dental, and vision insurance; a 401(k) retirement plan; short and long‑term disability and life insurance; three weeks paid vacation for new employees; 12 paid holidays; unlimited sick time; and paid parental leave.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Muon is dedicated to creating a diverse and dynamic company and workforce. We believe in equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, age, national origin, citizenship, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, or gender identity. We value diversity in the workplace, and that starts with our applicants. If you need a reasonable accommodation as part of your application for employment or interviews with us, please let us know.

ITAR/EAR Requirements

This position requires access to export‑controlled information. To conform to U.S. Government export regulations applicable to that information, applicant must either be (A) a U.S. person, defined as a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (green card holder), (iii) refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, (B) eligible to access the export‑controlled information without a required export authorization, or (C) eligible and reasonably likely to obtain the required export authorization from the applicable U.S. government agency. The Company may, for legitimate business reasons, decline to pursue any export licensing process.