GNC Engineer: Spacecraft Autonomy & Orbit Dynamics

Katalyst Space; Broomfield (CO); On-site; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Katalyst Space is seeking a highly capable aerospace engineer to join our GNC/RPOD team in Colorado. You will help design, implement and test guidance, navigation and control algorithms for space missions, collaborating with software, hardware-in-the-loop testing, and mission operations to ensure robust performance.

The role demands hands-on development in Python and C/C++, system-level thinking, and the ability to lead projects from concept to flight.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a technical engineering discipline
• 0-3 years of experience working in guidance, navigation, and control
• Software development experience in Python
• Experience developing, debugging, and deploying GNC sensors, effectors and algorithms that have been used in real world applications/projects
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, autonomously driven, and demanding start-up atmosphere
• Proven ability to lead a project from conception to completion
• Experience with cradle-to-grave spacecraft design, testing, verification/validation and in-orbit mission operations
• Expertise in either guidance, navigation or control
• Experience with multi-body astrodynamics
• Experience with Git, Linux and Basilisk
• Software development experience in C/C++
• Capable of identifying and solving complex problems with little to no supervision or direction
• Excellent communication skills both written and verbal

Responsibilities

• Architect solutions necessary to accomplish space mission objectives around space domain awareness and RPOD with an emphasis on autonomy, from both a hardware and software perspective.
• Evaluate and select appropriate techniques to achieve mission such as machine learning methods, physics-informed solutions, stochastic methods, Kalman Filters, etc.
• Assist in proposal capture efforts with feasibility analysis and engage with private/public partners, Department of Defense, Other Government Agencies, and other commercial partnerships.
• Develop architecture, lead trade studies and lead GNC team from conceptualization to flight for RPOD missions
• Design algorithms, simulations, and tools for orbit determination, state estimation, uncertainty propagation to support SDA efforts
• Analyze and source datasets for training and validation or algorithm performance.
• Build and test modeling and simulation tools for orbital/cislunar dynamics, sensor modeling, and visualization.
• Six degree of freedom modeling, simulation and validation of space craft dynamics, sensors and algorithms, including for RPOD missions.
• Collaborate with the software and GNC teams to implement algorithm in flight software.
• Heavily support hardware-in-the-loop testing for integrated system validation.
• Design concepts of operations (CONOPS) that balance thermal, power, momentum and communications for spacecraft missions.
• Provide mission operations training and support.

Skills

GNC (guidance, navigation and control)

Python programming

C/C++ programming

Leadership / project management

Communication skills

Problem solving

Willingness to work extended hours

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a technical engineering discipline

Tools

C/C++

Git

Linux

Basilisk

GCC/compilers

Job description

Katalyst Space is seeking a highly capable aerospace engineer to join our GNC/RPOD team in Colorado. You will help design, implement and test guidance, navigation and control algorithms for space missions, collaborating with software, hardware-in-the-loop testing, and mission operations to ensure robust performance.

The role demands hands-on development in Python and C/C++, system-level thinking, and the ability to lead projects from concept to flight.