Lead GNC Engineer

EVONA; Boulder (CO); On-site; USD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

EVONA is seeking a Senior GNC Engineer in Pleasanton, CA to design and ship GNC algorithms for spacecraft propulsion. You will lead architecture, tests, and verification, while developing 6-DOF simulations and performing stability analyses.

The role requires 5+ years in GNC for space vehicles, expertise in MATLAB/Simulink, and hands-on hardware-in-the-loop validation. Collaboration with mission design reviews is expected.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering (or related field).
• 5+ years of GNC experience on space vehicles with ownership of algorithms from design to test.
• Strong proficiency in MATLAB/Simulink and model-based design of flight algorithms.
• Solid foundation in control theory and stability analysis.
• Experience validating GNC software through hardware-in-the-loop testing and defining test objectives.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement GNC flight algorithms for spacecraft propulsion systems, including closed-loop burn execution and trajectory correction maneuvers.
• Own the GNC flight code: architecture, reviews, configuration management, and verification evidence.
• Develop and maintain 6-DOF simulation capability for burn execution and dispersion analysis.
• Analyze stability of control loops and document results to flight-review standards.
• Define and run hardware-in-the-loop test campaigns with pass/fail criteria and fault injections.
• Validate flight software against simulation truth models and HIL results; close the loop between analysis, code, and test.
• Support mission design reviews with GNC analysis products such as pointing budgets and dispersion results.

Skills

GNC algorithms

MATLAB/Simulink

Control theory

HIL testing

Orbital mechanics

Education

Bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering

Tools

GMAT

STK

Job description

Senior GNC Engineer

Pleasanton, CA

A pioneering space company developing next-gen orbital mobility solutions is hiring a Senior GNC Engineer to not just design algorithms but ship them. You will implement guidance, navigation, and control algorithms for spacecraft propulsion systems, carry them through hardware-in-the-loop validation, and set the GNC engineering standards for a growing team.

What You'll Be Doing:

• Design and implement GNC flight algorithms for spacecraft propulsion systems (chemical and electric), including closed loop burn execution, thrust, delta-v estimation, burn targeting, cutoff logic, and trajectory correction maneuvers.


• Own the GNC flight code: architecture, implementation, review standards, configuration management, and verification evidence.


• Develop and maintain 6 degrees of freedom simulation capability for burn execution and dispersion analysis across multiple programs.


• Perform stability analysis of control loops (classical margins, disturbance and slosh interaction, actuator/sensor dynamics) and document it to flight-review standards.


• Define hardware-in-the-loop test campaigns: what to test, pass/fail criteria, fault injection cases, and test procedures.


• Validate flight software against simulation truth models and HIL results; close the loop between analysis, code, and test.


• Support mission design reviews (PDR/CDR) with GNC analysis products: pointing budgets, execution-error models, and dispersion results.

Experience required:

• Bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, physics, or related field.


• 5+ years of GNC experience on space vehicles, with demonstrated ownership of algorithms from design through implementation and test.


• Strong proficiency in MATLAB/Simulink, including model-based design of flight algorithms.


• Solid foundation in control theory and stability analysis (frequency- and time-domain methods, robustness margins).


• Working knowledge of spacecraft attitude dynamics, orbital mechanics, and propulsive maneuver design.


• Experience validating GNC software through hardware-in-the-loop testing, including defining test objectives and criteria.

Desirable experience:

• Experience writing flight or embedded software in C or Rust.


• Experience with propulsion-specific GNC: finite-burn effects, thrust/Isp uncertainty, propellant slosh, optimal jet select.


• Experience with both chemical and electric propulsion control (long-duration low-thrust guidance a plus).


• Experience with strapdown navigation, IMU error modeling, and sensor fusion.


• Monte Carlo and linear covariance dispersion analysis experience.


• GMAT, STK, FreeFlyer, or equivalent astrodynamics tooling.