Lead GNC Engineer for Spacecraft Autonomy & RPOD

Katalyst Space Technologies; Broomfield (CO); On-site; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

Katalyst Space Technologies in Colorado seeks an experienced GNC engineer to architect autonomous guidance, navigation and control solutions for space missions, including RPOD. You will lead trade studies and develop algorithms, collaborating with software and GNC teams to implement flight software.

Ideal candidates have 5+ years in GNC, a BS in a technical engineering field, and hands-on Python and C/C++ development, plus spacecraft modeling, simulations, and in-orbit operations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a technical engineering discipline.
• 5+ 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 for 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.

Skills

GNC expertise

Autonomy & leadership

Strong communication

Multi-body astrodynamics understanding

Education

Bachelor's degree in aerospace/electrical/mechanical engineering

Tools

Python

C/C++

Git

Linux

Basilisk

Job description

Katalyst Space Technologies in Colorado seeks an experienced GNC engineer to architect autonomous guidance, navigation and control solutions for space missions, including RPOD. You will lead trade studies and develop algorithms, collaborating with software and GNC teams to implement flight software.

Ideal candidates have 5+ years in GNC, a BS in a technical engineering field, and hands-on Python and C/C++ development, plus spacecraft modeling, simulations, and in-orbit operations.