Lead Orbit Determination & Navigation Engineer

Intuitive Machines Llc; California (MO); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Intuitive Machines is seeking an Orbit Determination (OD) and Navigation Engineer at Level II or Level III to join the OD group within FDI. You will perform OD analyses, develop navigation products, and lead complex analyses in project teams.

The role requires a Bachelor’s degree in a related field, strong Python skills, and experience with analysis scripts and software workflows. Travel and extended hours may be required to support missions and operations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, or related discipline.
• GPA of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
• Clear technical writing and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to independently execute routine OD analyses using approved methods and tools.
• Experience developing, modifying, and maintaining analysis scripts and software workflows.
• Proficiency in Python and ability to prepare technical reports and communicate analysis results.

Responsibilities

• Support daily OD solutions, trajectory reconstructions, covariance analyses, and data quality assessments.
• Produce trajectory updates for maneuver design, reference trajectories, and science observations.
• Independently execute routine OD analyses and generate navigation products using approved tools.
• Configure estimation runs, assess residuals and covariance outputs, and evaluate solution behavior.
• Plan analyses, identify data needs, estimate effort, and coordinate schedules.
• Test complex solutions and troubleshoot issues with guidance as needed.
• Develop and maintain OD scripts and workflows, verify results, and document changes.
• Prepare technical reports and communicate findings to mission teams and customers.

Skills

Python

Orbit determination

Estimation

Code reviews

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, or related discipline

Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, or related discipline

Tools

C++

MATLAB

Fortran

Perl

Job description

Intuitive Machines is seeking an Orbit Determination (OD) and Navigation Engineer at Level II or Level III to join the OD group within FDI. You will perform OD analyses, develop navigation products, and lead complex analyses in project teams.

The role requires a Bachelor’s degree in a related field, strong Python skills, and experience with analysis scripts and software workflows. Travel and extended hours may be required to support missions and operations.