Lead Spacecraft GNC Engineer – Autonomy & Flight Algorithms

Menlo Ventures; Laguna Beach (CA); On-site; USD 170,000 - 255,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health

Dental

Vision

HRA/HSA

PTO

401K

Parental Leave

Job summary

True Anomaly seeks an experienced GNC engineer to own end-to-end spacecraft navigation and control software, from architecture to flight operations.

You will develop attitude/det determination algorithms, design control laws, and lead high-fidelity simulations while collaborating with avionics, propulsion, and mission ops teams. On-site near Long Beach, CA or Denver, CO. U.S. citizenship and DoD clearance eligibility required. Base salary 170k–255k, with equity and benefits.

Qualifications

• 8+ years hands-on experience developing and fielding spacecraft GNC systems.
• Strong proficiency in C++ and Python, incl. software development and algorithms.
• Experience with EKF/UKF/batch, sensor fusion, covariance analysis.
• Ability to lead cross-disciplinary technical efforts and deliver results.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end development of spacecraft GNC systems, including architecture definition, algorithm design, software implementation, hardware integration, verification, and flight operations
• Design, test, and validate GNC flight software for spacecraft operating in LEO, GEO, and cislunar environments
• Develop advanced attitude and orbit determination algorithms, including sensor fusion, state estimation, covariance analysis, and Kalman filtering (EKF/UKF/batch)
• Design control laws for attitude control, orbit control, maneuver execution, and closed-loop guidance, ensuring required performance and robustness under uncertainties
• Lead creation and improvement of high-fidelity 6-DOF simulations, sensor/actuator models, disturbance environments, Monte Carlo pipelines, and SIL/HIL integration
• Conduct system-level GNC trade studies and develop recommendations for hardware such as reaction wheels, torque rods, thrusters, star trackers, IMUs, GNSS units, and optical navigation sensors
• Define GNC subsystem requirements, interfaces, calibration procedures, verification/validation plans, and support design reviews (SRR/PDR/CDR)
• Work cross-functionally with avionics, software, propulsion, mechanisms, mission operations, and systems engineering teams to ensure seamless integration of GNC functionality
• Support on-orbit commissioning, calibration, maneuver planning, fault investigation, and anomaly resolution
• Mentor junior engineers, lead design/code reviews, and help establish GNC best practices, tools, and development standards

Skills

C++

Python

GNC

Spacecraft dynamics

Education

Bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering

Job description

True Anomaly seeks an experienced GNC engineer to own end-to-end spacecraft navigation and control software, from architecture to flight operations.

You will develop attitude/det determination algorithms, design control laws, and lead high-fidelity simulations while collaborating with avionics, propulsion, and mission ops teams. On-site near Long Beach, CA or Denver, CO. U.S. citizenship and DoD clearance eligibility required. Base salary 170k–255k, with equity and benefits.