Principal Autonomous Orbit Determination Engineer

Jobtailor; Colorado; On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Jobtailor is seeking a senior Navigation Architect to shape the Autonomous Navigation Architecture for cislunar and interplanetary missions. You will define end-to-end onboard navigation, integrating optical and radiometric data into flight-ready systems.

You will lead development and integration of measurement processing, drive the roadmap to full autonomy, and mentor a team of navigation engineers while collaborating with GNC, avionics, and flight software disciplines.

Qualifications

• M.S. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field.
• 10+ years of proven experience in spacecraft navigation, orbit determination, or related astrodynamics disciplines.
• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing orbit determination algorithms.
• Experience with optical navigation techniques (terrain-relative, star-based, landmark tracking).
• Experience with radiometric navigation techniques (Doppler, ranging, VLBI).
• Strong fundamentals in astrodynamics, orbital mechanics, and estimation theory.
• Applied experience in navigation tools such as Monte Carlo, STK/ODTK, FreeFlyer, or GMAT.
• Experience in at least one of Python, Julia, or C++.
• Demonstrated ability to define navigation requirements.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• US citizen or eligible work status in the U.S.

Responsibilities

• Define the end-to-end onboard navigation architecture for autonomous orbit determination.
• Lead integration of optical and radiometric measurement processing into onboard algorithms.
• Drive the technical roadmap from concept to flight implementation.
• Roadmap long-range onboard navigation capability maturation for deep space missions.
• Support live ground navigation operations when missions require hands-on navigation.
• Apply expertise in statistical orbit determination to deliver lunar and Mars mission solutions.
• Collaborate with GNC, avionics, flight software, systems engineering, and flight ops teams.
• Mentor navigation engineers and establish best practices for algorithm development and testing.
• Deliver results and support critical design reviews using Agile development.

Skills

Navigation algorithms

Astrodynamics

Estimation theory

Python

C++

Monte Carlo

STK/ODTK

GMAT

Star-based navigation

Radiometric navigation

Education

M.S. in Aerospace/Mechanical/Electrical Engineering or related

Tools

STK/ODTK

FreeFlyer

GMAT

GMAT/FreeFlyer

Job description

Responsibilities

• Shape the Autonomous Navigation Architecture: Define the end-to-end architecture for onboard autonomous orbit determination, integrating optical and radiometric measurement sources into a coherent, flight-ready navigation system for cislunar and interplanetary missions
• Lead Deep Space Autonomous Navigation Development: Own the development and integration of optical and radiometric measurement processing into onboard algorithms for cislunar and interplanetary missions
• Drive the technical roadmap from concept through flight implementation, defining the path toward fully autonomous deep space navigation
• Roadmap the Path to Full Autonomy: Define the long-range strategy for onboard navigation capability maturation — particularly for deep space regimes with limited ground contact — and drive its implementation across the Blue Ring fleet
• Support Ground Navigation Operations: Contribute to live ground-based orbit determination alongside the ATX team when operational missions require hands-on navigation support
• Execute Ground-Based Navigation Processing: Apply your subject matter expertise in statistical orbit determination using radiometric and optical measurements to deliver navigation solutions for early lunar and Mars missions as Blue Origin's autonomous capabilities mature
• Collaborate Across Disciplines: Interface with GNC, avionics, flight software, systems engineering, and flight operations teams to ensure onboard navigation algorithms are properly integrated and validated end-to-end
• Mentor and Lead: Provide technical leadership and mentorship to navigation engineers; establish best practices for algorithm development, testing, and verification
• Deliver Excellence: Present results and support critical design reviews using Agile development methodologies

Requirements

• M.S. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related fields
• 10+ years of proven experience in spacecraft navigation, orbit determination, or related astrodynamics disciplines
• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing orbit determination algorithms
• Experience with optical navigation techniques (e.g., terrain-relative navigation, star-based navigation, landmark tracking)
• Experience with radiometric navigation techniques (Doppler, ranging, VLBI, or similar)
• Strong fundamentals in astrodynamics, orbital mechanics, and estimation theory
• Applied experience in navigation tools such as Monte, STK/ODTK, FreeFlyer, or GMAT
• Experience in at least one of the following: Python, Julia, or C++
• Demonstrated ability to define navigation requirements
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to earn trust, maintain positive and professional relationships, and contribute to a culture of inclusion
• Must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.