Principal GNC/ACS Engineer

Albedo; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 250,000 - 265,000; Full time

Job summary

Join an innovative firm at the forefront of satellite technology, where you will lead the development of cutting-edge Guidance Navigation and Control systems for next-generation imaging satellites. This role offers a unique opportunity to work in a fast-paced environment, contributing to the modernization of satellite imagery applications. You will collaborate with a dedicated team to design, develop, and test systems that enhance image quality and mission success. If you're passionate about technology and eager to make a significant impact, this position promises a rewarding and purposeful career path.

Benefits

Relocation assistance

Flexible work environment

Health insurance

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Professional development opportunities

Qualifications

• 7-12+ years of GNC/ACS experience required.
• Strong fundamentals in attitude control and pointing stability.
• Experience with scanning imaging sensors is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of optimization-based solutions for spacecraft control.
• Analyze control system components for integration into vehicle design.
• Coordinate testing of control systems and support configuration studies.

Skills

GNC/ACS experience

Scanning remote sensing control systems

Attitude knowledge and control

Control Moment Gyro systems

Quaternion kinematics

Kalman filters

Optimization-based solutions

Real-time embedded control systems

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related field

Tools

Control system design tools

Software frameworks for flight control

Job description

Satellite imagery is a historically-scarce resource, whose adoption has been slowed by an unbalanced relationship between price and resolution. In theory, frequent, ultra-high-resolution imagery of Earth has near-infinite applications; in reality, only a sliver of that potential has been realized.

Albedo aims to be the catalyst in unlocking satellite imagery’s latent potential, hoping to expand current applications and propel the discovery of new use cases. Whether our imagery is being used to reduce wildfire risk, assess the environmental impact of global forestry, contribute to timely 3D reconstructions of urban areas, or monitor carbon emissions from industrial power plants, our mission is to get better data into the hands of decision-makers fast. We’re modernizing how satellite imagery is used by providing near real-time access to our ultra-high resolution data.

What We’re Up To: Albedo is developing a novel approach to the earth observation industry, both in space and with our business model. We are intentionally doing things differently by taking (calculated) risks, trying new things, and moving with speed. Our team believes satellite imagery is a valuable resource that should be made accessible, in every sense of the word. We are committed to our customers, ensuring that what we’re building is what they want. We are playing at the edges of how traditional New Space technologies have been approached, and we want to shake up the industry as it stands today.

Who We’re Looking For: Albedo is launching next-generation, ultra-high-resolution imaging satellites to service a global audience through a modern, cloud-based product interface. In order to achieve this goal, we are looking for a team of people who are both passionate about our mission and are willing to put in the work to design, develop, and test an innovative earth observation concept in the commercial industry. The times ahead will be set in a fast-paced, often uncertain environment, but if you are hard-working, kind, and team-oriented, you can expect a rewarding and purposeful experience.

We’re looking for a Principal GNC/ACS Engineer to lead the development of Albedo’s Guidance Navigation & Control/Attitude Control Systems GNC/ACS. This person will be responsible for tasks, ranging from single vehicle mission analysis, constellation deployment strategies, on-orbit calibration and initialization plans, as well as working with our suppliers to ensure Albedo’s requirements are met.

What You’ll Do:

• Lead development of modern optimization-based solutions for spacecraft guidance, navigation, and control
• Work with the GNC team to model and develop low jitter, fine pointing image scan maneuvers and analyze them for induced image motion
• Develop detailed error budgets and line-of-sight simulations to account for how induced vibration from vehicle actuators translates into image degradation and what structural dynamics and isolation is required for mission success
• Develop vehicle control system instrumentation, avionics, and flight control software
• Work in teams and individually in the development, assembly, integration, and testing of remote sensing satellites and associated subcomponents
• Develop flight constraints and guidance parameters to meet mission objectives
• Analyze control system components to ensure proper integration into the overall vehicle design
• Identify and communicate the technical, cost, and schedule risks for assigned systems and subsystems
• Coordinate with test personnel for non-real time, real time, and hardware-in-the-loop testing of control systems
• Support configuration design studies and test article development
• Develop and own SV geolocation and image motion budgets
• Travel to supplier locations

Your Ideal Skills and Experience:

• 7-12+ years of GNC/ACS experience
• 5+ years of experience working on scanning remote sensing control systems
• Strong technical fundamentals in attitude knowledge, control, and pointing stability
• Familiarity with scanning imaging sensors and vehicle maneuver patterns to maximize image quality
• Experience with Control Moment Gyro systems, including the principles of CMG control laws
• Experience with deriving structural dynamics requirements from line-of-sight mission objectives given tonal disturbance sources
• Familiar with quaternion kinematics
• Highly experienced in one or more of the following:
• Extended Kalman filters used in real-time and offline attitude and orbit determination applications
• Advanced techniques for accurate short-term orbit prediction and extrapolation, including propagation, fitting/splining, and smoothing
• Development and integration of modern optimization-based solutions for spacecraft guidance, navigation, and control
• Software framework for flight control: schedulers, hardware drivers, sensor or actuator processing, fault detection, and state machines for mode control
• Demonstrated knowledge of the tools and processes used in developing software for real-time, deterministic, embedded control systems

Desirable Skills and Experience:

• Experience with pointing architecture or algorithms used on a scanning imaging satellite = mega plus
• Experience working with suppliers, providing close technical guidance, and/or co-developing software
• Experience with tuning feedback and feed-ahead control algorithms via Bode, Nichols, Quantitative-feedback Theory (QFT), root locus, or phase-plane or related techniques
• Ability to design and implement FIR, discrete-sample-time filters
• Familiar with optimal control, MIMO system analysis, and state space synthesis techniques
• Familiar with advanced distribution laws or inverse kinematics models

Salary: $250,000 - $264,500 a year

Salary range aligns with the company's compensation structure, which compensates at market rates of 50th percentile salary and 75th percentile equity. The company uses market data provided by Pave to determine percentiles. The final compensation package is subject to change if the candidate's experience and company need drive a different job level than originally slated for the position.

Full-Time On-Site Work Environment: This position requires regular in-person engagement by working on-site full-time. Travel to other possible non-Albedo locations may be required.

Working Conditions:

Work is performed in an office environment, laboratory, cleanroom, or production floor.

Additional Requirements: In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire. All persons hired will be required to be a U.S. citizen, a lawful permanent resident of the U.S., or protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled: Albedo is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Relocation: Relocation for this position is available.

US CITIZENSHIP IS REQUIRED

#LI-Onsite

Questions? Feedback? Feel free to email us at careers @ albedo.com