Principal GNC Engineer - Orbital Autonomy & Flight Tests

Varda Space Industries; El Segundo (CA); On-site; USD 219,000 - 244,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Long‑term cash awards

Job summary

Varda Space Industries seeks a Principal Guidance, Navigation, and Controls Engineer to own the full GNC lifecycle from design to flight testing. You will perform analyses, develop simulations, and drive system‑level decisions for in‑space vehicles.

The role emphasizes end‑to‑end GNC execution, from initial analyses to mission operations support, with collaboration across aerospace teams and regulatory bodies. Strong C++/Python skills and spaceflight experience are essential.

Qualifications

• B.S. in aerospace, mechanical, electrical engineering, physics, or related field.
• 10+ years experience or PhD with 7+ years relevant experience.
• Experience designing, modeling, testing, and flying aerospace GNC systems.
• Strong C++/Python software and model development.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• ADCS hardware performance specification for reaction wheels, torque rods, IMU/GPS, star trackers.
• Autonomous satellite attitude control, collision avoidance, rendezvous, burn planning, and atmospheric re‑entry algorithms.
• Perform trajectory design, optimization, and dispersion analysis for capsule reentry.
• Develop 6-DOF vehicle simulation using C++ and Python.
• Run Monte Carlo analyses to assess new vehicle and mission capabilities.
• Integrate and test GNC sensors, actuators, and software in hardware‑in‑the‑loop setup.
• Develop ground tooling for automated maneuver decisions and scheduling.
• Monitor on‑orbit performance and troubleshoot as needed.
• Coordinate with other spacecraft operators, 3rd party agencies, and US government.

Skills

C++/Python

GNC design

Model development

Software development

Education

B.S. in aerospace/ mechanical/ electrical engineering or physics

Master’s degree (optional)

Tools

GMAT

POST2

Matlab/Simulink

Job description

Varda Space Industries seeks a Principal Guidance, Navigation, and Controls Engineer to own the full GNC lifecycle from design to flight testing. You will perform analyses, develop simulations, and drive system‑level decisions for in‑space vehicles.

The role emphasizes end‑to‑end GNC execution, from initial analyses to mission operations support, with collaboration across aerospace teams and regulatory bodies. Strong C++/Python skills and spaceflight experience are essential.