Principal GNC Engineer — Spaceflight Guidance Lead

Outpostspace; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 190,000 - 225,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual performance bonuses

Equity

Healthcare

Disability insurance

PTO & Holidays

401(k)

Job summary

Outpostspace in Playa Vista, CA is seeking a Principal GNC Engineer to own the end-to-end attitude control chain for our orbital return vehicles. You will design guidance and estimation architecture, implement flight code, and participate in ground tests and flight campaigns to bring your controller to flight.

The role requires leadership in real-time estimation, Kalman filtering, and robust control across wide Mach ranges, with hands-on hardware experience and a passion for space.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related technical discipline with 5+ years in GN&C or controls, or advanced degree with 3+ years.
• Software development experience in C++ and Python.
• Experience with Git, Jira, CI pipeline.
• Algorithms on real hardware (EKF, LQR).
• Strong understanding of classical dynamics, modeling and simulation, and control.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, autonomously driven atmosphere.
• Passion for space and advanced estimation/control techniques.

Responsibilities

• Model ADCS algorithms and hardware performance specifications.
• Define ADCS requirements with electrical and mechanical engineers.
• Implement closed-loop pointing, orbit raising, and station keeping for flight.
• Analyze platform stability to ensure low jitter of line-of-sight instruments.
• Develop high-fidelity satellite simulations using Python, Matlab or C++.
• Develop guidance, corridor and reachability analysis, deorbit targeting.
• Develop EKF/UKF with GNSS, IMU, air data, radar or laser sensors; calibration; GNSS-denied navigation.
• Implement robust control across wide Mach/dynamic pressure ranges and autonomous sequencing.
• Support flight test campaigns, instrumentation, real-time support, and data reconstruction.

Skills

GN&C Engineering

C++

Python

Control theory

EKF/UKF

Autonomy

Hardware-in-the-loop

Education

Bachelor’s degree in GN&C or related field

Advanced degree

Tools

Git

Jira

CI Pipeline

Matlab

Simulink

Job description

Outpostspace in Playa Vista, CA is seeking a Principal GNC Engineer to own the end-to-end attitude control chain for our orbital return vehicles. You will design guidance and estimation architecture, implement flight code, and participate in ground tests and flight campaigns to bring your controller to flight.

The role requires leadership in real-time estimation, Kalman filtering, and robust control across wide Mach ranges, with hands-on hardware experience and a passion for space.