Principal Spacecraft Guidance, Navigation & Control Engineer

InvestedintheMission; Rockville (MD); On-site; USD 175,000 - 225,000; Full time

Job summary

Quantum Space is seeking a Principal Spacecraft Guidance, Navigation & Control Engineer in Rockville, MD to serve as the technical authority for the GNC subsystem across programs, leading architecture, design, procurement, integration, and verification.

You will own GNC architecture, requirements, and the attitude control system, define control laws for high-ΔV maneuvers, develop state estimation pipelines, and mentor a team of GNC engineers for robust on-orbit performance.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of spacecraft GNC/ACS development and full lifecycle flight programs.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end GNC/ACS architecture from concept development through flight operations.
• Lead spacecraft attitude and control system design, including actuator sizing and sensor selection.
• Define and implement control laws for high-ΔV maneuvering, precision pointing, and proximity operations.
• Architect state estimation frameworks (EKF/UKF, sensor fusion) for robust on-orbit performance.
• Develop and maintain high-fidelity 6DOF spacecraft simulations for analysis and verification.
• Establish GNC verification and validation strategy across analysis, SIL/HIL, hardware integration, and flight test.

Skills

GNC/ACS design

Attitude control

State estimation

Control theory

System-level trade decisions

Leadership

Mentorship

Education

Engineering degree (Aerospace/Mechanical/Electrical/Robotics)

Tools

C++

Python

MATLAB/Simulink

Job description

Who We're Looking For

Quantum Space is redefining mobility and maneuverability in space. Our high-mobility spacecraft platforms support national security, civil, and commercial missions with unmatched flexibility and propulsion capability. We build fast and iterate quickly.

We are seeking a Principal Spacecraft Guidance, Navigation & Control Engineer to serve as the technical authority for the GNC subsystem across multiple spacecraft programs, leading architecture, design, procurement, integration, and verification.

Where You'll Make an Impact

• Own the end-to-end GNC/ACS architecture from concept development through flight operations.
• Own GNC subsystem level requirements.
• Lead spacecraft attitude and control system design, including actuator sizing, sensor selection, control authority, and momentum management strategy.
• Define and implement control laws for high-ΔV maneuvering, precision pointing, station-keeping, and proximity operations.
• Architect state estimation frameworks (EKF/UKF, sensor fusion pipelines, covariance management) for robust on-orbit performance.
• Develop and maintain high-fidelity 6DOF spacecraft simulation environments for analysis, trade studies, verification, and anomaly resolution.
• Establish GNC verification and validation strategy across analysis, SIL/HIL, hardware integration, and flight test.
• Support propulsion-coupled dynamics modeling, including thrust misalignment, slosh effects, and flexible-body considerations as needed.
• Lead GNC participation in system-level reviews (MCR, SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR) and serve as the primary technical voice for the discipline.
• Analyze flight telemetry and test data to assess performance, diagnose anomalies, and drive configuration or algorithm updates.
• Define safe-mode, fault management, and degraded control strategies in partnership with FSW and systems engineering.
• Mentor and manage GNC engineers, establishing best practices, code standards, simulation frameworks, and technical rigor across the team.
• Support early-orbit operations and critical mission phases as required.

What It Takes

• B.S., M.S., or Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Robotics, or related field.
• 15+ years of experience in spacecraft GNC/ACS development, including full lifecycle flight programs.
• Demonstrated ownership of a spacecraft attitude and/or orbit control system through design, integration, and flight.
• Deep expertise in rigid-body dynamics, orbital mechanics, estimation theory, and modern control methods.
• Strong experience with thruster-based ACS architectures and propulsion-coupled control systems.
• Proven ability to independently architect GNC systems and make system-level trade decisions.
• Experience implementing flight algorithms in C++, Python, or MATLAB/Simulink, with awareness of real-time constraints.
• Experience integrating GNC with flight software and avionics, including SIL/HIL validation.
• Ability to analyze telemetry and diagnose complex on-orbit or integrated system anomalies.
• Systems-level thinking across propulsion, avionics, software, and mission design.
• Demonstrated technical leadership and mentorship experience.
• Comfort operating in a fast-paced, hardware-integrated environment with evolving mission needs.

Nice-to-Have Experience

• Experience with high-ΔV vehicles, cislunar missions, GEO servicing, or RPO missions.
• Experience designing control systems for agile or propulsive maneuvering spacecraft.
• Background in autonomous maneuver planning or onboard decision-making systems.
• Experience with flexible-body dynamics, propellant slosh modeling, or structural-control interaction.
• Familiarity with MAX FSW and MAX GDS or other modern COTS flight software frameworks.
• Experience with multi-agent relative navigation or machine learning for estimation, perception, or task planning.
• Experience leading small technical teams in startup or NewSpace environments.
• Prior support of on-orbit commissioning or anomaly resolution efforts.

What You'll Get

• Ownership – Build and validate the GNC capability that defines how our spacecraft maneuver, point, and operate autonomously.
• Innovation – Shape next-generation GNC architectures, algorithms, and tools for high-agility missions.
• Impact – Directly influence spacecraft controllability, autonomy, and mission success across cislunar and GEO operations.
• Growth – Collaborate across avionics, FSW, systems, and mission ops, with opportunities to expand into dynamics modeling, autonomy, or flight operations.
• Compensation – Competitive salary, equity, and comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, vision, generous leave, HSA, 401(k) matching, and equity participation.

Location: Rockville, MD or Hawthorne, CA

Base Salary: $175,000 - $225,000

The salary range for this role is determined based on a variety of factors including work experience, education, technical expertise, certifications, critical skills, and business considerations. Highly competitive equity grants are included in the majority of full-time offers and are considered part of Quantum Space's total compensation package.

Additional Requirements

To comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including ITAR, applicants must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, protected individual under 8 U.S.C. §1324b(a)(3), or otherwise eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.