Remote Orbit Determination & Navigation Engineer

Intuitive Machines LLC; Denver (CO); Remote; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Intuitive Machines LLC is seeking an Orbit Determination/Navigation Engineer at Level I or Level II to join the OD group within FDI. The role involves supporting daily OD solutions, trajectory updates, and software-assisted analyses, with opportunities to advance to independent OD work and leadership of navigation products.

The position requires a bachelor’s degree in a related field, 3.5+ GPA, U.S. citizenship, and foundational knowledge of astrodynamics and path estimation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, or a related discipline.
• GPA of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
• Clear technical writing and verbal communication skills, attention to detail, and the ability to collaborate with engineering and mission operations teams.
• U.S. citizenship.
• Foundational knowledge of astrodynamics, orbit determination, estimation, flight path control, guidance, or filtering theory, demonstrated through coursework, research, internships, or engineering projects.
• Ability to perform assigned analyses using instructions and established procedures, check results carefully, manage personal tasks, and seek guidance when needed.
• Working knowledge of Python and ability to use established analysis scripts, make simple updates, and follow software development and configuration practices under guidance.
• Foundational awareness of aerospace standards, regulations, and safety requirements relevant to navigation work.

Responsibilities

• Support daily OD solutions and trajectory reconstructions, covariance analyses, tracking data quality assessments, and evaluation of forces affecting spacecraft trajectories.
• Produce trajectory updates that support maneuver design, reference trajectories, and science observations.
• Assist with run setup, tracking data preparation, residual review, product generation, and basic analysis under guidance.
• Check inputs, units, coordinate frames, time systems, and outputs for accuracy and completeness.
• Support planning, effort estimates, feasibility studies, testing, and documentation.
• Follow directions and schedules, resolve basic issues, and ask for help when needed.
• Use established OD software and scripts, assist with simple updates and routine troubleshooting, and follow coding, configuration, documentation, and applicable quality practices.
• Additional Level II responsibilities: Independently execute routine OD analyses and generate navigation products using approved tools.
• Configure estimation runs, assess residuals and covariance outputs, and evaluate solution behavior.
• Plan assigned analyses, identify data and resource needs, estimate effort, assess risks, and coordinate schedules.
• Test more complex solutions and troubleshoot issues, seeking guidance when needed.
• Develop and maintain OD scripts and workflows, verify results, and document changes.
• Prepare technical reports, communicate findings to mission teams and customers, and ensure assigned products meet applicable quality standards.

Skills

Technical writing

Verbal communication

Collaboration

Citizenship requirement

Python

Navigation theory

Education

Bachelor’s degree in STEM

GPA 3.5/4.0

Master’s degree (preferred)

Tools

Python

C/C++

MATLAB

Fortran

Job description

Intuitive Machines LLC is seeking an Orbit Determination/Navigation Engineer at Level I or Level II to join the OD group within FDI. The role involves supporting daily OD solutions, trajectory updates, and software-assisted analyses, with opportunities to advance to independent OD work and leadership of navigation products.

The position requires a bachelor’s degree in a related field, 3.5+ GPA, U.S. citizenship, and foundational knowledge of astrodynamics and path estimation.