Senior GNC Engineer

Approach Venture; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Equity participation

Medical, dental, vision

401(k) program

Paid time off

Hands-on space tech

Direct collaboration with leaders

Job summary

Approach Venture in Los Angeles, CA is seeking a Senior GNC Engineer to lead guidance, navigation and mission design across spacecraft programs. This highly technical role requires ownership of GNC architectures and collaboration with multidisciplinary teams from concept through operations.

You will develop algorithms, perform trajectory analyses, and build simulations and tools in Python, MATLAB and Simulink.

Qualifications

• BS in Aerospace Engineering, Controls Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• 5+ years of spacecraft GNC, flight dynamics, or mission design experience.
• Experience with Python, MATLAB, Simulink and mission analysis tools.
• Ability to solve complex engineering problems using first-principles thinking.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced engineering environment with high ownership.

Responsibilities

• Lead GNC development across spacecraft programs.
• Design, analyze, and validate GNC algorithms and operational modes.
• Develop analytical tools, simulations, and software models to evaluate mission performance.
• Perform mission design, orbital trajectory analysis, maneuver planning, and delta‑V budgeting.
• Collaborate with flight software engineers to integrate GNC algorithms into flight systems.
• Review simulation, flight, and test data to improve vehicle performance.

Skills

First-principles thinking

Orbital mechanics

Flight dynamics

Mission analysis

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering or Controls Engineering

Tools

Python

MATLAB

Simulink

STK

ODTK

GMAT

FreeFlyer

Basilisk

Job description

Los Angeles, CA | On-site

Senior GNC Engineer - Lead Spacecraft Guidance, Navigation & Mission Design

Join a fast-growing aerospace startup developing next-generation spacecraft designed to enable more capable and flexible operations beyond Earth orbit. The team is building advanced in-space transportation systems that support challenging orbital missions through innovative propulsion and spacecraft technologies. As a Senior GNC Engineer, you will own the guidance, navigation, and control architecture across spacecraft development while also leading mission design activities from concept through operations. This is a highly technical, hands‑on role with broad ownership spanning flight dynamics, attitude control, orbital maneuver planning, simulation development, mission analysis, and flight software integration. You will work closely with company leadership and multidisciplinary engineering teams while helping evaluate future customer missions and vehicle capabilities.

About Us

We are an early‑stage aerospace company developing advanced spacecraft and in‑space transportation technologies for commercial and government missions. Built by an experienced engineering team with backgrounds across leading space companies, we are focused on delivering highly capable orbital platforms that expand mission flexibility while solving complex technical challenges. This is an opportunity to join a small, high‑performing team where engineers have significant ownership over both technical direction and execution.

Job Duties

• Lead guidance, navigation, and control development across spacecraft programs.
• Design, analyze, and validate spacecraft GNC algorithms and operational modes.
• Develop analytical tools, simulations, and software models to evaluate mission performance and vehicle behavior.
• Perform mission design, orbital trajectory analysis, maneuver planning, and delta‑V budgeting.
• Conduct Monte Carlo analyses and robustness studies to validate system performance.
• Collaborate with flight software engineers to integrate GNC algorithms into operational flight systems.
• Review simulation, flight, and test data to improve vehicle performance and identify anomalies.
• Evaluate spacecraft attitude determination and control system architectures and support hardware trade studies.
• Support customer mission evaluations by developing technical mission concepts, feasibility assessments, and performance estimates.
• Work across multidisciplinary engineering teams to mature spacecraft capabilities from concept through flight.

Qualifications

• BS in Aerospace Engineering, Controls Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• 5+ years of experience in spacecraft guidance, navigation and control, flight dynamics, mission design, astrodynamics, or related fields.
• Strong understanding of orbital mechanics, spacecraft dynamics, estimation techniques, control systems, and mission analysis.
• Experience developing engineering tools using Python, MATLAB, Simulink, or similar environments.
• Experience using mission analysis or spacecraft simulation tools such as STK, ODTK, GMAT, FreeFlyer, Basilisk, or comparable software.
• Ability to solve complex engineering problems using first‑principles thinking.
• Comfortable working in a fast‑paced engineering environment with high ownership and technical autonomy.

Preferred Experience

• Experience developing spacecraft attitude determination and control systems.
• Background integrating GNC algorithms with embedded or flight software.
• Experience performing Monte Carlo simulations and statistical performance analysis.
• Knowledge of spacecraft mission operations and trajectory optimization.
• Previous experience supporting proposal development or evaluating customer mission concepts.
• Startup or early‑stage aerospace experience.

Why Join Us

• Competitive salary and performance‑based compensation.
• Equity participation through stock options.
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• 401(k) program.
• Paid time off.
• Opportunity to work on cutting‑edge spacecraft technology with significant technical ownership.
• Direct collaboration with experienced aerospace leaders while helping shape the future of an early‑stage company.

Compensation Details

$150,000 - $200,000