Senior GNC Engineer, Space Special Programs

Anduril Industries; Chantilly (VA); On-site; USD 191,000 - 254,000; Full time

Job summary

Anduril Industries' Space Special Programs team seeks a Sr. GNC Engineer to own satellite GNC subsystems, including hardware sensors, actuators, orbit mechanics, and flight software. You will lead algorithm design, simulations, and I&T for missions across LEO, MEO, GEO, reentry, and RPOD, collaborating with related teams.

You will also drive validation, testing, and deployment of GNC capabilities, while guiding mission success and coordinating with end-users and customers on feature development.

Qualifications

• Strong engineering background in Astrodynamics, Aerospace Engineering, Dynamics and Controls, Computer Science or related field.
• Experience with MATLAB, Simulink, Python, C++, Go, and/or Linux systems.
• Experience operating spacecraft and satellite command/control with emphasis on reliability and uptime.

Responsibilities

• Lead GNC software and hardware subsystems for various spacecraft in multiple orbital regimes.
• Develop software-defined autonomous spacecraft operations with maneuvering capabilities.
• Create test plans to validate the GNC system during ground, in-space, and on-orbit operations.
• Collaborate with Systems, Flight Software, Mission Operations, and Ground Software teams.
• Interact with customers to ensure mission success and translate needs into features.

Skills

MATLAB/Simulink

C/C++

Linux

Orbital mechanics

Tools

FlatSats

HIL Testbeds

Space simulators

Job description

Anduril Industries is a defense technology company with a mission to transform U.S. and allied military capabilities with advanced technology. By bringing the expertise, technology, and business model of the 21st century’s most innovative companies to the defense industry, Anduril is changing how military systems are designed, built and sold. Anduril’s family of systems is powered by Lattice OS, an AI-powered operating system that turns thousands of data streams into a realtime, 3D command and control center. As the world enters an era of strategic competition, Anduril is committed to bringing cutting-edge autonomy, AI, computer vision, sensor fusion, and networking technology to the military in months, not years.

About The Team

In the Space Special Programs team, we build spacecraft and space systems which serve a wide variety of functions in the space architecture. At a time when space superiority can no longer be taken for granted and with space systems proliferating at an incredible rate, the Space Special Programs team provides advanced, mission critical capabilities to our customer base to be able to more effectively operate and survive within this expanding environment with limited personnel. Working across product, engineering, sales, logistics, operations, and mission success, the Space Special Programs team develops, tests, deploys, and operates new, unique, space capabilities to drive mission success in challenging operational environments.

About The Job

As a Sr. GNC (Guidance, Navigation & Control) Engineer for our Space Special Programs team, you own the understanding and design of all satellite GNC subsystems to include but not limited to hardware sensors and actuators, orbit mechanics, navigation algorithms, flight software implementation, subsystem integration & test (I&T), and vehicle I&T. You'll work closely with related teams, including Systems, Flight Software, Mission Operations, and Ground Software. Additionally, you will lead algorithm design, truth and physics modeling, simulation and analysis for a wide variety of spacecraft and space missions to include but not limited to LEO, MEO, GEO, Reentry, and RPOD (Rendezvous Proximity Operations and Docking). Lastly, you will help lead successful implementation, validation and GNC operations of spacecraft.

What You’ll Do

• Lead spacecraft GNC software and hardware subsystems for various spacecraft efforts in all orbital regimes and work closely with bus providers for successful implementation.
• Develop modern, software-defined approaches to autonomous spacecraft operations with maneuvering capabilities to successfully accomplish mission objectives.
• Develop appropriate test plans and procedures to validate the GNC system during ground checkout, on-orbit commissioning and operations.
• Collaborate across multiple teams to plan, build, and test complex functionality.
• Coordinate with end-users, other operators and customers to turn needs into features while balancing user experience with engineering constraints.
• Support challenging schedules during ground testing, launch windows and on-orbit operations of the spacecraft systems.
• Directly interact with customers to ensure mission success.
• Design of flight software, algorithms, and simulation products.
• Development of spacecraft autonomy tools for dynamic space operations
• Test process development and execution.
• Define automated fault detection and responses.
• Provide hardware-in-the-loop and monte-carlo simulation capabilities.

Required Qualifications

• Strong engineering background from industry or school, ideally in areas/fields such as Astrodynamics, Aerospace Engineering, Dynamics and Controls Engineering, Computer Science, or other engineering degree.
• Experience with MATLAB, Simulink, Python, C++, Go, and/or Linux Systems.
• Experience conducting spacecraft operations and satellite command and control with an emphasis on system reliability and uptime.
• Ability to quickly understand and navigate complex systems and detailed requirements.
• Experience with orbital mechanics and resident space object tracking capabilities.
• Experience developing 3-DOF simplified and 6-DOF high-fidelity dynamics simulation models used for GNC systems analysis and validation.
• Familiarity with rendezvous proximity operations and docking, orbital mechanics with propulsive spacecraft, spacecraft attitude determination and controls.
• Strong knowledge of spacecraft dynamics, orbital mechanics, and control theory.
• Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Top Secret security clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• A desire to work on critical software and hardware designs in the space domain.
• Experience testing propulsion subsystems in laboratory environments that mimic the space environmental constraints.
• Experience with testing/validation leveraging FlatSats, Hardware-in-the-Loop testbeds and digital spacecraft simulators through nominal and fault scenarios.
• Experience with computer vision and perception algorithms to support GNC operations.
• Exposure to US satellite operations policy and constraints for relevant mission threads in all orbits.

US Salary Range—$191,000—$254,000 USD

Benefits

The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary offer may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations. Highly competitive equity grants are included in the majority of full time offers; and are considered part of Anduril's total compensation package. Additionally, Anduril offers top-tier benefits for full-time employees, including: At Anduril, we invest in our people. Our comprehensive, competitive benefits package (available at little to no cost to employees) ensures you’re supported in health, recovery, and whatever comes next.