Senior GNC & Mission Design Engineer

General Galactic; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 95,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, vision, dental

PTO

401k

Stock options

Job summary

General Galactic in Los Angeles is seeking a Senior GNC + Mission Design Engineer to help design and control advanced spacecraft missions. This senior role involves building simulations, owning GNC solutions, and collaborating on mission design.

The ideal candidate will have over 4 years of experience in GNC and mission design, strong expertise in Python and MATLAB, and a BS in aerospace engineering or related fields. Competitive benefits are offered, including stock options and 401k.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of experience in GNC, mission design, flight dynamics, astrodynamics, controls.
• Experience in a fast‑paced startup environment, strong ownership.
• Strong fundamentals in orbital mechanics and dynamics.

Responsibilities

• Build analytical tools and simulations for mission feasibility.
• Own GNC analyses and performance estimates for spacecraft.
• Collaborate with flight software engineers for algorithm integration.

Skills

GNC (Guidance, Navigation, and Control)

Mission design

Flight dynamics

Python

MATLAB

Robustness analysis

Education

BS in aerospace engineering, controls engineering, or a related technical field

Tools

Simulink

STK

Monte Carlo frameworks

Job description

General Galactic designs, builds, and flies advanced spacecraft that redefine what’s possible beyond Earth. Led by former SpaceX, Varda, Impulse, and Relativity engineers, our vision is to dominate cislunar space and build the railway to Mars – expanding access to high-energy orbits and enabling the next generation of missions along the way. Based in Los Angeles, California, we’re leveraging our paradigm-shifting water-based technology to reshape the space domain for good.

Job Description

Ever wondered what it’s like to design and control a mission with the most performant multi-mode propulsion system ever built onboard? As Senior GNC + Mission Design Engineer, you will answer and execute on this question. Working closely with the founders and a focused technical team, you will own GNC solutions and mission design assessments for our vehicle and mission suite, including Seldon and Dreadnought spacecraft vehicles. You’ll have extreme ownership over your work, move quickly, and operate with high agency. As we grow, there will be opportunities to expand your role with the company.

This is a senior technical role for someone who can operate across both spacecraft GNC and orbital mission architecture. The ideal candidate will contribute across ADCS, maneuver planning, mission design, flight algorithm integration, and mission operations planning. You will also work closely with the business development team to assess customer missions and translate opportunities into technical concepts and requirements.

Responsibilities

• Build practical analytical tools, simulations, spreadsheets, and Python/MATLAB models to evaluate mission feasibility, requirements, timelines, etc
• Own GNC analyses, algorithms, simulations, and operating modes for General Galactic spacecraft and missions
• Support business development by rapidly assessing customer mission concepts, producing credible mission architectures, evaluating technical feasibility, and generating proposal‑ready performance estimates
• Collaborate with flight software engineers to integrate GNC algorithms
• Conduct Monte Carlo analysis and robustness analysis for mission plans and GNC algorithms
• Review flight data, test data, and simulation results to identify anomalies, validate models, and improve vehicle and mission performance
• Own attitude determination and control (ADCS) development and make vs buy trades
• Own mission/trajectory design and maneuver planning, including ΔV budgeting and mission conops

Requirements

• BS in aerospace engineering, controls engineering, or a related technical field
• 4+ years of experience in GNC, mission design, flight dynamics, astrodynamics, controls, etc
• Experience with Python, MATLAB, Simulink, STK/ODTK/GMAT, FreeFlyer, Basilisk, Monte Carlo frameworks, or similar environments
• Experience in a fast‑paced startup environment or similar. High agency, strong ownership, and willingness to work hands‑on across disciplines
• First‑principles approach to problem solving even with incomplete or partial information
• Strong fundamentals in orbital mechanics, dynamics, state estimation, controls, propulsion‑enabled maneuvering, and mission analysis

Benefits

Benefits include medical/vision/dental/PTO/401k/stock options, and more!

This position requires access to information protected under US export control laws, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations and/or the Export Administration Regulations. As such, US person status (including US citizens, U.S. permanent residents, individuals granted U.S. asylum status, or individuals admitted in U.S. refugee status) is a required qualification for this position.

General Galactic Technologies Corporation provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.