Senior GNC Orbit Controls Engineer - Precision Navigation

Xona Space; Burlingame (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Xona Space is seeking a Sr. GNC Orbit Controls Engineer in Burlingame, CA to design and implement onboard software for orbit determination, guidance, maneuver execution, and post-maneuver analysis.

You will work on RAAN/LTAN control, open/closed-loop strategies, and high-fidelity sims to ensure precise, safe station-keeping and disposal of spacecraft. The role requires deep knowledge of orbital mechanics, onboard propagators and navigation pipelines using EKF/UKF with GNSS.

Qualifications

• Strong background in orbital mechanics and simulation; onboard propagators with perturbation models.
• Production-grade guidance/control/navigation software in C/C++ and MATLAB/Simulink for analysis.
• Experience validating RAAN/LTAN control strategies in high-fidelity sims or flight.
• Experience reconciling plan vs truth with post-burn estimation.
• Comfort with ADCS and propulsion interfaces for burn pointing and momentum management.

Responsibilities

• Develop open-loop and closed-loop controllers for RAAN and LTAN control, altitude management and station-keeping.
• Implement onboard orbit propagators and select integrators; ensure consistency with ground truth.
• Build orbit determination pipelines using EKF/UKF with GNSS; manage navigation readiness and covariance gating.
• Design burns and long-arc trajectories; optimize delta V and timelines under constraints.
• Plan electric-propulsion long burns; generate throttle profiles and manage power/thermal constraints.
• Coordinate burn pointing and wheel momentum strategy with ADCS.
• Maintain MATLAB and C++ simulators; run Monte Carlo campaigns; perform post-maneuver reconstruction.

Skills

Orbital mechanics

C/C++ development

MATLAB/Simulink

Education

Master’s or Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering

Tools

Embedded RTOS/Embedded Linux

Trajectory design tools

Job description

Xona Space is seeking a Sr. GNC Orbit Controls Engineer in Burlingame, CA to design and implement onboard software for orbit determination, guidance, maneuver execution, and post-maneuver analysis.

You will work on RAAN/LTAN control, open/closed-loop strategies, and high-fidelity sims to ensure precise, safe station-keeping and disposal of spacecraft. The role requires deep knowledge of orbital mechanics, onboard propagators and navigation pipelines using EKF/UKF with GNSS.