Senior Space GNC Engineer — Equity & Impact

True Anomaly, Inc.; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 220,000 - 315,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, vision insurance (100%

Equity participation

Parental leave

PTO/ holidays

Job summary

True Anomaly, Inc. is seeking a senior GNC engineer to own end-to-end development of spacecraft GNC systems for operations in LEO, GEO, and cislunar space.

You will design, implement, test, and validate advanced attitude and orbit determination and control laws, with a focus on robust performance under uncertainties. The role requires 15+ years of hands-on GNC experience, strong C++/Python skills, and the ability to lead cross-disciplinary teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, physics, or related discipline (advanced degree preferred).
• 15+ years of hands-on experience developing and fielding spacecraft GNC systems.
• Strong proficiency in C++ and Python, including software development, numerical methods, and algorithm implementation.
• Deep understanding of spacecraft attitude dynamics, orbital mechanics, environmental perturbations, and actuator/sensor physics.
• Significant experience with estimation and filtering (EKF, UKF, batch least squares), sensor fusion, covariance analysis, and navigation performance assessment.
• Experience designing control laws and performing stability, robustness, and frequency-domain analysis.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain complex high-fidelity simulations and Monte Carlo frameworks.
• Experience testing and integrating GNC algorithms with flight hardware, including star trackers, IMUs, reaction wheels, GN&C avionics, and propulsion components.
• Experience defining subsystem requirements, verification plans, and participating in formal design reviews.
• Ability to lead cross-disciplinary technical efforts and deliver results with minimal direction.
• Strong communication skills and ability to mentor and guide less experienced engineers.
• U.S. Citizen and eligible for DoD Secret or TS/SCI clearance

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end development of spacecraft GNC systems, including architecture definition, algorithm design, software implementation, hardware integration, verification, and flight operations
• Design, test, and validate GNC flight software for spacecraft operating in LEO, GEO, and cislunar environments
• Develop advanced attitude and orbit determination algorithms, including sensor fusion, state estimation, covariance analysis, and Kalman filtering (EKF/UKF/batch)
• Design control laws for attitude control, orbit control, maneuver execution, and closed-loop guidance, ensuring required performance and robustness under uncertainties
• Lead creation and improvement of high-fidelity 6-DOF simulations, sensor/actuator models, disturbance environments, Monte Carlo pipelines, and SIL/HIL integration
• Conduct system-level GNC trade studies and develop recommendations for hardware such as reaction wheels, torque rods, thrusters, star trackers, IMUs, GNSS units, and optical navigation sensors
• Define GNC subsystem requirements, interfaces, calibration procedures, verification/validation plans, and support design reviews (SRR/PDR/CDR)
• Work cross-functionally with avionics, software, propulsion, mechanisms, mission operations, and systems engineering teams to ensure seamless integration of GNC functionality
• Support on-orbit commissioning, calibration, maneuver planning, fault investigation, and anomaly resolution
• Mentor junior engineers, lead design/code reviews, and help establish GNC best practices, tools, and development standards

Skills

C++

Python

GNC

Estimation/Filtering

High-fidelity simulations

Education

B.S. in aerospace/ME/physics

Advanced degree preferred

Tools

SIL/HIL testbeds

RTOS / Embedded

Flight hardware integration

Job description

True Anomaly, Inc. is seeking a senior GNC engineer to own end-to-end development of spacecraft GNC systems for operations in LEO, GEO, and cislunar space.

You will design, implement, test, and validate advanced attitude and orbit determination and control laws, with a focus on robust performance under uncertainties. The role requires 15+ years of hands-on GNC experience, strong C++/Python skills, and the ability to lead cross-disciplinary teams.