Senior Space Navigation Engineer — Vision/SLAM Lead

Katalyst Space; Broomfield (CO); On-site; USD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Long-term incentives

Relocation bonus

Medical coverage

Vision coverage

Dental coverage

Unlimited PTO

Job summary

Katalyst Space is seeking a seasoned Navigation/Computer Vision engineer to architect vision-based navigation for autonomous space missions in Colorado. You will define pose estimation, sensor fusion, and perception pipelines, integrating cameras with the GNC stack and validating in both real and simulated settings.

Ideal candidates bring 5+ years in navigation or CV, proficiency in Python/C++, and hands-on experience with ROS/OpenCV.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or higher in Aerospace, Robotics, Computer Vision, or related field.
• 5+ years in navigation, state estimation, or computer vision systems.
• Strong experience with computer vision techniques (SLAM, visual odometry, feature detection).
• Proficiency in Python and/or C++ for algorithm development.
• Experience deploying algorithms to real-world or flight-like systems.
• Proven ability to lead technical projects from concept to deployment.
• Experience with space-based navigation (RPOD, planetary landing, SSA/SDA).
• Familiarity with multi-sensor fusion (IMU, cameras, LiDAR, etc.).
• Experience with OpenCV, ROS, or similar frameworks.
• Understanding of spacecraft dynamics and GNC systems.
• Experience with simulation tools and synthetic data generation.
• Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Responsibilities

• Architect vision-based navigation systems for autonomous space missions.
• Define and evaluate algorithms for pose estimation, feature tracking, and sensor fusion.
• Build prototype CV pipelines for onboard and simulation environments.
• Lead integration of camera systems with GNC stack.
• Deliver a vision-based navigation architecture for SDA/RPOD missions.
• Develop and validate perception algorithms using synthetic and real datasets.
• Stand up simulation environments for camera modeling and scene generation.
• Drive integration and testing of navigation solutions within full system.

Skills

Python

C++

Vision algorithms

SLAM

Multi-sensor fusion

ROS

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s or higher in Aerospace, Robotics, Computer Vision, or related field

Tools

OpenCV

GNC systems

Job description

Katalyst Space is seeking a seasoned Navigation/Computer Vision engineer to architect vision-based navigation for autonomous space missions in Colorado. You will define pose estimation, sensor fusion, and perception pipelines, integrating cameras with the GNC stack and validating in both real and simulated settings.

Ideal candidates bring 5+ years in navigation or CV, proficiency in Python/C++, and hands-on experience with ROS/OpenCV.