Software Engineer: State Estimation & Prediction

Lodestar Space; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Meaningful equity incentives

Flexible PTO

Comprehensive medical, dental & vision coverage

401(k) retirement plan with company match

Job summary

Lodestar Space, based in Los Angeles, is seeking a Software Engineer specializing in State Estimation & Prediction. You will lead the development of state estimation models crucial for their flagship product, MITHRIL. The role focuses on developing algorithms that leverage machine learning for tracking and predicting dynamic targets.

Candidates should hold a degree in a relevant field and have experience with C++, Python, and state estimation techniques. The position offers a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits including equity incentives and medical coverage.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of experience in state estimation, aerospace, robotics, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience with Kalman filters, particle filters, and Bayesian inference.
• Familiarity with trajectory modeling, multi-body dynamics, or orbital mechanics.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement state estimation and prediction architecture for autonomous spacecraft operations.
• Develop classical and neural estimators to track current state and trajectory.
• Integrate models into mission simulation environments and autonomy decision systems.

Skills

C++

Python

Probabilistic state estimation

Machine learning

Deep learning frameworks

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Aerospace, Robotics, Applied Mathematics

Tools

PyTorch

TensorFlow

Linux

Git

Docker

Kubernetes

Job description

About Lodestar

Lodestar's mission is to develop the first "Protect and Defend" capability for high-value space assets in orbit. Our flagship product MITHRIL is our hardware‑agnostic, AI‑enabled autonomy software suite that enables us to augment any off‑the‑shelf spacecraft with the ability to autonomously detect, characterise, and reversibly neutralise orbital threats. By building on the proven space heritage of our best‑in‑class satellite‑bus partners and fully integrating MITHRIL into a single unified platform, we deliver an end‑to‑end, autonomous in‑space bodyguarding service.

About the Job

At Lodestar, as a Software Engineer: State Estimation & Prediction, you’ll be leading the development of our state estimation and prediction models at the core of Lodestar’s flagship product, MITHRIL. You’ll be focusing on researching and developing algorithms that fuse probabilistic estimation with machine learning to track targets, predict trajectories and assess intent. We proudly have an "extreme ownership" oriented engineering culture.

What You’ll Do

• Design and implement Lodestar’s core state estimation and prediction architecture for autonomous spacecraft operations
• Research and implement novel estimation and prediction algorithms – everything from literature review, through training and tuning, to optimisation and deployment
• Develop classical and neural estimators to track the current state and trajectory of multiple dynamic targets in real time
• Create neural models to forecast future trajectories and behavioral patterns of targets
• Implement intent inference models to identify actions and dynamically rank threat levels
• Integrate state estimation and prediction models into mission simulation environments and autonomy decision systems
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams including perception and on‑board autonomy to ensure prediction fidelity, robustness, and scalability across missions

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Aerospace, Robotics, Applied Mathematics, a related field, or equivalent experience
• 2+ years of distinguished industry experience in state estimation, aerospace, robotics, or a related field
• Strong proficiency in C++ and Python
• Demonstrated experience with probabilistic state estimation (Kalman filters, particle filters, Bayesian inference)
• Experience with deep learning frameworks (PyTorch, TensorFlow) for sequence modeling (seq2seq, RNNs, LSTMs, Transformers)
• Familiarity with trajectory modeling, multi‑body dynamics, or orbital mechanics

Preferred Skills & Experience

• Track record implementing state estimation pipelines in real‑time or safety‑critical systems
• Experience deploying sequence‑to‑sequence models for forecasting in dynamic environments
• Familiarity with sensor fusion techniques (e.g., combining radar, optical, and inertial data)
• Proficiency with GPU acceleration (CUDA, TensorRT) for neural network training and inference
• Experience with Linux, Git, and CI/CD pipelines
• Comfortable with containerization tools such as Docker and Kubernetes
• Familiarity with real‑time systems, multi‑threading, and performance optimization
• Strong understanding of networking and communication protocols for distributed autonomy systems

ITAR Requirements

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.

Compensation & Benefits

• Pay Range:
  • (E1) Junior Software Engineer: $120,000 - $140,000 / year
  • (E2) Software Engineer: $135,000 - $170,000 / year
  • (E3) Senior Software Engineer: Competitive
• Meaningful equity incentives as part of our employee option pool
• Flexible PTO with generous paid vacation, holidays, and sick leave
• Comprehensive medical, dental & vision coverage
• 401(k) retirement plan with company match
• LA

Additional Information

Compensation bands are determined by role, level, location, and alignment with market data. Individual level and base pay is determined on a case‑by‑case basis and may vary based on job‑related skills, education, experience, technical capabilities and internal equity. In addition to base salary, for full‑time hires, you may also be eligible for long‑term incentives, in the form of stock options, and access to medical, vision and dental coverage, as well as access to a 401(k) retirement plan.

Lodestar is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Lodestar is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.