Spacecraft GNC Engineer II

Firefly Aerospace, Inc.

Cedar Park (TX)

On-site

USD 120,000 - 170,000

Full time

8 hours ago

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Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, and vision plans

Parental leave

Educational reimbursement

Short-term disability

Flexible PTO options

Job summary

Firefly Aerospace, Inc. seeks an experienced Spacecraft GNC Engineer to design, validate, and operate GNC software for mission success. You will develop flight software, perform simulations, and support operations while expanding core GNC capabilities across multiple spacecraft.

The role emphasizes real-time control, state estimation, and sensor modeling using Python and C++, with ITAR compliance required and collaboration across engineering teams to deliver reliable space systems.

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering or related field.
2-5 years of professional experience in spacecraft GNC.
Understanding of spacecraft orbital mechanics and attitude dynamics.
Experience with Python and C++ in real-time/flight-critical apps.
Familiarity with Git, CI/CD, and testing.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
U.S. citizen or eligible for ITAR compliance.

Responsibilities

Develop and validate GNC software for spacecraft missions.
Tune and configure GNC algorithms for all flight phases.
Perform 6DOF simulation analysis of flight profiles.
Maintain simulation models for sensors and actuators.
Create tools to automate workflows and report generation.
Conduct stability analyses and hardware-in-the-loop testing.
Interface with cross-discipline teams to integrate GNC software.
Serve as GNC console operator for operations and post-mission analysis.
Document technical analyses for diverse audiences.
Contribute to continuous improvement of GNC processes.

Skills

GNC software

6DOF simulation

Python

C++

Linux

Git

State estimation

Sensor modeling

Kalman filtering

CI/CD

Real-time systems

Education

Bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering or related field

Tools

Linux development environment

Python tooling

Job description

At Firefly, we’re focused on making space attainable for everyone – including you! Each team member’s passion, dedication, and innovative ideas have a direct impact on fueling our successful trajectory into space. And there’s no shortage of meaningful projects to work on at Firefly. With launch, lunar, and orbital vehicles, Firefly has a diverse line of business with opportunities to get hands‑on experience launching rockets, operating in space, and landing on the Moon.

What does SciTec bring to the Firefly family?
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Our Values

Headquartered in the Lone Star State, Firefly’s hardworking team reflects Texas’ GO BIG culture in everything we do. We build big, achieve big, and dream big. We’re building launch vehicles and spacecraft to provide rapid, reliable space access. We’ve achieved some incredible wins, including the first successful commercial Moon landing. And we’re dreaming bigger than this planet with ambitions to Mars, Venus, and beyond. Our core values are what drive us along the way.

Passion

Fireflies believe in perseverance, responsiveness, and mentoring others with a focus on inspiring a better future.

Accountability

Fireflies act with integrity and take ownership of our actions, commitments, decisions, and outcomes.

Fireflies work in alignment across teams and communicate clearly with mutual respect for one another.

Fireflies deliver high-quality work through technical rigor and timely disciplined execution for our customers.

We take care of our Fireflies with some of the best benefits in the industry. Our mission to make space for everyone starts with our employees and allowing them to make space for their family, their career, and their future.

Space for You

Unlimited PTO for exempt employees
3-month sabbatical for every 5 years of service
Medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance
Mental health services
Paid military leave

Space for Your Family

12 weeks paid maternity leave
4 weeks paid spouse leave
$20k towards family planning: fertility, surrogacy, adoption
Dog friendly workplace

Space for Your Career

$10k/year towards trade school or college
Ongoing coaching to advance leadership skills
- Employee-ownership with stock bonuses
- 4% Safe Harbor 401(k) matching
- $10k bonus for home purchase in Cedar Park, Texas

Job Openings

From launch technicians to propulsion engineers, Firefly has open roles across the company. We’re looking for passionate, bright innovators to join our team and help make space an achievable dream for everyone.

Firefly Aerospace is a space and defense technology company that enables our world to launch, land, and operate in space – anywhere, anytime. As the partner of choice for critical space missions, Firefly is the only commercial company to launch a satellite to orbit with 24-hour notice and the only company to achieve a successful Moon landing. Our launch vehicles, lunar landers, and orbital vehicles provide government and commercial customers with full mission services from low Earth orbit to the Moon and beyond. Headquartered in north Austin, Texas, Firefly is looking for passionate, hardworking innovators to join our team and help fuel our successful trajectory into space.

ABOUT

Firefly Aerospace is a space and defense technology company on a mission to reliably and repeatedly launch, land, and operate space systems from Earth to the Moon and beyond. As the partner of choice for critical space missions, Firefly is the first commercial company to launch a satellite to orbit with 24-hour notice and the first company to achieve a successful Moon landing. Headquartered in north Austin, Texas, Firefly is looking for passionate, hardworking innovators to join our team and help fuel our successful trajectory into space.

SUMMARY

As a Spacecraft GNC Engineer at Firefly, you will design, analyze, and operate the GNC systems of operational spacecraft. In this role, you will develop GNC flight and simulation software, perform analyses, and support mission operations while continuing to build breadth across core GNC competencies. This position offers hands‑on experience with spacecraft attitude determination and control systems, onboard navigation, sensor and actuator modeling, and real‑time mission operations across multiple spacecraft. You will deepen your technical capabilities and refine your desired career trajectory, taking ownership of system elements and software tools as you grow toward a senior GNC role at Firefly.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Develop and validate GNC software to ensure successful spacecraft mission execution
Tune and configure GNC algorithms for all phases of spacecraft flight
Perform 6DOF simulation analysis of nominal and dispersed flight profiles
Develop and maintain simulation models for sensors, actuators, and environmental effects
Create tools to automate workflows, process simulation and flight data, and generate technical reports
Conduct stability analysis, sensitivity studies, and hardware-in-the-loop testing of GNC under nominal and off-nominal conditions
Interface with cross-discipline teams to integrate GNC software with spacecraft hardware
Serve as a GNC console operator for spacecraft operations and perform post-mission analysis to improve spacecraft models
Author technical documentation and analysis reports that communicate GNC concepts and results to diverse audiences
Build proficiency across core GNC competencies while contributing to continuous improvement of GNC processes and tools

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

Bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, physics, mathematics, computer science, or related field
2-5 years of professional experience in spacecraft guidance, navigation, and control, or related technical discipline
Understanding of spacecraft orbital mechanics, spacecraft dynamics, state estimation, attitude dynamics, and sensor modeling
Familiarity with numerical simulation techniques, integration methods, and modeling of dynamic systems
Experience with Python for scripting, data analysis, and visualization
Experience with C++ for real-time or flight‑critical applications
Understanding of software development best practices including version control (Git), code documentation, and testing
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Advanced degree (master's or PhD) in aerospace engineering or related field with focus on GNC
Experience supporting spacecraft GNC across development, integration, and mission operations
Proficiency in C++ for embedded systems or real‑time applications
Knowledge of state estimation techniques including Kalman filtering, sensor fusion, and covariance analysis
Knowledge of numerical optimization and targeting methods applied to attitude and translational control design
Familiarity with modern flight software frameworks and real‑time operating systems
Familiarity with CI/CD workflows and automated testing practices
Experience with Linux development environments and command‑line tools
Exposure to spaceflight mission operations or spacecraft commissioning

Firefly offers outstanding benefits for our employees, including generous health, dental and vision plans with low plan deductibles, parental leave, educational reimbursement, short term disability, and flexible PTO options.

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.

Firefly Aerospace, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Firefly is governed based on 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

Primary Level Salary Range:

Firefly offers outstanding benefits for our employees, including generous health, dental and vision plans with low plan deductibles, parental leave, relocation benefits, educational reimbursement, short term disability, and flexible PTO options.

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

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