Sr. GNC Orbit Controls Engineer

Xona; Burlingame (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Xona is seeking a Sr. GNC Orbit Controls Engineer in California to design algorithms for orbit determination and maneuver execution. You'll develop closed-loop controllers, validate orbit determination pipelines using EKF/UKF, and manage electric propulsion. Ideal candidates will have strong skills in orbital mechanics and experience in C/C++ software development. A Master’s or Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering or a related field is required. Join us in creating cutting-edge navigation technology.

Qualifications

• Strong in orbital mechanics and simulation, implemented onboard propagators.
• Built production guidance, control, or navigation software in C and C++.
• Designed RAAN and LTAN control strategies in open-loop and closed-loop forms.
• Executed or supported real maneuvers, reconciling plan versus truth.
• Comfortable at the ADCS and propulsion interface for burn pointing.

Responsibilities

• Develop controllers for RAAN and LTAN control, altitude management, and station-keeping.
• Implement onboard orbit propagators and ensure numerical consistency.
• Build and validate orbit determination pipelines.
• Design burns and optimize delta V and timelines.
• Plan and execute electric-propulsion long burns.

Skills

Orbital mechanics

C/C++ software development

MATLAB and Simulink

Guidance and control strategies

Education

Master’s or Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering or related field

Job description

Xona is the navigational intelligence company bringing real-time, centimeter-level certainty to any device, anywhere on Earth. With Pulsar – the world’s most advanced PNT satellite infrastructure in Low Earth Orbit – Xona will offer a future-proof, backwards-compatible global positioning system optimized for absolute precision, superior power, and robust protection. We’re looking for a Sr. GNC Orbit Controls Engineer to design and implement the algorithms and onboard software that handle orbit determination, guidance, maneuver execution, and post-maneuver analysis to deliver safe, efficient, and highly automated station‑keeping and disposal. We’re building the software that keeps our spacecraft exactly where they need to be.

What You’ll Do

• Develop open-loop and closed-loop controllers for RAAN and LTAN control, altitude management, station‑keeping, and end-of-life disposal
• Implement and maintain onboard orbit propagators, select and validate integrators, and ensure numerical consistency with ground truth
• Build and validate orbit determination pipelines using EKF or UKF with GNSS, and manage navigation readiness and covariance gating for maneuvers
• Design burns and long-arc trajectories, and optimize delta V and timelines under comm visibility, power and thermal, and operations constraints
• Plan and execute electric‑propulsion long burns, including throttle profile generation, power and duty‑cycle scheduling, thermal considerations, ignition and re‑ignition logic, progress monitoring, and correction strategies
• Coordinate burn pointing and wheel momentum strategy with ADCS
• Maintain numerically consistent MATLAB and C++ simulators, create Monte Carlo campaigns, run SIL and HIL tests, and perform post‑maneuver reconstruction

Required Qualifications

• Strong in orbital mechanics and simulation and have implemented onboard propagators with perturbation models and integrators on flight targets
• Built production guidance, control, or navigation software in C and C++, and use MATLAB and Simulink for analysis, modeling, and test-vector generation
• Designed RAAN and LTAN control strategies in open-loop and closed-loop forms and validated them in high-fidelity sims or flight
• Executed or supported real maneuvers and can reconcile plan versus truth with post-burn estimation
• Comfortable at the ADCS and propulsion interface for burn pointing and momentum management

Desired Qualifications

• Master’s or Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, Control Systems, Applied Physics, or a related field
• Hands‑on electric propulsion experience including thrust modeling and calibration, long-burn guidance, duty-cycle planning, and thermal constraints
• Experience with orbit propagation algorithms
• Trajectory design and optimization expertise
• Emphasis on code quality and reliability with unit and integration testing, SIL and HIL, and experience on embedded RTOS or embedded Linux targets
• Familiarity with CCSDS ephemeris and attitude formats

For U.S. Roles

To comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the United States (i.e. Green Card holder), or other protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).

For U.K. Roles

To comply with U.K. regulations, this role requires Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks, and successful candidates must be eligible to obtain UK Security Clearance (SC).

For Canada Roles

Successful candidates must obtain and hold a security clearance at the reliability status level, and pass security assessment for the Canadian Controlled Goods Program (CGP) and ITAR.

We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.