Sr. Navigation Engineer (8-12 yrs)

Advanced Space; Westminster (MD); Hybrid; USD 132,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Signing bonus

Quarterly bonuses

Health insurance

401K plan

Flexible time off

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Advanced Space is seeking a Sr. Navigation Engineer in Westminster, CO to lead spacecraft navigation across mission phases and develop advanced Kalman-filter approaches for complex regimes. You will mentor junior engineers, drive navigation improvements, and support BD/IRAD through innovative concepts.

Ideal candidates bring 8–12 years in navigation or flight dynamics, a Bachelor's in a relevant field, and hands-on use of MONTE, FreeFlyer, ODTK, GMAT, and STK in flight-like settings. U.S.

Qualifications

• 8–12 years of professional experience in spacecraft navigation or related flight dynamics roles.
• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related field.
• Leadership of OD campaigns or major navigation tasks, including filter setup and tracking strategies.
• Experience designing Kalman filters for multiple dynamical regimes and tracking configurations.
• Proven use of navigation/astrodynamics tools in flight or flight-like contexts.

Responsibilities

• Lead spacecraft navigation for all mission phases including formulation, tracking architecture, estimation, and operations.
• Develop and validate Kalman filter configurations for complex regimes (multi-body, low-thrust, weak observability).
• Serve as primary navigation lead for flight operations prep, console support, and anomaly response.
• Architect navigation solutions considering mission design, GNC, comms, and ground constraints.
• Own navigation products for reviews and communicate performance, trades, and risks.
• Mentor junior navigation engineers in OD, filter design, and operations.

Skills

Kalman filters

Leadership

Navigation experience

OD campaigns

Flight dynamics

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering

Tools

MONTE

FreeFlyer

ODTK

GMAT

STK

Job description

The team at Advanced Space is leading humanity back to the Moon and pioneering innovative solutions in the space industry. Based in Westminster, Colorado, this incredible team is looking for a Sr. Navigation Engineer with 8-12 years of experience who’s eager to push the state of the art in spacecraft navigation technology.

This position is responsible for leading development efforts, supporting a technically diverse team, and conducting detailed analyses of navigation technology and missions. The ideal candidate will be an experienced professional who can drive innovation, mentor junior engineers, and support spaceflight operations. This role will be based in Westminster, Colorado, and the ideal candidate will have a passion for the exploration, development, and settlement of space.

This position is open to U.S. Persons only (U.S. citizens, or lawful permanent residents), as required by applicable laws and regulations.

THE FOLLOWING ACTIVE SECURITY CLEARANCE is desired but not required - TS/SCI IS PREFERRED

We do not provide visa sponsorship or support work authorization for this role. Candidates must be authorized to work in the U.S. without the need for current or future sponsorship.

Responsibilities

• Lead spacecraft navigation for all mission phases, including formulation, tracking architecture development, estimation approach, and operations.
• Develop and validate advanced Kalman filter configurations for complex regimes (multi-body, low-thrust, weak observability).
• Serve as primary navigation lead for flight operations operations prep, including console support, real-time OD, and anomaly response.
• Architect navigation solutions that account for mission design, GNC, communications, and ground system constraints.
• Own navigation products for major reviews, clearly communicating performance, trades, and risks.
• Mentor junior navigation engineers in OD, filter design, measurement modeling, and operations best practices.
• Drive improvements to navigation procedures, tool setups, and standard operating practices.
• Support BD and IRAD by shaping navigation concepts, contributing to proposals, and defining new mission and capability concepts.

Required Qualifications

• 8-12 years of professional experience in spacecraft navigation, orbit determination, or closely related flight dynamics roles.
• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related field.
• Demonstrated leadership of OD campaigns or major navigation tasks, including filter setup, force models, and tracking strategies.
• Proven ability to design and adapt Kalman filters for new dynamical and tracking regimes, including dynamic, bias, stochastic, and consider parameters.
• Significant experience with navigation/astrodynamics tools (e.g., MONTE, FreeFlyer, ODTK, GMAT, STK) in flight or flight-like applications.
• Strong navigation operations experience, including nav operator training/certification or equivalent console and contingency support.
• Ability to act as primary navigation point of contact, interacting with vendors and partners, driving requirements, owning verification/validation, and conducting system-level trades.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, with a record of leading technical presentations and navigation analysis reports.
• US. Person (U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident), able to work on-site in Westminster, CO.

Desired Qualifications

• Master’s or PhD with emphasis on Kalman filters, state estimation, or astrodynamics
• Experience leading navigation support for maneuver planning and execution, including tracking schedule design and mission design trades.
• Expertise across multiple measurement types (radiometric, GPS, optical, angles-only) and in designing measurement configurations.
• Experience integrating navigation into system requirements, CONOPS, and ICDs, and leading navigation verification and reporting.
• Demonstrated use of the MONTE astrodynamics toolkit
• Leadership of navigation-related IRAD or proposal sections, shaping IRAD concepts and navigation win themes.
• Familiarity with cislunar and deep-space navigation challenges, including three-body regimes, timing/clock issues, and tracking network limitations.
• Familiarity with multi-spacecraft mission concepts
• Active TS/SCI or prior clearance preferred.

Compensation and Benefits

• Base Salary Range: $132,000 - $174,900 based on role, experience, and location
• Signing bonus
• Quarterly performance bonuses
• Company-provided health insurance and 401K plan upon eligibility
• Flexible time off policy
• Relocation assistance

Eligibility requirements

• This is an IMMEDIATE hiring need.
• Applicants must be a U.S. Person (citizen or Green Card Holder/permanent resident, or protected individual)
• Advanced Space values the power of collaboration and in-person interactions. As such, our team enjoys the option of hybrid work with at least three days a week in person.

About the company:

Advanced Space exists to enable the sustainable exploration, development, and settlement of space through software and services that leverage unique subject matter expertise. The company is actively supporting mission and cutting-edge capabilities spanning commercial, civil, and national security customers. Our core business is focused on three areas: (1) mission enabling services, (2) technology solutions and (3) mission solutions. Through its mission enabling services, Advanced Space provides mission and flight optimization, mission design, mission systems engineering. With its technology solutions Advanced Space provides its customers with trusted AI/ML/autonomy expertise, flight-demonstrated applications, and analysis at scale. Advanced Space offers Mission Solutions with unique turn‑key missions, data and capabilities purchases and demonstrated cislunar and Martian success. Advanced Space is mission focused as the owner and operator of CAPSTONE for NASA and Prime contractor for Oracle for AFRL.

These competencies are leveraged by a dynamic, flexible, and agile team with cross domain knowledge. We have a small but growing team that works collaboratively across projects. We provide flexibility, and an opportunity for passionate employees to contribute directly to meaningful projects. Trusted to take on the challenge, the team at Advanced Space is Delivering Innovation to Orbit to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

Advanced Space, LLC is an equal opportunity employer. Advanced Space, LLC recruits, employs, trains, compensates and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, veteran status, and other protected status as required by applicable law.