Sr. Space Vehicle Autonomy Engineer

Logos Space; Mountain View (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Logos Space in Mountain View, CA, seeks a Sr. Space Vehicle Autonomy Engineer to lead the onboard beam control software and ensure constellation readiness. You will connect low-level estimation and control with mission requirements, turning vague ideas into flight-ready software.

Ideal candidates have senior GN&C software experience, strong C/C++ Python or Rust/Julia skills, and the ability to work in a fast-moving team employing Agile and DevOps practices.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Aerospace, or STEM fields.
• Senior-level spacecraft GN&C software development experience.
• Experience with attitude estimation and control algorithms like MEKF.
• Proficiency in C, C++, Python, Rust, or Julia.
• Experience with Agile development practices and DevOps workflows.

Responsibilities

• Ownership of external interface between spacecraft and payload GNC data.
• Manage the internal interfaces between payload beam control flight software, mechanically-steered antenna hardware, electronically steerable antennas, and optical intersatellite crosslink terminals.
• Perform detailed attitude determination, control, disturbance rejection, and pointing performance analyses that bridge link budgets with pointing budgets.
• Conduct closed-loop testing using SITL/HITL simulations and FlatSat platforms to validate algorithm function and performance.
• Participate in the full software development lifecycle, including requirements definition, architecture design, coding, and code reviews.
• Provide technical support for mission operations, including anomaly resolution and the development of operational procedures.

Skills

Spacecraft attitude estimation & GNC

Senior GN&C software experience

Problem solving in fast-moving env

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Mechanical/Electrical/Aerospace or STEM

Tools

C/C++

Python

Rust/Julia

MATLAB/Simulink

GMAT/STK

Job description

Logos Space is a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite system purpose-built to serve the connectivity needs of the commercial enterprise users and government users. We will help fill an important gap in the market, providing resilient, high-performance satellite-based connectivity services to enterprise and government customers worldwide. Business customers have contracts with agreed-upon performance standards for their broadband, and Logos will build these capabilities into the system from the beginning. Speed and reliability are the foundation of the system. Logos is designed to extend cloud and data center network connectivity anywhere in the world to fixed, seaborne, and airborne terminals.

Logos is led by a team of highly experienced engineers with proven track records in the networking and satellite industries.

Position Summary, Responsibilities, & Qualifications

Logos is seeking a Sr. Space Vehicle Autonomy Engineer to lead the development of our onboard, real-time beam control system. You will be responsible for designing, developing, integrating and testing the pointing control software that will keep Logos space networking constellation running smoothly. This role connects low-level estimation and control software with high-level mission requirements — motion to mission!

You should be prepared to work and thrive in a fast moving environment where you are comfortable taking vague design ideas and turning them into practical software that is ready to fly. We are seeking engineers who love to solve hard problems

Responsibilities

• Ownership of external interface between spacecraft and payload GNC data

• Manage the internal interfaces between payload beam control flight software, mechanically-steered antenna hardware, electronically steerable antennas, and optical intersatellite crosslink terminals.

• Perform detailed attitude determination, control, disturbance rejection, and pointing performance analyses that bridge connect link budgets with pointing budgets

• Conduct closed-loop testing using software-in-the-loop (SITL) simulations, hardware-in-the-loop (HITL) simulations, and FlatSat platforms to validate algorithm function and performance.

• Participate in the full software development lifecycle, including requirements definition, architecture design, coding, and code reviews.

• Provide technical support for mission operations, including anomaly resolution and the development of operational procedures

Basic Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a STEM field (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math).

• Experience: Senior-level applicants with prior spacecraft/payload GN&C software development experience.

• Technical Proficiency:

  • Experience, knowledge, skill or interest in traditional spacecraft attitude state estimation and control algorithms such as the Multiplicative Extended Kalman Filter (MEKF).

  • Proficiency in C, C++, Python, Rust or Julia

  • Experience with Agile development practices, DevOps and workflow management tools

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a STEM field (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math) with relevant design and analysis work experience for senior level applicants

• Proficiency with simulation tools such as MATLAB/Simulink or Ansys (Analytical Graphics, Inc.) Systems Tool Kit (STK), or GMAT for system modeling.

• Experience developing and validating operational spacecraft Guidance, Navigation and Control (GN&C) systems

• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Security Clearance