Staff GNC Engineer - Real-Time Spacecraft State Estimation

Inversionspace; California (MO); On-site; USD 161,000 - 221,000; Full time

Job summary

Inversion's Playa Vista, CA headquarters seeks a Staff GNC Engineer (State Estimation) to deliver accurate external perception for our spaceflight systems and to develop estimation/tracking algorithms for aerospace vehicles, including cooperative and non-cooperative objects observed via sensors.

Ideal candidates will have deep expertise in probabilistic prediction, neural networks, and real-time flight software integration, with strong written and verbal communication.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Robotics, or related field
• 9+ years of experience developing and testing estimation, tracking, or GNC algorithms
• Experience with behavior or trajectory prediction for autonomous vehicles or multi-agent domains
• Experience with modern deep learning frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, JAX) and the infrastructure to train models at scale
• Experience estimating and tracking the state of dynamic objects from noisy, intermittent, or limited sensor data
• Experience training and implementing neural networks for prediction, tracking, or related applications
• Solid grasp of classical mechanics, dynamics, and rigid body motion
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, MATLAB, or C++ for simulation and analysis
• Demonstrated excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Capable of working in a dynamic, fast-paced startup environment

Responsibilities

• Develop state estimation and tracking algorithms for aerospace systems external to the vehicle, spanning cooperative platforms and non-cooperative objects observed only through onboard sensor measurements
• Model and predict the behavior of external systems, including maneuvering objects with uncertain intent
• Train, validate, and deploy neural network models for trajectory and behavior prediction, and integrate them alongside classical filtering approaches
• Develop probabilistic representations of external-object state and intent that downstream guidance and planning functions can consume
• Build the metrics, tooling, and datasets needed to quantify estimation and prediction error and drive systematic improvement
• Integrate estimation and prediction algorithms into 3-DOF and 6-DOF simulation and carry them through real-time flight software
• Work closely with the guidance, sensors, and simulation teams to close vehicle-level performance

Skills

State estimation

GNC algorithms

Trajectory prediction

PyTorch

JAX

Python

MATLAB

C++

Verbal and written communication

Startup environment

Education

Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Robotics, or related field

Master's or PhD in related field

Tools

PyTorch

JAX

Job description

Inversion's Playa Vista, CA headquarters seeks a Staff GNC Engineer (State Estimation) to deliver accurate external perception for our spaceflight systems and to develop estimation/tracking algorithms for aerospace vehicles, including cooperative and non-cooperative objects observed via sensors.

Ideal candidates will have deep expertise in probabilistic prediction, neural networks, and real-time flight software integration, with strong written and verbal communication.