As a Principal GNC engineer, you will be a core driver of the overall spacecraft GNC architecture. You will execute detailed trade studies to find new and novel ways to implement the spacecraft’s guidance, attitude control, and attitude and orbit estimation systems. You will anticipate company needs and stand-up infrastructure to support the core and future business
In the first 3 months, you will own and execute the Verification and Validation plan for the GNC stack, driving the system to flight readiness via a robust and thorough analysis of vehicle performance in both nominal and off nominal environments. This push for flight readiness will motivate thorough analysis, leading to updates to both the GNC stack and the K2 6-DOF simulation. The expectation is that all GNC team members commit code to the 6-DOF sim as well as owning a portion of the GNC flight software
In the first 6 months, you will support launch and on orbit operations of the first full demonstration of the K2 spacecraft bus – the Mega. In parallel, you will scope and support the block 2 upgrades of the GNC stack and 6-DOF sim, taking lessons learned from on orbit operations to increase the fidelity of the simulation and the vehicle performance of the GNC stack
In the first year, you will own the planning and development of future tooling to support GNC in defining vehicle level capabilities, especially for future missions. This includes mission design, precision pointing and controls analysis, constellation development, and 6-DOF simulation development
Work with other engineering leads to set the direction and develop novel vehicle architecture
Develop novel algorithms for precise pointing of very large, flexible structures in earth orbit and beyond
Develop novel slewing algorithms of very large, flexible structures in earth orbit and beyond
Develop simulation and modeling tools to support vehicle and GNC trade studies. This includes mission design, controls analysis, and 6-DOF simulation development
Integral to building the GNC organization by recruiting, hiring, and mentoring other engineers