GNC Engineer, ADCS (Starlink)

SpaceX•Redmond, WA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

SpaceX is looking for engineers with backgrounds in orbital mechanics, control theory, state estimation, spacecraft systems design, optimization, physics, and software development to join the Starlink guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) team. Come help us write the autopilot algorithms for thousands of satellites (the world's largest constellation!) and more than two million user terminals, enabling access to high-speed broadband internet in all corners of the world. As a Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) engineer on Starlink’s attitude determination and control systems (ADCS) team, you will be responsible for the software automation, operations, and system level design which keeps the satellites and their payloads properly oriented for the entire mission lifetime.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in computer science, aerospace, physics or an engineering discipline
Software development experience in either C++ or Python

Nice To Haves

Master's degree or PHD in an engineering discipline or physics
Developed, debugged and deployed software that has been used in real world applications/projects
Creative approach to problem solving, exceptional analytical skills and engineering fundamentals
Cradle to grave development of three axis stabilized spacecraft incorporating momentum, magnetic, and propulsive control
Strong understanding of orbital mechanics, including low thrust trajectory optimization and stationkeeping
Experience in verifying GNC algorithm performance via simulation, and validation of the simulation's models
Experience with state estimation, particularly attitude determination, orbit determination, GNSS, and radio navigation
General familiarity with the disciplines necessary for spacecraft flight including; structures, propulsion, avionics, GNC, flight software, dynamics, launch and mission operations, and integration. Practical experience in real world development of these systems is highly desired
Capable of identifying and solving complex problems with little to no supervision or direction
Passion for advancing the commercial space industry
Ability to work in a fast-paced, autonomously driven, and demanding start-up atmosphere
Excellent communication skills both written and verbal

Responsibilities

Develop highly reliable and performant GNC algorithms, simulations, tools, services, and dashboards using C++ or Python; Starlink GNC Engineers write actual production code, not just prototypes for transcription by another team
Participate in architecture, design, and code reviews
Bulk data analysis to review performance data from various elements of the Starlink constellation and network
Write high quality technical documentation of programs, algorithms, or analysis
Design and implementation of GNC software that can facilitate all mission concepts of operations across all phases of mission, including off-nominal/contingency scenarios
Design of concepts of operations (CONOPs) that intelligently balance thermal constraints, power budgets, momentum management, communications, and payload-pointing needs
Design, development, and flight software implementation of onboard GNC algorithms to achieve a high level of vehicle autonomy and fault tolerance while providing adequate translational and rotational navigation and control performance
Update and maintain GNC software configurations for a variety of minor vehicle design revisions and mission sets
High fidelity time domain 6DOF modeling and simulation of vehicle dynamics, sensors, actuators, algorithms, and all of their interactions
Monte Carlo simulation analysis to validate safe and reliable flight and quantify navigation and control performance
Heavy involvement in hardware-in-the-loop (HITL) testing efforts, including but not limited to test case design, data review automation, and modeling fidelity improvements
Translational and Rotational state estimation and control systems design and optimization
Vehicle design activities related to ADCS sensor and actuator hardware sizing and layout
Develop, validate, and improve upon complex sensor, actuator, and dynamics models for use in 6DOF simulation analysis
Maintain tight interfaces with other disciplines and subsystems (e.g. thermal, power, communications) to ensure a good and consistent system-level design
Support your relevant on-call operations rotation, commanding satellites or reviewing network data to keep our network continuously operating at peak performance