GNC Engineer, Simulation (Swarm/Vehicle)

Rendezvous Robotics•Golden, CO

4d•$90,000 - $165,000•Onsite

About The Position

Rendezvous Robotics is developing a novel solution for building larger and more capable spacecraft by using electromagnetic self-assembling tiles that can rendezvous, dock, and latch together. This approach aims to overcome the limitations imposed by rocket fairings. The company is seeking talented individuals to join their team in Golden, Colorado, to contribute to the development of advanced spacecraft systems, spanning hardware, software, and systems engineering. The role involves a clear progression from flight demonstration to operational systems.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in aerospace/mechanical/electrical engineering, physics, mathematics, or other relevant engineering discipline
Software development experience in C++ and Python

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in an engineering discipline, computer science, or physics; 2+ years (Engineer) or 5+ years (Senior Engineer)
Experience developing high-fidelity 6DOF Monte Carlo simulations of aerospace vehicles, including numerical integration (e.g., RK4) and rigid-body contact and constraint dynamics
Real-time and embedded software development; multi-rate, multi-core systems and deterministic scheduling
Writing portable C++ that compiles and runs identically on host and on microcontroller targets
Hardware-in-the-loop and software-in-the-loop test rigs, including sensor and actuator emulation
Data pipelines, time-series databases, and dashboards (e.g., InfluxDB, Grafana); DDS or similar inter-process/inter-node middleware
Working fluency in GNC and controls concepts — dynamics, estimation, and feedback control — sufficient to model them faithfully
Proven ability to develop, test, and deploy software for real-world space/robotic applications, with proficiency in version control systems like Git
Capable of identifying and solving complex problems with little to no supervision or direction in a fast-paced, start-up environment
Passionate about solving hard problems, building things, and advancing the space industry
Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Responsibilities

Develop highly reliable, performant simulation infrastructure, physics models, tools, and dashboards in C++ and Python
Build and own the hardware-out-of-the-loop (HOOTL) framework that runs the actual flight software — partitioned exactly as it runs on the tile's distributed compute — against a high-fidelity physics world
Implement the physics truth model (numerical integration, electromagnetic forces and torques, contact, and constraints) and the lower-fidelity onboard models, with a verified, force-continuous fidelity switch between them
Develop models of the tile sensor and actuator suite consistent with the GNC physics models
Emulate the distributed, multi-rate node graph and its inter-node transports so every discrete element advances on its own clock (no over-accumulation), and guarantee that the same flight C++ object runs identically in simulation and on target
Build Monte Carlo and scenario campaign tooling — configuration, scheduling, logging — and per-node telemetry and observability (time-series database → data visualization)
Run the regression and verification campaigns that gate every control and navigation claim, and integrate subsystem models with analysis and embedded-software teams through design and code reviews
Support flight operations by maintaining sim-to-flight correlation and reproducing on-orbit behavior for anomaly investigation
Extend the framework to the assembled spacecraft — vehicle-level dynamics, the changing inertia of a reconfiguring structure, and the absolute space environment