GNC Engineer (Dragon)
About The Position
As a GNC Engineer on the Dragon team, you will perform mission design and implement new guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) algorithms for crewed and cargo spacecraft operations. The role supports the full lifecycle of Dragon missions, from capturing requirements from NASA and commercial partners through design reviews, orbital maneuver, docking, and reentry simulations and analyses, to real-time operations from mission control. You will support launch, rendezvous and docking with the ISS, deorbit and splashdown recovery, and abort system integration. The work covers Commercial Resupply Services and Commercial Crew Program missions, private astronaut missions aboard Crew Dragon and Cargo Dragon, and development of the United States Deorbit Vehicle for safe ISS disposal, including precise deorbit trajectories and end-of-life maneuvering.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline or physics.
- At least 1 year of experience with orbital mechanics, classical dynamics, and modeling and simulation; school or class projects and internship projects count.
- At least 1 year of experience with C++ and/or Python; school or class projects and internship projects count.
- Must be available to work extended hours and weekends as needed.
- Must meet applicable U.S. Government export-control requirements or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations.
Nice To Haves
- Master’s degree or PhD in physics or an engineering discipline.
- At least 2 years of professional experience in orbital mechanics, classical dynamics, modeling and simulation, and C++ and Python.
- Demonstrated project or professional experience in launch vehicle and/or spacecraft systems.
- Ability to solve complex problems with little to no supervision, on schedule, individually or as part of an integrated team.
- Passion for advancing the commercial space industry and human spaceflight.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Responsibilities
- Perform trajectory design, optimization, and dispersion analysis for Crew and Cargo Dragon missions.
- Implement software or algorithms to support mission-unique capabilities.
- Select flight constants and guidance parameters.
- Review post-flight data and correlate it with analyses to improve predictions.
- Manage mission operations support.
- Analyze and verify compliance with contractual mission requirements, including direct customer interface with NASA.
- Test flight software and document analysis and test results, with a focus on automation and reporting efficiency.
Benefits
- Potential long-term incentives in the form of company stock or long-term cash awards.
- Potential discretionary bonuses.
- Employee Stock Purchase Plan with the ability to purchase additional stock at a discount.
- Comprehensive medical coverage.
- Vision coverage.
- Dental coverage.
- 401(k) retirement plan.
- Short- and long-term disability insurance.
- Life insurance.
- Paid parental leave.
- Three weeks of paid vacation may accrue.
- 10 or more paid holidays per year.
- Paid sick leave pursuant to company policy.
- Other discounts and perks.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
