GNC Engineer (NASA Sounding Rocket Program)

Peraton•Wallops Island, VA

8d•Onsite

About The Position

Peraton is seeking a GNC Engineer to support NASA’s Sounding Rocket Operations Contract (NSROC) at Wallops Flight Facility in Wallops Island, Virginia. NSROC is a suborbital spaceflight program that provides launch vehicles, payload development, and field operations support for NASA science missions. The program supports approximately 14 sounding rocket launches per year from sites including Wallops, White Sands Missile Range, Poker Flat, Alaska, Kwajalein, and Andøya, Norway. The engineer applies a broad range of technical disciplines to guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) problems. The primary technical contribution is expected to be in software and electrical hardware design, with work also spanning pneumatic components, mechanical systems, cold-gas pneumatics, and sensors. The role provides software and hardware support for attitude control systems and other program projects, and serves as the Boost Guidance System (BGS) engineer for sounding rocket missions. Work supports system development across the full mission lifecycle, including launches at remote sites. The engineer works on multiple projects, independently and as part of a team, and communicates technical concepts and designs to program colleagues and customers. The role includes working with high-pressure pneumatic systems and requires travel to remote launch sites, where assignments typically last 3 to 7 weeks.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree and at least 2 years of engineering or technician experience; alternatively, a high school diploma and at least 6 years of engineering or technician experience.
Demonstrated C programming capability.
Demonstrated electrical hardware capability.
MATLAB experience.
Proficiency with MS Office.
Hands-on pneumatic operations and training.
Sound understanding of software design practices and software version control.
Comfort working with the GIT software control platform.
Ability to develop and test complex software solutions for custom flight computers.
Must be a U.S. citizen.
Ability to work independently and in a team environment.
Ability to communicate GNC concepts in writing, orally, and through presentations.
Ability to travel for remote launch assignments that typically last 3 to 7 weeks.

Nice To Haves

Six or more years of engineering or technician experience.
Real-time system development experience.
GNC-related experience.

Responsibilities

Support software design for attitude control systems, other program needs, and support equipment.
Develop new software capabilities in coordination with the GNC group, electrical group, and Sounding Rocket Program Office.
Apply engineering concepts, procedures, and practices to GNC problems.
Support development of automatic acceptance-test platforms for electrical and pneumatic components.
Support the Boost Guidance System throughout the mission lifecycle.
Present system designs and analyses to customers and technical audiences.
Integrate and test subcontractor-supplied BGS systems.
Perform acceptance testing on electrical and pneumatic parts and assemblies.
Conduct integration tests to validate assemblies.
Design, develop, manufacture, refurbish, and evaluate hardware for attitude control system sensors and pneumatic attitude control systems.
Contribute to development of components, assemblies, and systems, and develop applicable engineering specifications.
Test control systems involving high-pressure hardware and electromechanical components used to control payload attitude.
Perform software verification testing and maintain software control infrastructure.
Assist the GNC group with software compliance efforts.
Travel to remote launch sites as needed; typical trips last 3 to 7 weeks.