GNC Engineer (Starfall)

SpaceX•Hawthorne, CA

3d•$125,000 - $175,000

About The Position

SpaceX is looking for engineers with backgrounds in orbital mechanics, control theory, state estimation, spacecraft systems design, atmospheric entry, optimization, and software development to join the Starfall guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) team. Come help us develop the GNC algorithms for Starfall, an entry capsule designed for logistics and in-space manufacturing applications.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in computer science, aerospace, physics or an engineering discipline
1+ years of 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
Experience with atmospheric entry guidance, navigation, and control for capsules or reentry vehicles
Strong understanding of orbital mechanics, deorbit planning, and entry trajectory optimization
Experience in verifying GNC algorithm performance via simulation, and validation of the simulation's models (including atmospheric, aerodynamic, and thermal environments)
Experience with state estimation, particularly for reentry vehicles (IMU, GNSS, radar/optical, or other sensors)
Familiarity with hypersonic flight regimes, aeroheating considerations, and precision landing/recovery techniques
General familiarity with the disciplines necessary for spacecraft and entry vehicle 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 and enabling new applications such as military logistics and in-space manufacturing
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; Starfall 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 Starfall flights, simulations, and operations
Write high quality technical documentation of programs, algorithms, or analysis
Entry vehicle trajectory design, guidance, and optimization
Atmospheric entry, descent, and landing (EDL) algorithms
Precision navigation and state estimation for reentry and recovery
Attitude determination and control during orbital, deorbit, and atmospheric flight phases
Fleet-level or multi-vehicle coordination for logistics delivery and recovery operations
Simulation, analysis, and performance evaluation of entry systems under a wide range of conditions
Integration of GNC with vehicle systems supporting military logistics and in-space manufacturing missions