Navigation Engineer (Astrodynamics)

Logos Space•Mountain View, CA

About The Position

Logos Space is building a proliferated Low Earth Orbit (pLEO) constellation to deliver resilient, high-performance connectivity to enterprise and government users worldwide. As part of that effort, the Navigation team is designing and building the software and infrastructure for spacecraft timing, astrodynamics, orbit determination, and related navigation workflows used across flight and ground systems. The Navigation team at Logos Space is building the astrodynamics foundation for state estimation and propagation, maneuver planning, operational decision-making, and related navigation workflows across flight and ground systems. This role focuses on designing, implementing, and validating the core astrodynamics capabilities required to operate our proliferated LEO constellation. In this role, you will develop shared astrodynamics software used across flight, ground, analysis, and validation tooling. Depending on level, you will contribute to or independently own well-scoped portions of the astrodynamics stack, such as time systems, reference frames, force modeling, numerical propagation, event finding, maneuver modeling, ephemeris generation, or validation and regression infrastructure. We are looking for engineers who can work well in a fast-paced environment, turn incomplete requirements into practical software, and collaborate closely with adjacent teams.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Physics, Applied Mathematics, Computer Science, or a related STEM field, or equivalent practical experience.
2+ years of relevant professional experience building astrodynamics, flight dynamics, orbit determination, navigation, or similar high-reliability numerical software. Strong graduate research or project experience may substitute for some professional experience.
Working knowledge of orbital mechanics, reference frames, time systems, perturbation modeling, numerical integration, event detection, and maneuver modeling.
Proficiency in modern C++ for production numerical software.
Proficiency in Python for analysis, tooling, automation, and test infrastructure.
Working knowledge of numerical methods, uncertainty propagation, and debugging numerical or floating-point issues.
Experience with Linux-based development environments, Git, and automated testing.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Nice To Haves

4+ years of relevant experience and the ability to independently own technical workstreams.
Master’s degree or PhD in Aerospace Engineering, Physics, Applied Mathematics, or a related field with specialization in astrodynamics, flight dynamics, estimation, or spacecraft navigation.
Experience with LEO constellation operations, orbit maintenance, station-keeping, drag-sensitive regimes, or low-thrust or electric-propulsion maneuvering.
Experience with state/covariance propagation, maneuver reconstruction, nuance parameter estimation (e.g, Cd tuning), or conjunction/collision assessment workflows.
Experience supporting on-orbit mission operations, operational ephemeris generation, or anomaly investigation.
Experience exposing C++ libraries to Python or building mixed C++/Python engineering toolchains.
Familiarity with CCSDS data formats and interfaces used by planning and mission operations systems.
Ability to independently cross-validate internal models against tools or references such as GMAT, STK, Orekit, ODTK, MONTE, or equivalent.

Responsibilities

Develop and maintain C++ libraries for astrodynamics, propagation, and related navigation workflows.
Build Python tools and/or bindings for analysis, testing, automation, and rapid debugging.
Design and implement core capabilities for time systems, reference frames, coordinate transforms, ephemerides, mission geometry, and maneuver modeling.
Implement and maintain force models appropriate to LEO operations, including gravity harmonics, solar radiation pressure, third-body perturbations, atmospheric drag, antenna thrust, and maneuver effects.
Build numerical propagation infrastructure with clear interfaces for integrators, step-size control, event detection, and uncertainty propagation.
Develop event-finding and geometry capabilities for eclipse transitions, contact windows, maneuver windows, operational boundaries, and other mission-relevant conditions.
Support derived applications and data products such as forward propagation, ephemeris generation, maneuver assessment, thrust planning, and conjunction/COLA support inputs.
Establish validation infrastructure, including unit tests, integration tests, regression suites, deterministic replay, Monte Carlo campaigns, performance benchmarks, and independent cross-checks.
Work closely with estimation, GNSS, signal, flight software, mission operations, and ground software teams to define clean interfaces and integrated workflows.
Support integrated test campaigns, commissioning, flight-data investigations, maneuver assessment, and anomaly response as needed.
For more experienced candidates, independently own a small astrodynamics workstream end-to-end and drive clarity of interfaces across adjacent teams.