Senior or Principal GNC / ACS Lead Engineer

Quantum Space•Rockville, MD

About The Position

Quantum Space is redefining mobility and autonomy in cislunar and geostationary space. Our Ranger spacecraft deliver high delta-V and on-orbit maneuverability that enable customers to access, operate, and persist in orbits previously out of reach. We’re building the infrastructure, vehicles, and operational expertise that connect and protect assets across the Earth–Moon system. We are seeking a Senior or Principal GNC / ACS Lead Engineer to own the architecture, development, and mission execution of spacecraft guidance, navigation, and control systems across multiple programs. This is a deeply technical leadership role for an engineer who can operate fully independently, shape system-level decisions, and guide the GNC discipline from early concept studies through on-orbit operations. You will serve as the responsible technical authority for GNC/ACS across Ranger vehicles, driving control architecture definition, hardware selection, algorithm development, verification strategy, and operational performance. This role will likely include direct management and technical mentorship of Quantum Space GNC engineers, while remaining hands-on in analysis, modeling, and system integration. You will work closely with mission design, propulsion, avionics, flight software, systems engineering, and mission operations to ensure robust, high-performance, and flight-proven control systems that enable demanding high-ΔV and autonomous missions.

Requirements

B.S., M.S., or Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Robotics, or related field.
15+ years of experience in spacecraft GNC/ACS development, including full lifecycle flight programs.
Demonstrated ownership of a spacecraft attitude and/or orbit control system through design, integration, and flight.
Deep expertise in rigid-body dynamics, orbital mechanics, estimation theory, and modern control methods.
Strong experience with thruster-based ACS architectures and propulsion-coupled control systems.
Proven ability to independently architect GNC systems and make system-level trade decisions.
Experience implementing flight algorithms in C++, Python, or MATLAB/Simulink, with awareness of real-time constraints.
Experience integrating GNC with flight software and avionics, including SIL/HIL validation.
Ability to analyze telemetry and diagnose complex on-orbit or integrated system anomalies.
Systems-level thinking across propulsion, avionics, software, and mission design.
Demonstrated technical leadership and mentorship experience.
Comfort operating in a fast-paced, hardware-integrated environment with evolving mission needs.

Nice To Haves

Experience with high-ΔV vehicles, cislunar missions, GEO servicing, or RPO missions.
Experience designing control systems for agile or propulsive maneuvering spacecraft.
Background in autonomous maneuver planning or onboard decision-making systems.
Experience with flexible-body dynamics, propellant slosh modeling, or structural-control interaction.
Familiarity with MAX FSW and MAX GDS or other modern COTS flight software frameworks.
Experience leading small technical teams in startup or NewSpace environments.
Prior support of on-orbit commissioning or anomaly resolution efforts.

Responsibilities

Own the end-to-end GNC/ACS architecture from concept development through flight operations.
Lead spacecraft attitude and control system design, including actuator sizing, sensor selection, control authority, and momentum management strategy.
Define and implement control laws for high-ΔV maneuvering, precision pointing, station-keeping, and proximity operations.
Architect state estimation frameworks (EKF/UKF, sensor fusion pipelines, covariance management) for robust on-orbit performance.
Develop and maintain high-fidelity 6DOF spacecraft simulation environments for analysis, trade studies, verification, and anomaly resolution.
Establish GNC verification and validation strategy across analysis, SIL/HIL, hardware integration, and flight test.
Support propulsion-coupled dynamics modeling, including thrust misalignment, slosh effects, and flexible-body considerations as needed.
Lead GNC participation in system-level reviews (MCR, SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR) and serve as the primary technical voice for the discipline.
Analyze flight telemetry and test data to assess performance, diagnose anomalies, and drive configuration or algorithm updates.
Define safe-mode, fault management, and degraded control strategies in partnership with FSW and systems engineering.
Mentor and manage GNC engineers, establishing best practices, code standards, simulation frameworks, and technical rigor across the team.
Support early-orbit operations and critical mission phases as required.