About the job
At The Exploration Company, we are at the forefront of space innovation, developing and operating Nyx, a modular and reusable orbital vehicle designed for future refueling in orbit, capable of transporting cargo and potentially humans.
We are seeking a skilled Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) Engineer to play a vital role in the design, testing, verification, and validation of our GNC subsystem for our spacecraft. The ideal candidate will possess a strong foundation in spacecraft GNC principles and applications, contributing to all phases of the GNC life cycle including conceptual design, requirements development, algorithm creation, software implementation, testing, operations, and post-flight analysis.
Key Responsibilities:
Engage in the design and execution of the AOCS/GNC subsystem for various spacecraft and missions, including low Earth orbit operations, reentry, and rendezvous and docking scenarios.
Design, synthesize, test, and validate GNC algorithms.
Integrate GNC code into the flight software.
Develop detailed six degrees of freedom models and simulations to evaluate system performance.
Conduct design optimization and uncertainty analysis.
Perform cross-disciplinary spacecraft systems evaluations to enhance performance and reliability.
Specify, select, model, and simulate AOCS/GNC hardware.
Create automation tools for GNC design, analysis, testing, and reporting.
Validate and verify GNC software through unit testing, Monte Carlo simulations, and both software-in-the-loop and hardware-in-the-loop testing.
Document and report test results, emphasizing efficiency and automation in documentation processes.
Ideal Candidate Qualifications:
We are looking for candidates who possess the following qualifications:
Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering or a related field; a PhD is a plus.
In-depth knowledge of classical dynamics, orbital mechanics, and flight mechanics.
Experience with GNC algorithms and software implementation.
Ability to work collaboratively in a dynamic team environment.
Strong problem-solving skills and a commitment to continuous improvement.
