GNC Engineer, ADCS (Vehicle)

Responsibilities

• Develop highly reliable, performant attitude control and estimation algorithms, simulations, tools, and dashboards in C++ and Python
• Own attitude determination and control for the assembled spacecraft — de-tumble, pointing, slews, momentum management, and safe mode: design, implement, tune, and verify
• Develop the momentum-management architecture for the assembled vehicle, including innovative solutions unique to our architecture
• Model and control attitude dynamics of a large, reconfigurable, and potentially flexible structure whose inertia and center of mass change as tiles dock and reconfigure
• Lead trade studies and sizing for the ADCS sensor and actuator suite (reaction wheels, magnetorquers, thrusters, star trackers, sun sensors, rate sensors, GNSS)
• Define vehicle-level GNC requirements, concepts of operations balancing thermal, power, momentum, and communications, and fault management
• Verify control performance and robustness with 6DOF Monte Carlo and hardware-in-the-loop (HITL) experiments
• Support flight operations, monitor on-orbit health and performance, lead on-orbit anomaly investigations, and drive on-orbit reliability of the attitude control system
• Secondarily, support development of swarm-side attitude control for the individual tiles during proximity operations

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in aerospace/mechanical/electrical engineering, physics, mathematics, or other relevant engineering discipline
• Software development experience in C++ and Python
• Preferred: Master's or PhD in an engineering discipline or physics: 2+ years (Engineer) or 5+ years (Senior Engineer) of professional GNC or attitude-control experience
• Cradle-to-grave development of spacecraft ADCS incorporating momentum, magnetic, and propulsive control
• Expertise in attitude dynamics and control, including quaternion kinematics, reaction-wheel momentum management and desaturation, flexible-body dynamics, and control under time-varying or uncertain mass properties
• Strong understanding of the on-orbit torque environment (gravity gradient, aerodynamic, solar radiation pressure, residual dipole), orbital mechanics, and embedded software development
• Experience verifying GNC algorithm performance via simulation and validating the simulation's own models
• Experience standing up a subsystem from a blank sheet — requirements, concept of operations, and architecture — and general familiarity with the disciplines necessary for spacecraft flight (structures, power, propulsion, avionics, flight software, dynamics, and mission operations)
• Proven ability to develop, test, and deploy algorithms for real-world space/robotic applications with proficiency in version control systems like Git
• Capable of identifying and solving complex problems with little to no supervision or direction in a fast-paced, start-up environment
• Passionate about solving hard problems, building things, and advancing the space industry
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Compensation And Benefits

• GNC Engineer: $95,000.00 - 140,000.00
• Senior GNC Engineer: $140,000.00 - $170,000.00

ITAR Requirements

• To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C.1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Equal Opportunity

• Rendezvous Robotics is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Rendezvous Robotics is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.