Senior Satellite GNC Engineer, Amazon Leo

About the role

Amazon Leo is building a constellation of thousands of low Earth orbit satellites to deliver fast, reliable internet beyond the reach of existing networks. As a Guidance, Navigation & Control (GNC) engineer, you will design the algorithms, simulations, and onboard autonomy that keep every satellite precisely pointed and stable so the payload can serve customers below, and keep the fleet flying safely.

Responsibilities

• Design and analyze algorithms for state estimation, attitude determination and control, precise pointing, and payload cueing against demanding performance requirements.
• Write the production C++ flight code that runs these algorithms on the satellite.
• Develop momentum management strategies using reaction wheels and magnetic torquers, and help size and lay out the GNC sensor and actuator suite — star trackers, magnetometers, sun sensors, IMUs, and GPS receivers — and the algorithms that consume them.
• Develop onboard autonomy, including Fault Detection, Isolation, and Recovery, so the fleet operates safely at scale with minimal intervention.
• Develop and validate models and simulations of the satellite and constellation across a range of fidelity levels, including 6-DOF time-domain simulation and Monte Carlo analysis, and run hardware-in-the-loop testing to verify closed-loop performance.
• Support component-level environmental testing, functional and performance checkout, and subsystem and satellite integration in our labs.
• Analyze fleet telemetry in bulk and build the metrics, dashboards, and tooling that let us monitor and continuously improve pointing performance and payload operations as the constellation grows.
• Operate the GNC system on orbit — reviewing fleet data, supporting maneuvers, and resolving anomalies when on-orbit behavior diverges from the ground model.
• Contribute to architecture, design, and code reviews, and document your algorithms, analyses, and results clearly.

Requirements

• PhD, or Master's degree and 5+ years of quantitative field research experience
• Experience developing guidance, navigation, and control algorithms for aerospace systems

Qualifications

• Experience converting research studies into tangible real-world changes
• Experience with discrete and continuous optimization methodologies and algorithms
• Experience developing guidance, navigation, and control algorithms for spacecraft

Skills

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Experience with spacecraft design and operations
• Ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary team environment
• Proficiency in C++ and related programming languages
• Experience with spacecraft attitude determination and control systems

Benefits

Amazon offers comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, vision, prescription, life insurance, AD&D insurance, EAP, mental health support, medical advice line, flexible spending accounts, adoption and surrogacy reimbursement coverage, 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. For more information, visit https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits.