Senior GNC Engineer

Job title: GNC Engineer Location: California A pioneering aerospace company at the forefront of autonomous orbital operations is looking for a Senior GNC Engineer to help shape the future of space security and spacecraft autonomy. This is an opportunity to work on genuinely cutting-edge technology developing advanced Guidance, Navigation & Control systems for highly autonomous spacecraft operating in complex orbital environments. The Role As a Senior GNC Engineer, you’ll take ownership of core spacecraft guidance, navigation, and control capabilities that sit at the heart of next-generation autonomous missions. You’ll be involved across the full development lifecycle — from algorithm development and simulation through to flight software integration, testing, and operational deployment. What You’ll Be Doing Develop advanced GNC architectures for autonomous spacecraft missions Design and implement state estimation and navigation algorithms Build guidance and control systems for maneuver planning and orbital operations Develop autonomous trajectory prediction and collision avoidance capabilities Integrate GNC systems into real-time flight software and simulation environments Support mission analysis, system validation, and integrated testing campaigns Work closely with software, autonomy, perception, and mission systems teams to deliver operational capability What They’re Looking For Strong experience within spacecraft GNC, flight dynamics, or autonomous aerospace systems Excellent programming capability in C++ and Python Strong understanding of Orbital Mechanics, Spacecraft Dynamics, Kalman Filtering, State Estimation, Sensor Fusion, and Control Systems Experience developing software for real-time, safety-critical, or autonomous systems Background within aerospace, defence, robotics, or advanced autonomy environments Why Join? Work on genuinely mission-critical autonomous space technology Join an elite engineering team solving extremely complex technical challenges High ownership and technical freedom Fast-moving environment with real impact Competitive compensation + equity Flexible PTO and strong benefits package Opportunity to shape the future of autonomous in-space operations Due to the nature of the work, candidates must be eligible to work on U.S. defence and space-related programs