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Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Principal Spacecraft Guidance, Navigation & Control Engineer - **Company:** Quantum Space - **Location:** Hawthorne, CA, United States - **Salary:** $175,000.0 - $225,000.0 - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** Systems Engineering, C++ (Programming Language), Hardware Design, Hardware-In-The-Loop Simulation, Python (Programming Language), MATLAB, Machine Learning, Microsoft Dynamics, Sensor Fusion, Verification and Validation (Software), Test Data, Multi-Agent Systems, Orbital Mechanics - **Published:** August 4, 2026 - **Apply:** https://www.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=96649da0b6138cb2 ## About the Role * 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-Have Experience * 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 with multi-agent relative navigation or machine learning for estimation, perception, or task planning. * Experience leading small technical teams in startup or NewSpace environments. * Prior support of on-orbit commissioning or anomaly resolution efforts. ## Description We are seeking a Principal Spacecraft Guidance, Navigation & Control Engineer to serve as the technical authority for the GNC subsystem across multiple spacecraft programs, leading architecture, design, procurement, integration, and verification. Where You'll Make an Impact * Own the end-to-end GNC/ACS architecture from concept development through flight operations. * Own GNC subsystem level requirements. * 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. ## Related Videos - [Quantum DevOps - Quantum Application Development](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1441-quantum-devops-quantum-application-development) - [Robots 2.0: When artificial intelligence meets steel](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1452-robots-2-0-when-artificial-intelligence-meets-steel) - [Dirty Tests And How To Clean Them](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/515-dirty-tests-and-how-to-clean-them) - [Leveraging Large Language Models for Legacy Code Translation: Challenges and Solutions](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1157-leveraging-large-language-models-for-legacy-code-translation-challenges-and-solutions) - [Software stack under and over the hood of the fastest accelerating car in the world](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/221-software-stack-under-and-over-the-hood-of-the-fastest-accelerating-car-in-the-world) - [Building a hypercar from scratch](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/607-building-a-hypercar-from-scratch) ## Related Articles - [How We Built a Worry-Free System That Runs for 10+ Years – And What We’d Do Again](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/751-how-we-built-a-worry-free-system-that-runs-for-10-years-and-what-we-d-do-again) - [How software is steering vehicle technology](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/515-how-software-is-steering-vehicle-technology) - [What is Agentic Programming and Why Should Developers Care?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/625-what-is-agentic-programming-and-why-should-developers-care) - [The Prompt Engineer ✍️](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/216-the-prompt-engineer) - [Graph and AI Trends 2026: Why Is AI Running but Not Yet Delivering?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/680-graph-and-ai-trends-2026-why-is-ai-running-but-not-yet-delivering) - [Best US AI Conferences for CTOs in 2026: Build vs. Buy, Vendor Evaluation, and Peer Intelligence](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/736-best-us-ai-conferences-for-ctos-in-2026-build-vs-buy-vendor-evaluation-and-peer-intelligence)