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# GNC ENGINEER - EMBEDDED CONTROLS, AI SATELLITES (STARMIND)

- **Company:** Space Exploration Technologies Corp.
- **Location:** Lockhart, TX, United States
- **Contract:** Permanent contract
- **Skills:** Artificial Intelligence, Unit Testing, C++ (Programming Language), Embedded C, Firmware, Hardware Design, Python (Programming Language), MATLAB, Microsoft Dynamics, Software Engineering, Orbital Mechanics, Modeling and Simulation, Performance Monitor
- **Published:** October 17, 2026
- **Apply:** https://www.themuse.com/jobs/spacex/gnc-engineer-embedded-controls-ai-satellites-starmind

## About the Role

* Bachelor's degree in aerospace, physics or an engineering discipline.
 * Software development experience in C++.
 * Experience with design and analysis of closed loop control systems.

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

 * Master's degree or PhD in physics or an engineering discipline.
 * Very strong expertise and demonstrated project or professional experience in linear closed loop controls analysis and design, including state space and frequency domain methods.
 * Experience with flexible body dynamics and reduced finite element models thereof in the context of closed loop control systems analysis.
 * Expertise in state estimation, kalman filters, information filters, etc.
 * Strong expertise in embedded C++, ideally in the context of electromechanical control systems firmware.
 * Strong understanding of classical rigid body dynamics, orbital mechanics, modeling and simulation thereof.
 * Direct experience with spacecraft operations and flight software development, testing, and deployment.
 * Capable of identifying and solving complex problems in a self-directed manner.
 * Passion for advancing the commercial space industry.
 * Ability to work in a fast paced, autonomously driven, and demanding start-up atmosphere.
 * Excellent communication skills both written and verbal.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

 * Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed.

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. Learn more about the ITAR here.

## Description

As an Embedded Controls Engineer on the Starmind Guidance, Navigation, and Control team (GNC) team, you will apply a strong expertise in dynamics and closed loop controls to achieve robust and precise pointing on satellites, payloads, propulsion systems, and mechanisms. This is not just an analysis role - you will be responsible for vehicle design trades, simulation, flight software implementation, and ultimately deploying and operating your features in space., * Design, analysis, implementation of electromechanical control systems such as solar array actuators, antenna gimbals, and high bandwidth active optics.

 * Design, analysis, implementation of satellite attitude control and momentum management systems.
 * Design, analysis, implementation of fluid and power system controls for the Starlink hall thrusters.
 * Optimal state estimation as applied to mechanical alignment and attitude determination.
 * Hardware performance specification and sizing, support for hardware iteration and firmware bringup, design qualification, automated production screening, and performance monitoring in the fleet.
 * Development and maintenance of high fidelity simulations using C++, python, matlab, integration of those simulations into collaborative analysis tools.
 * Implementation, validation, unit testing, and deployment of production software (C++) pertinent to the systems described above.
 * Provide engineering and data review support for hardware development, network level performance monitoring.