GNC Engineer, ADCS (Starshield)
Required skills
- GNC
- ADCS
- Starshield
- SpaceX
- attitude dynamics
- control
- navigation filtering
- orbital mechanics
- spacecraft systems design
- C++
Nice to have
- aerospace engineering
- software engineering
- GNC discipline
- on-orbit operations
- commanding
- flight telemetry
Role summary
SpaceX's Starshield program is seeking a GNC Engineer specializing in Attitude Determination and Control Systems (ADCS) to develop software for national security satellites. This role involves designing, implementing, and testing GNC software and algorithms, focusing on spacecraft dynamics, navigation filtering, and control systems. The engineer will work on high-fidelity simulations, hardware-in-the-loop testing, and collaborate with other subsystems to ensure mission success. Experience with C++, Python, MATLAB/Simulink, and GNC principles is required, with preferred experience in on-orbit operations and CI/CD practices. An active Top Secret clearance is highly desirable.
SpaceX was founded under the belief that a future where humanity is out exploring the stars is fundamentally more exciting than one where we are not. Today SpaceX is actively developing the technologies to make this possible, with the ultimate goal of enabling human life on Mars.
GNC ENGINEER, ATTITUDE DETERMINATION AND CONTROL SYSTEM (STARSHIELD)
Starshield leverages SpaceX’s Starlink technology and launch capability to support national security efforts. While Starlink is designed for consumer and commercial use, Starshield is designed for government use, with an initial focus on earth observation, communications, and hosted payloads.
As an engineer on this team, you will bring a passion and expertise in areas like spacecraft attitude dynamics and control, orbit and attitude navigation filtering, orbital mechanics, spacecraft systems design, and software development to support the Starshield Attitude Determination and Control System (ADCS) GNC team.
There are several sub-teams within Starshield GNC with different focus areas. The ADCS team focuses on vehicle GNC software and hardware design, analysis, testing, and on-orbit operations, with the ultimate goal of ensuring that all Starshield vehicles reliably and intelligently balance payload pointing needs, sensor availability, momentum management, thermal constraints, and power generation demand across the entire mission timeline. On any satellite, the ADCS is an extremely central and crucial subsystem that is key to mission success. In this role, you will be working on a high-impact team whose success is paramount to the long-term flourishing and continuous improvement of the entire Starshield program. Come help us write the software that flies Starshield satellites and enables mission success!
RESPONSIBILITIES:
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:Pay Range:Level 1: $125,000.00 - $160,000.00Level 2: $145,000.00 - $195,000.00
Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience.
Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at SpaceX. You may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of company stock or long-term cash awards, as well as potential discretionary bonuses and the ability to purchase additional stock at a discount through an Employee Stock Purchase Plan. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, paid parental leave, and various other discounts and perks. You may also accrue 3 weeks of paid vacation and will be eligible for 10 or more paid holidays per year. Employees accrue paid sick leave pursuant to Company policy which satisfies or exceeds the accrual, carryover, and use requirements of the law.
Those with an active clearance will receive a 10% differential, up to an additional $20,000 annually, once officially briefed into a classified program.
ITAR REQUIREMENTS:
SpaceX is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with SpaceX 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.
Applicants wishing to view a copy of SpaceX’s Affirmative Action Plan for veterans and individuals with disabilities, or applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application/interview process should reach out to EEOCompliance@spacex.com.
Sample SpaceX interview questions
- 1
Build a distributed platform for storing and serving digital assets.
system designmedium - 2
Design a system for real-time processing of IoT device data.
system designmedium - 3
Design a distributed message queue like Kafka.
system designmedium - 4
Develop a web app that shortens URLs like TinyURL.
system designmedium - 5
Propose a high-level design for a tracing system that can handle millions of spans per second across thousands of services.
system designmedium
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