Senior GNC Engineer

3 days ago Be among the first 25 applicants

This range is provided by Umbra. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.

$/yr - $/yr

Umbra is an American space technology company delivering advanced systems, from sensors to spacecraft, that empower customers worldwide with unmatched access to critical information from space. Our mission is simple and ambitious: redefine space—for people, systems, and missions in every domain. Umbra's ecosystem operates through three business units:
Remote Sensing (the data), Space Systems (the components), and Mission Solutions (the platforms). Together, our teams develop capabilities that deliver persistent access, resilient performance, and mission‑ready solutions, advancing U.S. space leadership while keeping the world safe and informed.

Space Systems - The Components

Space Systems is where Umbra turns hardware and software designs into on‑orbit realities; developing, implementing and iterating mission‑ready core technology, while simultaneously advancing the next generation of our own satellite constellation. Space Systems is vertically integrated across the satellite architecture, thus the team designs, builds, and tests an array of critical components and subsystems, including power systems, communications, control systems, deployment hardware, avionics, and payloads, as well as the flight software, firmware and digital design solutions to support the entire hardware stack.

Our focus is on first principles engineering, and our mandate is simple: it has to work when it counts. Every bolt, board, and binary is proven on our own SAR constellation, ensuring flight‑proven reliability where failure is not an option.

If you want to work on cutting edge space technology while maintaining the highest standard for innovation and mission ready performance, you belong here at Umbra.

We are on the lookout for a highly skilled and experienced Senior GNC Engineer (Guidance, Navigation, and Control), who will be instrumental in the development and delivery of next‑generation spacecraft capabilities tailored for Umbra missions. This role sits at the intersection of GNC theory and software implementation, focusing on enabling advanced onboard processing, new mission features, integrated testing, and expanded operational capabilities while maintaining support for legacy systems.

Your expertise will be crucial in shaping the architecture, driving algorithm development, and ensuring thorough system integration. Additionally, you will be responsible for producing comprehensive documentation and conducting rigorous testing protocols, all of which are vital to guarantee the successful deployment of mission‑critical software that meets the high standards required for our ambitious missions.

Our aim is to hire this position to work in either our Santa Barbara/Goleta, CA office or Arlington, VA office.

• Design and implement onboard orbit & attitude determination, sensor processing, guidance, and control algorithms for all orbital regimes.
• Develop 6
  
  DOF simulations for spacecraft behavior, including sensors, actuators, and physics.
• Develop autonomous burn planning, optimization, and execution capabilities for spacecraft.
• Transition experimental GNC capabilities into production‑ready systems.
• Create automated testing and validation frameworks for spacecraft GNC systems in integrated test environments.
• Provide technical support and troubleshooting for operational missions.
• Create MATLAB/Simulink models and simulations for algorithm development and testing.
• Develop flight software implementations for interfaces of GNC algorithms in Rust.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related technical field.
• 5-7+ years of relevant experience with GNC algorithm development, flight software implementation, or modeling and simulation.
• Demonstrated experience with orbital mechanics and spacecraft dynamics.
• Experience with setting up, managing, and configuring…