Gnc Engineer - Controls

Job Title:

GNC Engineer - Controls

Job Description

This role focuses on designing, analyzing, and implementing guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) algorithms for aerospace vehicles. You will develop advanced control laws, build high-fidelity dynamic models, and translate GNC designs into robust, flight-ready software. The position requires close collaboration with multidisciplinary teams to ensure that GNC systems perform reliably under both nominal and off-nominal conditions throughout the mission lifecycle.

Responsibilities

+ Design, analyze, and implement guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) algorithms for aerospace vehicles.

+ Develop and refine control laws using classical and modern control techniques, including PID, LQR, MPC, adaptive control, and other linear and nonlinear methods.

+ Evaluate, select, and integrate spacecraft control effectors such as thrusters, reaction wheels, and control moment gyroscopes (CMGs).

+ Perform six-degree-of-freedom (6-DOF) modeling, simulation, and performance analysis to evaluate system behavior under nominal and off-nominal conditions.

+ Build high-fidelity dynamic models of vehicles, sensors, actuators, and environmental disturbances, including flexible effects and their mitigation.

+ Conduct Monte Carlo analyses, sensitivity studies, and stability assessments to validate robustness, reliability, and control system margins.

+ Use tools such as MATLAB/Simulink, Python, C, C++, or similar environments to develop, run, and refine simulations.

+ Translate GNC algorithms into flight-ready software, ensuring numerical stability, computational efficiency, and real-time performance.

+ Collaborate with embedded software teams to integrate, test, and verify GNC functionality on hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) systems.

+ Support the development of requirements, interface definitions, and verification plans for flight software related to GNC functions.

+ Plan and execute verification and validation activities, including unit tests, software-in-the-loop (SIL) testing, hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing, and integrated system tests.

+ Analyze flight test or mission data to assess GNC performance, diagnose issues, and identify opportunities for improvement.

+ Contribute technical expertise in flight control systems and control law development across the broader station project team.

Essential Skills

+ Proven experience in guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) engineering for aerospace applications.

+ Strong experience in control law development, including both linear and nonlinear control techniques.

+ Hands-on experience with flight control systems and flight control software implementation.

+ Practical experience working with actuators such as reaction wheels, control moment gyroscopes (CMGs), and thrusters.

+ Proficiency in C++ for implementing control algorithms and flight software.

+ Proficiency with MATLAB and related tool chains for control design, simulation, and analysis.

+ Experience conducting Monte Carlo simulations for robustness and sensitivity analysis.

+ Ability to perform 6-DOF modeling and simulation of aerospace vehicles and their subsystems.

+ Experience modeling flexible effects and implementing mitigation strategies within control systems.

+ Strong understanding of aerospace engineering principles, particularly in GNC and control law design.

+ Ability to ensure numerical stability, computational efficiency, and real-time performance in embedded GNC implementations.

Additional

Skills & Qualifications

+ Experience in aerospace engineering or a closely related discipline.

+

Experience with guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) algorithm development for spacecraft or aerospace vehicles.

+ Familiarity with Python, C, or similar programming languages for simulation and analysis.

+ Experience collaborating with embedded software teams and working within integrated development environments.

+ Exposure to hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) and software-in-the-loop (SIL) testing for flight software verification.

+ Understanding of requirements development, interface definition, and verification planning for flight systems.

+ Experience analyzing flight test or mission data to validate control performance and refine algorithms.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Houston, TX.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $50.00 - $80.00/hr.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:  - Medical, dental & vision  - Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital  - 401(k) Retirement Plan - Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available  - Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)  - Short and long-term disability  - Health Spending Account (HSA)  - Transportation benefits  - Employee Assistance…