Principal Spacecraft GNC Hardware Engineer; Space Systems Dulles

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE:
No relocation assistance available

CLEARANCE TYPE:
None

TRAVEL:
No

Description

At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon.

We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work — and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible. Our employees are not only part of history, they're making history.

Northrop Grumman's Tactical Space Systems is seeking a motivated and driven candidate that will fill the position of Spacecraft Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) cognizant engineer , this is a hardware position, and focuses on the procurement, integration, and testing of GNC flight hardware components. TSSD GNC is procuring, designing, building, integrating, and testing spacecraft components for a mix of DoD, NASA, and commercial customers.

We are leaders in innovative solutions to the rapidly growing/evolving fields of space based autonomous rendezvous and docking and rapid design/production of small satellites. We are seeking a highly talented and ambitious hardware Engineer to procure, integrate and test GNC components to ensure that they will meet our spacecraft requirements. The hardware engineer will work within the GNC subsystem team and under the supervision of the GNC subsystem lead.

A spacecraft GNC component engineer is expected to:

• Conduct GNC component trade studies and make/buy evaluations, covering components like star trackers, lidars, GPS receivers, sun sensors, reaction wheels, cameras, and inertia reference units.

• Serve as technical lead in procurement, documentation, and design reviews, working closely with subcontracts/supply chain teams and multiple (domestic/international) suppliers throughout procurement, manufacturing, and testing processes.

• Collaborate cross-functionally to present GNC component data/reports to managers and customers and lead efforts to resolve component-related test failures and issues.

• Create and test component-level scripts, support integration into the spacecraft, and verify hardware/software interfaces, including Flight Software (FSW) and command/database integration.

• Perform and validate Safe-to-Mate procedures, open/closed loop testing, and automated/manual test sequences using MAESTRO scripts.

• Participate in mission operations, including setup, real-time monitoring, and post-mission analysis; support launch site activities and operator training in the RPOD Lab.

• Engage in cradle-to-grave engineering for sensors (Visible, IR, LIDAR EDUs), prototype testing, and I&T GSE construction/integration.

• Maintain and operate the Intrinsic Extrinsic Camera Characterization (IECC) Test Bed, verifying vendor-provided camera parameters and ensuring adherence to safety, quality, and compliance standards.

• Document test results, procedures, and lessons learned to enhance lab processes continually; be flexible with shift work during different program phases and multitask in a fast-paced environment.

All GNC engineers are expected to:

• Apply engineering principles, industry standards, company process, and knowledge of vehicle dynamics, aerodynamics, propulsion, classical/modern control, and estimation theory to perform tasks to advanced program/project goals

• Document designs, analysis, and test results and create presentation materials

• Present designs, analysis, reviews, and test results to internal and external customers

• Work well within small- to medium-sized groups

Experience working with the following components is strongly recommended:

• GPS Receivers

• Reaction Wheels

• Star Trackers

• Analog Sun Sensors

• Inertial Measurement/Reference Units

• LIDARs

• IR Cameras

• Visible Cameras

Basic Qualifications:

• BS degree in…