GNC Engineer​/Principal GNC Engineer - R10217660

Relocation assistance may be available

Clearance type:
Top Secret

Travel:
Yes, 10% of the time

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 Space Systems is seeking a motivated candidate for the role of GNC Engineer/Principal Engineer within our Spacecraft Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) department, located in Dulles, Virginia. We are looking for highly talented and ambitious engineers with backgrounds in Machine Perception, including Computer Vision (CV) and Celestial Navigation. Experience and/or education in spacecraft navigation, robotics, and/or embedded processing is preferred.

• Design, develop, integrate, and test machine perception algorithms for real‑time on‑board processing on space vehicles and near‑real‑time processing within ground systems
• Conduct rigorous testing, validation, and tuning of celestial navigation algorithms
• Collaborate with other engineering teams to ensure seamless integration of machine perception systems with the overall space system
• Design, analyze, and tune spacecraft attitude and position control loops using time and frequency domain techniques
• Design, analyze, and tune sequential filters (e.g., Kalman filters) for attitude determination and relative navigation
• Analyze and test the spacecraft GNC subsystem performance using simulations and other analytic tools
• Implement GNC algorithms in flight software and support flight software qualification testing
• Perform analysis to support early design phase concept development including actuator sizing and placement, sensor selection and placement, and predicted performance assessments
• Develop simulation models for sensors (e.g., star tracker, rate gyro, accelerometer, GPS, magnetometer, sun sensors), actuators (e.g., reaction wheel, torque bar, thruster, CMG), system dynamics (e.g., rigid body, multi‑body, orbit mechanics, flexible models), and the space environment (e.g., atmospheric, solar radiation pressure, third‑body gravity, geopotential)

• Apply engineering principles, industry standards, company processes, and knowledge of machine perception, vehicle dynamics, propulsion, classical/modern control, and estimation theory to perform tasks to advance program/project goals
• Document designs, analysis, and test results, and generate presentation material
• Participate in peer reviews with internal and external customers
• Work well within small‑to‑medium‑sized groups

• BS Degree in Engineering, Physics, or Math with at least 2 years of professional experience (0 years with Master’s)
• BS Degree in Engineering, Physics, or Math with at least 5 years of professional experience (3 years with Master’s, or 0 years with Ph.D.)
• Active Top Secret clearance and eligibility for SCI at the time of application. U.S. citizenship is required.

• MS or PhD degree in engineering, physics, or math
• Proficiency in MATLAB/Simulink, C/C++, and Python
• Experience with Computer Vision and/or Celestial Navigation algorithms to support space vehicle navigation
• Experience in spacecraft MP subsystem design, analysis, and testing
• Experience implementing MP algorithms on embedded systems
• Prior work experience in a related field
• Proficiency with version control systems such as Git and SVN
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite
• Experience with Model‑Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) and digital transformation tools (e.g.,…