GNC Engineer, ADCS (Vehicle)

Today, everything we send to space is constrained by what fits inside a rocket fairing. That's a fundamental bottleneck to building more capable spacecraft. Rendezvous Robotics is solving this problem with electromagnetic self-assembling tiles: modular spacecraft components that rendezvous, dock, and latch to assemble bigger and more powerful spacecraft than anything that can be folded to fit into a rocket.

We're a small team based in Golden, Colorado, executing on a clear path from flight demonstration to our first operational systems. Our work spans hardware, software, and systems engineering. We are looking for the best people in the world who want to build the next generation of advanced spacecraft.

GNC Engineer, ADCS (Vehicle)

As a GNC Engineer, ADCS (Vehicle), you will be responsible for the complete lifecycle of the attitude determination and control system of the assembled spacecraft. You will define how a reconfigurable vehicle de-tumbles, points, slews, and manages distributed momentum. You will develop algorithms through analysis and simulation, implement them in the flight software stack, verify them in hardware-in-the-loop (HITL) testbeds, and finally fly it in space! You will optimize performance along every step of the way. This is an opportunity to apply expertise in orbital mechanics, attitude dynamics, momentum management, and controls to architect the control system, drive actuator and sensor requirements and selection, and operate in space. You will collaborate with a small multi-disciplinary team across software, avionics, structures, test, and manufacturing to represent the assembled vehicle at the system level, ultimately defining the scope and requirements for future vehicles. You will also have opportunities to contribute toward relative GNC algorithms that support attitude control of individual tiles during rendezvous, proximity operations, and docking -- reaction-wheel control and desaturation, capture-rate management, and more!

Responsibilities

• Develop highly reliable, performant attitude control and estimation algorithms, simulations, tools, and dashboards in C++ and Python


• Own attitude determination and control for the assembled spacecraft — de-tumble, pointing, slews, momentum management, and safe mode: design, implement, tune, and verify


• Develop the momentum-management architecture for the assembled vehicle, including innovative solutions unique to our architecture


• Model and control attitude dynamics of a large, reconfigurable, and potentially flexible structure whose inertia and center of mass change as tiles dock and reconfigure


• Lead trade studies and sizing for the ADCS sensor and actuator suite (reaction wheels, magnetorquers, thrusters, star trackers, sun sensors, rate sensors, GNSS)


• Define vehicle-level GNC requirements, concepts of operations balancing thermal, power, momentum, and communications, and fault management


• Verify control performance and robustness with 6DOF Monte Carlo and hardware-in-the-loop (HITL) experiments


• Support flight operations, monitor on-orbit health and performance, lead on-orbit anomaly investigations, and drive on-orbit reliability of the attitude control system


• Secondarily, support development of swarm-side attitude control for the individual tiles during proximity operations

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in aerospace/mechanical/electrical engineering, physics, mathematics, or other relevant engineering discipline


• Software development experience in C++ and Python

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's or PhD in an engineering discipline or physics: 2+ years (Engineer) or 5+ years (Senior Engineer) of professional GNC or attitude-control experience


• Cradle-to-grave development of spacecraft ADCS incorporating momentum, magnetic, and propulsive control


• Expertise in attitude dynamics and control, including quaternion kinematics, reaction-wheel momentum management and desaturation, flexible-body dynamics, and control under time-varying or uncertain mass properties


• Strong understanding of the on-orbit torque environment (gravity gradient, aerodynamic, solar radiation pressure, residual dipole), orbital mechanics, and embedded software development


• Proficiency in state estimation, particularly attitude determination (MEKF; star tracker, sun sensor, and gyro fusion) and orbit determination (GNSS, radio navigation, ground tracking)


• Experience verifying GNC algorithm performance via simulation and validating the simulation's own models


• Experience standing up a subsystem from a blank sheet — requirements, concept of operations, and architecture — and general familiarity with the disciplines necessary for spacecraft flight (structures, power, propulsion, avionics, flight software,


• dynamics, and mission operations)


• Proven ability to develop, test, and deploy algorithms for real-world space/robotic applications with proficiency in version control systems like Git


• Capable of identifying and solving complex problems with little to no supervision or direction in a fast-paced, start-up environment


• Passionate about solving hard problems, building things, and advancing the space industry


• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Compensation and Benefits

GNC Engineer: $95,000.00 - 140,000.00
Senior GNC Engineer: $140,000.00 - $170,000.00

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. In addition to the base salary, you may also be eligible for long-term incentives in the form of stock options. You will receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, short- and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, and paid parental leave. You may also accrue 3 weeks of paid vacation and will be eligible for 10 or more paid holidays per year. 

ITAR Requirements

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.  

Equal Opportunity

Rendezvous Robotics is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Rendezvous Robotics 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.