GNC Engineer - Embedded Controls

SpaceX

Confirmed live 2 days ago High trust

Quick summary

Work type: On-site
Location: Redmond, WA
Salary: $125,000–$165,000 / yr
Posted: 7 days ago
Freshness: Confirmed live 2 days ago
Nearby: 99+ roles within 25 mi

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Salary context

Competitive pay

How this pay compares to similar roles

Similar $165k

This role $145k

$117k most similar roles pay here $201k

This role pays less than 55% of similar roles. Most pay $137,500–$193,000 — the shaded band above. At the midpoint, this role pays about $145k versus about $165k for comparable roles.

Based on 240 similar postings.

Employer

About SpaceX

SpaceX designs, manufactures, and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft with the mission of enabling humans to become a multi-planetary species. It operates the Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy, and Starship launch vehicles, as well as the Starlink satellite internet constellation.

SpaceX currently has 680 open roles on FindRole.

Listed pay typically runs $130,000–$165,000 across 442 roles with salary data.

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At a glance

TL;DR · GNC Engineer - Embedded Controls

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GNC Engineer - Embedded Controls (Starlink) joins the Guidance, Navigation, and Control team to ensure robust and precise pointing for satellites, payloads, propulsion systems, and mechanisms. This role involves designing, analyzing, and implementing electromechanical control systems like solar array actuators, antenna gimbals, and high bandwidth active optics, alongside satellite attitude control and momentum management. The engineer will also manage fluid and power system controls for hall thrusters while performing state estimation for mechanical alignment. Key responsibilities include hardware performance specification, firmware bringup, and the development of high-fidelity simulations. Candidates must possess expertise in closed loop control systems, orbital mechanics, and flexible body dynamics. Required technical skills include C++, Python, and Matlab to develop production software and simulation tools. The role addresses critical challenges in satellite operations, attitude determination, and automated production screening for a large satellite constellation.

Skills

C++ Python MATLAB closed loop control systems State Estimation Kalman Filters Firmware Orbital Mechanics Rigid Body Dynamics Simulations Unit Testing Flight Software GNC Spacecraft Operations

What you'll do

Design and implement electromechanical control systems like solar array actuators and antenna gimbals.
Develop and analyze satellite attitude control and momentum management systems.
Implement fluid and power system controls for Starlink hall thrusters.
Perform optimal state estimation for mechanical alignment and attitude determination.
Define hardware performance specifications and support firmware bringup and production screening.
Create and maintain high-fidelity simulations using C++, Python, and MATLAB.
Write, test, and deploy production C++ software for satellite systems.
Provide engineering data review for hardware development and network performance monitoring.

What we're looking for

Bachelor's degree in aerospace, physics, or an engineering discipline.
Experience with design and analysis of closed loop control systems.
Software development experience in C++.
Master's degree or PhD in physics or an engineering discipline.
Expertise in linear closed loop controls including state space and frequency domain methods.
Experience with flexible body dynamics and reduced finite element models for control systems.
Expertise in state estimation, Kalman filters, and information filters.
Must be a U.S. citizen, national, lawful permanent resident, or eligible for export control authorizations.

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