GNC Engineer - Embedded Controls, AI Satellites (Starmind)

• Design, analysis, implementation of electromechanical control systems such as solar array actuators, antenna gimbals, and high bandwidth active optics.
• Design, analysis, implementation of satellite attitude control and momentum management systems.
• Design, analysis, implementation of fluid and power system controls for the Starlink hall thrusters.
• Optimal state estimation as applied to mechanical alignment and attitude determination.
• Hardware performance specification and sizing, support for hardware iteration and firmware bringup, design qualification, automated production screening, and performance monitoring in the fleet.
• Development and maintenance of high fidelity simulations using C++, python, matlab, integration of those simulations into collaborative analysis tools.
• Implementation, validation, unit testing, and deployment of production software (C++) pertinent to the systems described above.
• Provide engineering and data review support for hardware development, network level performance monitoring.

Basic qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in aerospace, physics or an engineering discipline.
• Software development experience in C++.
• Experience with design and analysis of closed loop control systems.

Additional requirements

• Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed.

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.

• Master's degree or PhD in physics or an engineering discipline.
• Very strong expertise and demonstrated project or professional experience in linear closed loop controls analysis and design, including state space and frequency domain methods.
• Experience with flexible body dynamics and reduced finite element models thereof in the context of closed loop control systems analysis.
• Expertise in state estimation, kalman filters, information filters, etc.
• Strong expertise in embedded C++, ideally in the context of electromechanical control systems firmware.
• Strong understanding of classical rigid body dynamics, orbital mechanics, modeling and simulation thereof.
• Direct experience with spacecraft operations and flight software development, testing, and deployment.
• Capable of identifying and solving complex problems in a self-directed manner.
• Passion for advancing the commercial space industry.
• Ability to work in a fast paced, autonomously driven, and demanding start-up atmosphere.
• Excellent communication skills both written and verbal.

SpaceX was founded under the belief that a future where humanity is out exploring the stars is fundamentally more exciting than one where we are not. Today SpaceX is actively developing the technologies to make this possible, with the ultimate goal of enabling human life on Mars.