Principal GNC (Guidance, Navigation, and Controls) Engineer

Blue Canyon Technologies, RTX's small satellite manufacturer and mission services provider, is solving some of the toughest challenges in space. Our components and bus platforms have completed missions ranging from very-low Earth orbits to lunar and interplanetary journeys at a fraction of the cost of traditional space systems. We support premier defense, commercial and civil organizations including the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, NASA, MIT Lincoln Lab, the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, University of Colorado and more. Join our innovative and dynamic company as we build, test and operate the small spacecraft of the future.

Position Purpose: The Principal GNC Engineer has full GNC subsystem responsibility for multiple space missions, including all program phases from new business development through on-orbit operations. The Principal GNC Engineer will lead development of new and improved capabilities, features, and infrastructure of the GNC subsystem, occasionally leading a team of engineers.

Title: Principal GNC (Guidance, Navigation, and Controls) Engineer

Position Type: Full Time

Pay Range: $108,000 - $220,000

(Salary to be determined by the education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities of the applicant, internal equity, and alignment with market data.)

Location: Lafayette, CO

Benefits:

• 100% company paid health, dental and vision benefits for you and your dependents effective the first of the month following hire date
• Life insurance
• 401k (matching 4% with a minimum 5% contribution)
• Generous PTO (3 weeks of vacation + 3 floating holidays, 2 weeks of sick time, 7 paid holidays throughout the year) and parental leave

Job Responsibilities:

• Design, analyze, test, and deploy GN&C subsystems for small spacecraft ranging from CubeSat (10 cm square) to ESPA-class (24 x 28 x 38 inches), deployed in LEO, GEO, lunar, deep space, and other orbits.
• Develop new GN&C technologies to support customer needs and BCT strategic goals.
• Lead a team of engineers on a specific GN&C product line, R&D efforts, ADCS improvements, or new GN&C capabilities to execute on-time delivery and product improvements.
• Help improve and/or implement GN&C system architectures for various product lines and spacecraft sizes.
• Lead continued evolution of GN&C processes, tools/infrastructure, and best practices.
• Lead certain GN&C hardware selection and performance details.
• Participate in all mission phases including new business development, design reviews, software and hardware-level test, on-orbit commissioning and operations.
• Provide guidance and mentoring to younger engineers.
• May include personnel management responsibilities.
• Other responsibilities as assigned.

 

Required Qualifications/Education:

• BS degree or higher in Engineering or a related technical field is required, plus 12 or more years related experience.
• Knowledge of systems integration and testing experience with MATLAB/Simulink.
• Ability to rapidly work with minimal supervision on projects involving both small and large engineering teams.
• Experience with developing and running 6-DOF simulation environments.
  
• Must be able to work in a highly collaborative, fast-paced environment with emphasis on rapid prototyping and fielding of capabilities.
• Experience with configuration management and issue tracking tools.
• Capability to independently develop new GN&C technology.
• Comprehensive knowledge of spacecraft GN&C, ranging from orbital mechanics, spacecraft sensors and actuators, and attitude dynamics and controls.
• Knowledge of spacecraft GN&C testing best practices.
• Experience with C and Ruby languages.
• Experience with Model Based Design and auto-coding.
• Key industry-level expertise in autonomous vehicles GN&C.
• Experience with simulator/hardware test development and execution, as well as mission operations is a plus.
• Previous experience with orbital vehicles, especially small satellite GN&C.
• Related technical experience may be considered in lieu of education.

Working Conditions:

This job operates in a professional office environment, but in a manufacturing company. This role uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, scanners, filing cabinets and fax machines.  BCT anticipates the application window closing approximately 40 days from the date the notice was posted. However, factors such as candidate flow and business necessity may require BCT to shorten or extend the application window.

Physical Demands and Work Environment:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit for long periods of time.  The employee is occasionally required to stand, bend, reach, and walk. The position requires some light physical effort. This would require the ability to lift or move objects up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift or move objects up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities are required by this job which includes close vision, distance vision, color vision, and ability to adjust focus.

Blue Canyon Technologies is a drug-free workplace and an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, or any other protected factor. Colorado Residents:  In any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation.  You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.  Blue Canyon Technologies is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. To request a reasonable accommodation, contact Melissa Po at HR@bluecanyontech.com.