GNC Engineer at True Anomaly

Denver, Colorado, United States

True Anomaly Logo
Not SpecifiedCompensation
Mid-level (3 to 4 years), Senior (5 to 8 years)Experience Level
Full TimeJob Type
UnknownVisa
Aerospace, Space, DefenseIndustries

Requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, physics, or related field
  • 0 - 6 years of relevant GNC Engineering experience in the aerospace and defense industry
  • Coursework or project experience in spacecraft attitude dynamics, orbital mechanics, and control systems
  • Strong understanding of physics, attitude dynamics, orbital mechanics, and software development principles
  • Internship or project experience in GNC, control systems, or simulation development
  • Experience with C++ and/or Python for algorithm development, numerical methods, or simulation
  • Familiarity with spacecraft GNC concepts, such as sensors, actuators, state estimation, and control laws
  • Exposure to filtering or estimation methods (e.g., Kalman filters) through internships, coursework, or projects
  • Ability to build, test, and debug software and simulation tools
  • Strong analytical skills and ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary engineering environment
  • Demonstrated ability to take ownership of tasks and learn new concepts quickly
  • Preferred Skills and Experience
  • Master’s degree in aerospace engineering or equivalent discipline
  • 4+ years experience developing and/or producing GNC systems for space applications
  • Experience with closed-loop control, orbital maneuvering, filtering, state estimation, fault management, and software development
  • Experience developing simulation environments for spaceflight physics

Responsibilities

  • Own all aspects of Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) system development, including architecture definition, algorithm design, verification, hardware integration, and on-orbit operations
  • Design, test, and validate GNC flight software and embedded algorithms for spacecraft operating in LEO, GEO, and other orbit regimes
  • Develop and maintain spacecraft Attitude and Orbit Determination & Estimation (AOD/AOE) algorithms, including sensor fusion and filtering frameworks (e.g., EKF, UKF, batch least-squares)
  • Conduct trade studies and provide design recommendations for GNC hardware such as reaction wheels, torque rods, thrusters, star trackers, sun sensors, IMUs, and RF/optical navigation sensors
  • Develop GNC algorithms and implement them in flight software; verify performance and robustness through high-fidelity simulation, Monte Carlo analysis, and hardware-in-the-loop testing
  • Design, implement, and improve high-fidelity 6-DOF simulation environments for SIL, HIL, and advanced mission analysis
  • Utilize and enhance frequency-domain and time-domain control analysis tools to ensure stability margins, disturbance rejection, and performance in off-nominal conditions
  • Define system- and subsystem-level GNC requirements, interfaces, and verification plans in collaboration with systems engineering
  • Work cross-functionally with avionics, propulsion, software, mission operations, and systems teams to ensure seamless integration of GNC functionality
  • Support on-orbit commissioning, system calibration, maneuver planning, and anomaly resolution throughout mission operations

Skills

Key technologies and capabilities for this role

GNCGuidance Navigation ControlEKFUKFbatch least-squaresAttitude DeterminationOrbit Determinationsensor fusion6-DOF simulationMonte Carlo analysishardware-in-the-loopreaction wheelsstar trackersIMUsflight software

Questions & Answers

Common questions about this position

What experience level is required for the GNC Engineer role?

The role requires 0 - 6 years of relevant GNC Engineering experience in the aerospace and defense industry, along with a Bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, physics, or related field.

What key skills are needed for this GNC Engineer position?

Candidates need a strong understanding of physics, attitude dynamics, orbital mechanics, and software development principles, plus coursework or project experience in spacecraft attitude dynamics, orbital mechanics, and control systems.

What are True Anomaly's company values?

The company's values are: Be the offset (create asymmetric advantages with creativity and ingenuity), What would it take? (challenge assumptions to deliver ambitious results), and It’s the people (team is the competitive advantage and better together).

Is prior professional experience required for this role?

No prior professional experience is strictly required, as the position accepts 0 - 6 years, with internship or project experience in GNC or control systems being valuable.

What is the salary or compensation for the GNC Engineer position?

This information is not specified in the job description.

True Anomaly

Integrates AI and software into spacecraft

About True Anomaly

True Anomaly specializes in advanced technology that integrates spacecraft, software, and AI to enhance space capabilities for the U.S., its allies, and commercial partners, with a focus on global security and sustainable space access.

Denver, ColoradoHeadquarters
2022Year Founded
$137.8MTotal Funding
SERIES_BCompany Stage
Aerospace, DefenseIndustries
51-200Employees

Benefits

Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
401(k) Retirement Plan
401(k) Company Match
Paid Vacation
Paid Holidays
Parental Leave
Hybrid Work Options

Risks

Competition from established aerospace companies threatens True Anomaly's market share.
Rapid technological advancements require costly R&D investments to stay competitive.
Recent layoffs may affect employee morale and hinder future growth and innovation.

Differentiation

True Anomaly focuses on space security at the intersection of spacecraft, software, and autonomy.
The Jackal AOV and Mosaic platform showcase advanced autonomous space vehicle capabilities.
True Anomaly's high delta-V propulsion system enhances multi-orbit operational readiness.

Upsides

Increased demand for autonomous space vehicles aligns with True Anomaly's Mosaic platform.
U.S. Space Force's focus on tactically responsive missions benefits True Anomaly's Jackal vehicle.
Public-private partnerships in space defense offer more contract opportunities for True Anomaly.

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