Spacecraft Guidance, Navigation, and Control Engineer

Position Title: Spacecraft Guidance, Navigation, and Control Engineer

Work Location: Albuquerque, NM

• Clearance Requirement: Active Top-Secret security clearance is required.

• Employment Type: Full-time

About Us: BlackVe, Inc. is a mission-first, dynamic, and innovative national security-focused company focused on emerging space and advanced technologies dedicated to pushing the boundaries of engineering excellence in support of our government customers.

Job Description:

BlackVe is seeking a Spacecraft Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) Engineer to support the design, analysis, integration, and testing of spacecraft GNC systems, including attitude determination and control, orbital maneuvering, and autonomous spacecraft operations. This individual will develop, model, simulate, and validate spacecraft GNC architectures, algorithms, sensors, actuators, and control systems to enable successful mission execution across a variety of spacecraft platforms and mission profiles.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on, technically strong aerospace or electrical engineer with experience developing, analyzing, integrating, and testing spacecraft GNC systems, including proficiency in MATLAB/Simulink and a solid understanding of spacecraft dynamics, control theory, sensors, and actuators. We welcome candidates ranging from early-career engineers with 3+ years of experience to highly experienced technical experts with 30+ years of experience, with particular interest in individuals who have supported spacecraft rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO).

This is a fully on-site position based in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Key Responsibilities and Essential Job Functions:

• Design, develop, analyze, integrate, and test spacecraft GNC systems throughout the spacecraft development lifecycle.

• Develop spacecraft attitude determination and control system (ADCS) architectures, algorithms, and performance requirements.

• Model, simulate, and analyze spacecraft attitude dynamics, orbital dynamics, and control system performance using MATLAB, Simulink, and other engineering tools.

• Design and analyze spacecraft control systems incorporating actuators such as reaction wheels, control moment gyros (CMGs), magnetic torque rods, and propulsion systems.

• Evaluate, select, characterize, and integrate GNC sensors, including inertial measurement units (IMUs), star trackers, sun sensors, and other navigation sensors.

• Develop and validate guidance, navigation, state estimation, and control algorithms for spacecraft attitude control, orbit maintenance, maneuvering, and mission operations.

• Perform GNC trade studies, stability analyses, control system tuning, pointing accuracy assessments, and performance simulations.

• Support spacecraft GNC hardware and software integration, including hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) and software-in-the-loop (SIL) testing.

• Develop GNC requirements, interface definitions, verification plans, test procedures, and technical documentation.

• Support spacecraft assembly, integration, and test (AI&T), including sensor and actuator calibration, functional testing, and system-level performance verification.

• Collaborate closely with spacecraft systems, flight software, electrical, mechanical, propulsion, manufacturing, and mission operations teams.

• Support on-orbit commissioning, calibration, anomaly resolution, and operational performance assessments.

• Contribute to advanced mission capabilities, including autonomous guidance, rendezvous and proximity operations, and precision spacecraft maneuvering.

• Support other engineering teams, program management, technician teams to identify and resolve system technical risks, issues, and anomalies.

• Develop and maintain detailed engineering documentation, including block diagrams, wiring schematics, interface control documents (ICDs), test reports, and design reviews.

• Support engineering decisions with sound analytical evidence anchored in first principles.

• Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and self-learning.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or an equivalent engineering discipline from an accredited institution.

• At least 3 years of relevant engineering experience in spacecraft GNC, flight controls, dynamics, or closely related fields.

• Strong understanding of spacecraft attitude dynamics, orbital mechanics, control theory, and GNC system fundamentals.

• Proficiency in MATLAB and Simulink for dynamic system modeling, simulation, analysis, and control system development.

• Experience with the design, analysis, integration, or testing of spacecraft GNC subsystems, algorithms, sensors, or actuators.

• Working knowledge of spacecraft attitude control actuators, including reaction wheels, control moment gyros, magnetic torque rods, or propulsion-based control systems.

• Working knowledge of spacecraft GNC sensors, including IMUs, star trackers, sun sensors, or other attitude determination and navigation instruments.

• Familiarity with classical and modern control techniques, including feedback control, stability analysis, and state estimation.

• Ability to perform engineering analyses, evaluate technical tradeoffs, and translate mission requirements into GNC system designs.

• Strong analytical, problem-solving, communication, and technical documentation skills.

• Active Top Secret security clearance

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree or higher in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, or a related technical discipline.

• Experience designing or analyzing GNC systems for spacecraft rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO), including relative navigation, autonomous maneuvering, and close-proximity control.

• Experience with spacecraft docking, formation flying, autonomous inspection, or on-orbit servicing missions.

• Experience developing, implementing, and validating flight-ready GNC algorithms and software.

• Experience with advanced state estimation techniques, including Kalman filtering, extended Kalman filtering, and sensor fusion.

• Experience with advanced control techniques, including optimal control, robust control, model predictive control, or nonlinear control.

• Experience performing high-fidelity spacecraft simulations, Monte Carlo analyses, and GNC performance verification.

• Experience with spacecraft GNC hardware selection, procurement, integration, calibration, and qualification testing.

• Experience with hardware-in-the-loop testing, real-time simulation environments, and spacecraft flight software integration.

• Proficiency in Python, C/C++, STK, GMAT, or other spacecraft analysis and software development tools.

• Experience supporting spacecraft environmental testing, launch preparation, on-orbit commissioning, or mission operations.

• Experience developing GNC systems for small satellites, high-performance spacecraft, or national security space missions.

• Familiarity with spacecraft fault detection, isolation, and recovery (FDIR), actuator management, and fault-tolerant control architectures.

• Experience supporting government, commercial, or defense spacecraft development programs.

• Demonstrated ability to independently lead GNC technical efforts, mentor junior engineers, or serve as a subsystem technical lead.

Work Environment:

• Work is performed primarily in office, laboratory, clean-room, and manufacturing environments.

• The position may require occasional travel to customers, supplier, or testing locations.

• Some activities may require working outside normal business hours to support critical integration or test events.

• The employee must be able to work safely around spacecraft hardware, laboratory equipment, and manufacturing operations.

Location and Travel Requirements:

• This position is based in Albuquerque, NM, with occasional travel to other company locations or partner facilities as needed.  

Why Join Us:

• Opportunity to work at the forefront of technology and innovation to meet the most pressing needs of our national security customers.

• Small, dynamic, high performing team in a collaborative, inclusive work environment with opportunities for professional growth and development

• Competitive salary and benefits package including flexible time off; medical, dental, vision, and life insurance; 401k with non-elective company matching, stock options

ITAR / EAR Requirements:

This position may include access to technology and/or data that is subject to U.S. export controls pursuant to ITAR and EAR.  To comply with federal export controls, all persons hired must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, U.S. lawful permanent resident, refugee or asylee as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(A)(3), or must otherwise be eligible to obtain the required authorization from the U.S. Department of State and/or U.S. Department of Commerce as applicable.

How to Apply:

Please submit your resume and brief cover letter outlining your qualifications and interest on the form below. If there are any issues with applying or inquiries, please email to hiring@blackve.us.

‍