GNC Engineer, Orbit Determination/Stargaze (Starlink)

The role

This person will maintain, update, and operate orbit determination tools and pipelines to support collision avoidance and space safety. They will develop image processing algorithms and operate surveillance systems to support the Starlink constellation.

What you will do

• Maintain, update, and operate orbit determination tools and pipelines
• Develop and refine image processing algorithms for object detection and data association
• Operate surveillance systems
• Collaborate with collision avoidance and mission operations teams
• Improve system performance by updating orbit determination, image processing, and prediction algorithms

Required qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering, physics, computer science, or other STEM discipline
• Experience in software development using Python or C++

Nice to have

• Advanced degree in aerospace engineering or a related field with a focus on orbit determination or space situational awareness
• Expertise in sequential estimation techniques, including Kalman filtering, residual editing, filter tuning, covariance analysis, consider parameters, adaptive processes, and covariance realism
• Strong background in orbital modeling and propagation, including high-fidelity orbit propagation, perturbations in low-Earth orbit, drag modeling, density models, and space weather parameters
• Hands-on experience with sensors, telescopes, astrometry, photometry, and image reduction for optical observations
• Proficiency in measurement and sensor handling, including measurement processing, measurement modeling, debiasing, sensor calibration, image processing, optical observations, and radar measurements
• Experience with orbit determination methods, such as angles-only orbit determination and initial orbit determination
• Proficiency in data analysis techniques, including statistical tests (e.g., chi-squared, Kolmogorov-Smirnov) and data correlation methods
• Familiarity with space traffic management and situational awareness, including conjunction data messages (CDMs) and two-line element (TLE) sets
• Proven ability to develop, test, and deploy algorithms for real-world space applications, with proficiency in version control systems like Git
• Ability to solve complex problems independently in a fast-paced, innovative environment

Benefits

• Company stock or long-term cash awards
• Potential discretionary bonuses
• Ability to purchase additional stock at a discount through an Employee Stock Purchase Plan
• Comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage
• 401(k) retirement plan
• Short and long-term disability insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid parental leave
• 3 weeks of paid vacation
• 10 or more paid holidays per year
• Paid sick time in compliance with state and federal law
• Company shuttles from select Seattle locations to the Redmond office

Before you apply

• Applicant must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the requ

About the company

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. The company is actively developing technologies to enable human life on Mars.