GNC Engineer – Guidance Specialist
Summary
You will be part of a team of driven and enthusiastic professionals working to revolutionize access to space. Vaya Space is a purpose driven, sustainability focused, and environmentally conscious enterprise dedicated to making a difference for humankind. Vaya’s unique vortex-hybrid rocket is projected to disrupt the market, fueled by recycled thermoplastics, it utilizes the equivalent of 2 million discarded plastic bottles per launch. Our breakthrough and patented technologies overcome the safety, affordability, and sustainability issues to transform the space industry, making the world and space a better place.
To be successful, it is vital that you are comfortable working in a fast-paced and often uncertain environment, collaborating to develop innovative solutions in all areas, while demonstrating personal leadership, technical competence, and attention to detail. A willingness to branch outside your comfort zone is essential… we’re a small fast paced company and everyone pitches in when needed.
Travel Required
Up to 10%
Required Security Clearance
None (ITAR Eligible)
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Derive, design, implement, and validate endo/exo-atmospheric guidance algorithms
- Test and flight-certify the Dauntless guidance computer
- Collaborate with your GNC teammates to deliver the entire Dauntless GNC system
Qualifications
- B.S. Degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, or Electrical Engineering with 5+ years of professional GNC experience
- Solid foundation in numerical linear algebra
- Solid foundation in non-linear, gradient-based, constrained optimization
- Solid foundation in flight and orbital mechanics
- Experience with the derivation and implementation of launch vehicle guidance algorithms
- Experience with using MATLAB & Simulink to model and evaluate guidance performance
- Willingness to work flexible hours as necessary
- US Person as defined in 22 CFR Part 120.15 (U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, refugees and those given asylum in the United States, and temporary residents granted amnesty) since work includes ITAR controlled technical data.
Preferred Skills and Education
- M.S. or Ph. D in Aerospace, Mechanical, or Electrical Engineering with 3+ years of professional GNC experience
- Comfortable leading trade studies to select endo/exo-atmospheric guidance algorithms
- Familiar with six degree-of-freedom (6-DOF) Monte Carlo simulations for trajectory analyses
- Proficient with real-time operating systems and hardware-in-the-loop testing
- Competent with using Python for data analysis and task automation
