Lead Navigations Engineer

Job Description

Job Description

Job Title: Lead Navigations Engineer

Job Description

As a Lead Navigations Engineer, you design, prototype, and analyze cutting-edge navigation and localization algorithms for extraplanetary mobility systems, enabling a lunar rover to operate safely and reliably in extreme environments. You work end-to-end across simulation, flight software, hardware integration, and live operations, creating navigation capabilities that do not yet exist and making mission-critical design decisions that directly impact a manned rover system for the NASA Artemis crew.

Responsibilities

• Design, prototype, and analyze navigation and localization algorithms for extraplanetary mobility systems using simulated and real data from motor resolvers, IMUs, star trackers, cameras, and lidars.
• Support the development of guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) simulations, sensor models, and analysis tooling for verification and validation of rover localization algorithms.
• Analyze localization algorithm performance under real-world conditions, including faulty sensors, invalid data, data dropouts, variable data latencies, and poor lighting environments.
• Perform Monte Carlo analyses to demonstrate localization algorithm performance to a high degree of statistical significance under both nominal and off-nominal conditions.
• Support navigation and localization flight software implementation, testing, and verification, ensuring real-time performance on rover hardware.
• Stand up automated pipelines, test scenarios, pass/fail criteria, and test reports for verification and validation of localization flight software.
• Support field testing of localization solutions on multiple test platforms and iterate on algorithms based on test results.
• Work in tandem with the flight software team to develop and integrate real-time navigation algorithms onto hardware and testbeds.
• Support live rover operations and troubleshoot localization issues that arise during lunar operations and other mission phases.
• Contribute to end-to-end architecture, infrastructure design, and hardware integration for navigation systems operating across different terrains, environments, heat, and gravity conditions.
• Design navigation codes from scratch, ensuring robust data interfaces, performance characteristics, and integration with contact dynamics and terrain models.

Essential Skills

• At least 7 years of experience designing, developing, and testing real-world navigation or localization systems for rovers or GPS-denied navigation systems for terrestrial wheeled vehicles.
• Significant experience with odometry based on multiple sensors such as IMUs, wheel resolvers, lidars, and cameras.
• Significant experience designing, tuning, developing, analyzing, and verifying Kalman filters, particle filters, or similar estimation techniques for wheeled vehicle navigation and localization.
• Strong familiarity with equations of motion for wheeled vehicles operating on challenging terrain.
• Hands-on experience with practical application of visual odometry algorithms.
• Significant experience addressing real-world issues that affect navigation and localization performance, including invalid data, dropped packets, data latencies, blurry images, and similar challenges.
• Experience supporting a navigation or localization system through its entire lifecycle, from early design and prototyping through live vehicle operations.
• Strong C++ coding skills for performance-critical navigation and localization software.
• Strong Python coding skills for simulation, tooling, analysis, and test automation.
• Experience developing tool suites needed for verification and validation of navigation and localization algorithms and flight software.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience with end-to-end architecture and infrastructure design for navigation systems, including integration with flight software and hardware.
• Experience in hardware integration and real-time navigation algorithms for hardware-based systems and testbeds.
• Experience with contact dynamics and terrain modeling for wheeled vehicles operating in varied environments.
• Ability to design navigation codes from scratch, including performance optimization and robust data interface design.
• Experience working closely with flight software teams in a collaborative environment.
• Comfort operating in a fast-paced, start-up environment with high autonomy and minimal hand holding.
• Strong analytical mindset and ability to demonstrate algorithm performance with rigorous statistical methods such as Monte Carlo analysis.

Work Environment

The role operates in a fast-paced, start-up environment that values autonomy, initiative, and hands-on problem solving. You work closely with a highly motivated team and strong technical leadership to develop mission-critical navigation systems for a manned lunar rover. The culture emphasizes a scrappy, innovative approach, where you build new algorithms and tools from the ground up and see them integrated into real hardware and testbeds. You can expect a dynamic setting focused on cutting-edge technology, rapid iteration, and direct impact on a rover that is planned to operate on the lunar surface.

This is a Permanent position based out of Hawthorne, CA.

The pay range for this position is $140000.00 - $210000.00/yr.

Join a team of best-in-class engineers building the foundation of planetary surface exploration Equity ownership in the company Comprehensive health benefits, including medical, dental, vision, and mental health support 401(k) plan with company match Flexible PTO and parental leave Home office set up reimbursement Weekly lunch stipend, plus complimentary snacks and beverages on-site Once a month social hour on-site with food and drinks

This is a fully onsite position in Hawthorne,CA.

This position is anticipated to close on Jul 15, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email View email address on ziprecruiter.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.