Director of Guidance, Navigation & Control (GN&C)

Job Details:

Director of Guidance, Navigation & Control (GN&C) - Own Autonomy in Contested Space

Carson, CA | On-Site

Lead the brains and reflexes of autonomous spacecraft

You’ll own the GN&C architecture that keeps high-performance spacecraft stable, precise, and effective in the most demanding orbital missions on the planet.

This isn’t a paper-director role. You’ll set the technical direction for GN&C across an entire autonomous spacecraft portfolio, then drive it from concept through on-orbit performance.

Rendezvous. Proximity operations. Formation flying. Precision maneuvering in contested orbits where failure is not an option.

If you’ve taken flight-critical GN&C all the way from first principles to on-orbit operations, we want to talk to you.

What You'll Work On

You’ll define and drive the control, estimation, and autonomy backbone for mission-critical spacecraft:

• End-to-end GN&C architecture for multiple spacecraft programs
• Autonomous rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO)
• Formation flying and precision maneuvering in dynamic environments
• ADCS and high-reliability attitude control
• Orbit determination and state estimation under uncertainty
• GN&C integration with flight software and avionics
• High-fidelity simulation, Monte Carlo, and performance validation
• Hardware-in-the-loop and flight test campaigns

You’ll work hands-on with tools and languages like MATLAB/Simulink, Python, and C/C++ to turn algorithms into flight software.

Your challenge: engineer resilient autonomy that performs in contested space, not just in simulation.

What You'll Be Doing

• Owning the GN&C architecture across all spacecraft programs for performance and robustness
• Defining and driving the technical strategy and roadmap for autonomy-enabled control systems
• Designing, implementing, and validating GN&C algorithms for RPO, formation flying, and precision maneuvers
• Overseeing development of ADCS, orbit determination, and state estimation systems with flight-level reliability
• Establishing engineering standards, modeling practices, and verification methodologies for GN&C
• Driving tight integration of GN&C with flight software, autonomy, avionics, and mission systems
• Owning simulation and Monte Carlo analysis under uncertainty and off-nominal conditions
• Leading HIL and flight test campaigns to ensure operational readiness
• Recruiting, mentoring, and developing a high-caliber GN&C engineering team
• Acting as the technical authority for GN&C in executive decisions, customer engagements, and program reviews

What We're Looking For

• B.S., M.S., or Ph.D. in Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical Engineering, or related field
• 10+ years of GN&C experience on spacecraft, launch vehicles, or advanced autonomous systems
• Proven ownership of flight-critical GN&C systems from concept through on-orbit operations
• Deep expertise in control systems, nonlinear dynamics, and state estimation (e.g., Kalman filtering)
• Strong background in orbital mechanics, relative motion, and RPO or formation flying missions
• Track record leading technical teams and delivering complex systems under tight constraints
• Proficiency in MATLAB/Simulink, Python, and C/C++
• Experience integrating GN&C algorithms into embedded flight software and HIL environments
• Systems engineering mindset with ability to operate across disciplines

The Experience That Will Really Get Our Attention

You’ve architected GN&C for real spacecraft, led the algorithm work yourself, and seen your decisions validated (and challenged) on orbit. You’re as comfortable debating nonlinear control design as you are reviewing embedded implementation details and HIL test plans.

You thrive in small, accountable teams, where leaders roll up their sleeves, own the performance envelope, and move fast without sacrificing rigor.

MATLAB/Simulink • Python • C/C++ • GN&C • ADCS • RPO • Formation flying • Orbit determination • State estimation • Kalman filtering • Nonlinear control • Hardware-in-the-loop • Embedded flight software

Why This Opportunity?

You’ll be the GN&C authority for a small, high-impact group building the next generation of autonomous orbital control systems for national security missions.

Your decisions will directly shape how resilient, mission-critical spacecraft think, move, and survive in contested space.

This is a chance to own outcomes from first principles through flight and to build the GN&C team and standards you’ve always wanted to work within.

Important Requirements

On-site role in Carson, CA (no remote or hybrid)

U.S. Citizenship required

Ability to obtain or hold an active TS/SCI clearance

Interested?

If you’re ready to own GN&C for autonomous spacecraft in contested orbits, let’s talk.

Please send your resume to View email address on us.fitly.work

Chuck LaBenski
View phone number on us.fitly.work

Keywords

Director of GN&C, Director Guidance Navigation and Control, Head of GN&C, GN&C Lead, GNC Director, Guidance Navigation and Control, attitude determination and control, ADCS, orbit determination, state estimation, Kalman filter, Kalman filtering, nonlinear control, orbital mechanics, relative motion, RPO, rendezvous and proximity operations, formation flying, spacecraft autonomy, flight software, embedded flight software, hardware in the loop, HIL, MATLAB, Simulink, MATLAB/Simulink, Python, C, C++, spacecraft control systems, aerospace engineering, GN&C architecture, Monte Carlo simulation, national security space

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