Moonshot Aerospace is seeking a GN&C Controls Engineer to provide navigation and communications services for lunar missions. This role owns GN&C system performance from early architecture and design through flight operations and provides technical leadership to the GN&C team supporting the mission.
This position requires significant depth in spacecraft GN&C design, analysis, and implementation, with the ability to lead development efforts across a complex, multidisciplinary mission. The engineer will drive GN&C architecture and requirements, guidance and navigation algorithm development, control law design and tuning, and verification closure, while coordinating closely with avionics, propulsion, structures, software, and systems engineering teams.
Responsibilities- Design spacecraft GN&C system architecture, requirements definition, and design, including attitude control, vehicle stabilization, and pointing
- Develop and oversee GN&C algorithms, perform stability and performance analysis (gain/phase margins, Bode, Nyquist, root locus), and support sensor selection
- Build and maintain 6DOF simulation development and Monte Carlo performance assessments for control system design verification across all mission phases
- Support multi-body dynamics modeling for docking, descent, and landing operations in lunar mission scenarios
- Perform control system verification closure, performance, and margins for compliance with requirements and flight/operational readiness
- Develop and analyze propulsion system control interfaces, including delta-velocity command and thrust vector control, and support actuator sizing
- Support flight software integration and testing of control algorithms, including hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) and software-in-the-loop (SIL) test activities
- Contribute to technical documentation, design reviews, and customer deliverables, including design descriptions, analysis reports, and verification plans
- Collaborate with prime contractor, and subcontractor engineering teams
Required Qualifications - U.S. Citizenship and ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance
- B.S. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field
- 5+ years of professional experience in spacecraft or aerospace vehicle control system design and analysis
- Demonstrated experience with multivariable control system design techniques
- Proficiency in MATLAB/Simulink for control system analysis and simulation
- Experience with 6DOF simulation development and execution
- Understanding of spacecraft dynamics, rigid body mechanics, and actuator systems
- Preferred location in the Houston, TX or Huntsville, AL area; remote work may be considered
- Effective written and verbal communication skills
Preferred Qualifications - M.S. or Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Controls, or related field
- Experience supporting NASA lunar or human spaceflight programs (HLS, Orion, SLS, ISS)
- Experience with navigation filtering and sensor fusion for deep-space or cislunar missions
- Descent and landing control system design
- Flight software development or integration experience (C/C++)
- Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) and software-in-the-loop (SIL) test campaign experience
- Active security clearance (Secret or above)
- Launch vehicle or satellite control system experience
- Technical publication or conference presentation history
