What You'll Do- Contribute directly to the design, development, analysis, integration, test, and operation of spacecraft Guidance, Navigation & Control systems.
- Own well-scoped GNC problems from definition through modeling, algorithm development, simulation, test, documentation, and closure with support from senior engineers.
- Work hands-on with simulation environments, flight and test data, hardware-in-the-loop or software-in-the-loop tools, sensor and actuator interfaces, and mission-analysis outputs.
- Participate in design reviews, test campaigns, anomaly investigations, and mission-readiness activities; communicate GNC performance, risks, assumptions, and decisions clearly.
- Collaborate across software, avionics, mechanical, propulsion, systems, and mission operations to understand interfaces and system-level impacts on GNC performance.
- Build engineering judgment by comparing analytical models and simulations against test or operational data, identifying discrepancies, and iterating toward reliable flight performance.
- Document models, algorithms, assumptions, requirements, interfaces, Monte Carlo results, test results, procedures, and technical decisions so others can review and reproduce the work.
- Take increasing ownership as technical capability grows, progressing from supervised analysis and implementation tasks toward independent feature-, algorithm-, or subsystem-level responsibility.
- Support spacecraft mission execution by helping translate mission objectives and constraints into credible GNC analyses, algorithms, test plans, and operational recommendations.
What We're Looking For Required - Bachelor's degree completed, or expected before start date, in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Applied Math, Physics, Robotics, or a closely related technical field.
- Strong academic or project-based grounding in rigid-body dynamics, controls, estimation, navigation, orbital mechanics, numerical methods, or related GNC fundamentals, with the ability to explain technical reasoning from first principles.
- Demonstrated hands-on GNC experience through internships, research, student spacecraft or robotics teams, capstone projects, personal projects, laboratories, or prior employment.
- Ability to break down ambiguous GNC problems, identify assumptions, build appropriate models, make reasonable tradeoffs, and validate work through simulation, test, or data.
- Clear written and verbal technical communication, including the ability to explain what was personally modeled, coded, analyzed, tuned, tested, or debugged versus what was completed by a team.
- Comfort learning new spacecraft dynamics, sensors, actuators, software tools, and mission concepts quickly in an environment where responsibilities may evolve with program needs.
- Ability to collaborate closely with software, avionics, propulsion, mechanical, systems, and mission-operations engineers and accept direct technical feedback without losing ownership of the problem.
- Ability to comply with applicable export-control requirements and customer-access restrictions.
Your Ideal Background Preferred - Internship, research, co-op, or project experience in spacecraft GNC, flight dynamics, robotics, autonomous systems, aerospace, defense technology, or another controls- or estimation-intensive environment.
- Experience taking a GNC model, algorithm, or controller from analysis into simulation or test and using the results to drive changes.
- Exposure to dynamics, feedback control, state estimation, navigation, orbital mechanics, trajectory analysis, simulation, Monte Carlo analysis, MATLAB/Simulink, Python, or C/C++.
- Additional Requirements: Must be willing to work hands-on in the office, lab, integration, or test environment as required and to support occasional extended hours during critical test or mission activities.
Compensation and Benefits: Your base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience. The anticipated salary range for this role is $80,000 - $105,000 annually.
Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at Katalyst. You will also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of the Employee Stock Option and Equity Plan, as well as a relocation bonus and other discretionary bonuses. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, and unlimited Paid Time Off.
