Work in Washington Veterans Jobs

Job Information

Space Exploration Technologies Corp. GNC Engineer, Starlink Collision Avoidance in Redmond, Washington

SpaceX was founded under the belief that a future where humanity is out exploring the stars is fundamentally more exciting than one where we are not. Today SpaceX is actively developing the technologies to make this possible, with the ultimate goal of enabling human life on Mars. GNC ENGINEER, STARLINK COLLISION AVOIDANCE SpaceX is looking for engineers with a hybrid background in both GNC (guidance, navigation, and control) and software development to join the Starlink Collision Avoidance team. Starlink operates the world's largest satellite constellation - nearly half of the world's active satellites. Unlike legacy satellite operations which rely heavily on hands-on, human-in-the-loop operations, Starlink is designed from the ground up with autonomy in mind - "algorithms, not operators". To ensure the safe operation of thousands of satellites, Starlink vehicles are equipped with advanced algorithms that enable them to remain aware of their surroundings and autonomously plan and execute collision avoidance maneuvers if they predict a high-risk close approach. This team is responsible for "full-stack" ownership of the automated collision avoidance pipeline, involving the development of satellite-side algorithms, ground-side supporting services, as well as infrastructure for monitoring the performance of the system on orbit. This team is also responsible for the design and implementation of algorithms for generating high-accuracy future state predictions of Starlink satellites, for informing collision avoidance actions. Team members are also expected to have strong analytical backgrounds, with the ability to analyze and interpret production data or simulations to support feature validation and inform future development. No other team at any company has as much influence on space safety. If you are really excited about joining our team, it is more important to be motivated and to be able to learn quickly than it is to check every box. If you're less experienced, we'll pair you up with an excellent mentor to help you make improvements as fast as possible. If you're more experienced, we'll look forward to you jumping right in and helping us improve space safety. RESPONSIBILITIES: Design and implement autonomous on-satellite collision avoidance algorithms using C++. Design and implement ground services necessary to facilitate fully automated maneuver scheduling decisions using C++ and Python. Design and implement tools and dashboards for monitoring the performance of the autonomous collision avoidance system. Design and implement orbit determination systems, including state/uncertainty propagation for accurate orbit prediction. Run Monte Carlo analysis to characterize the performance of new features. Bulk data analysis of telemetry from thousands of satellites and dozens of ground services to precisely characterize system performance and identify future improvements. Write integrated test cases for satellite and ground software. Write high-quality documentation for implemented software and tooling. Monitor on-orbit system performance, troubleshooting if necessary. Coordinate with third-party data providers and constellation operators. Incorporate into the on-call rotation and command satellites when manual intervention is necessary BASIC QUALIFICATIONS: Bachelor's degree in software, engineering, physics, or a related field. Software development experience in either C++ or Python. PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE: Master's degree in software, engineering, physics, or a related field. 2+ years of experience in a space mission design or related role. Strong understanding of some or all of the following areas: orbital mechanics, modeling and simulation, software development, statistics, and systems engineering. Familiarity with state estimation and Kalman filtering, ideally with exposure to orbit determina

DirectEmployers