Navigation, Guidance & Control - RPO Engineer V

Responsibilities

Overview

OSS is seeking a Principal Navigation, Guidance & Control (NG&C) Engineer to own the relative-navigation, guidance, and control algorithm architecture for a complex autonomous rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO) mission involving a cooperative, docking-ready target. This is a senior technical leadership role you will set the technical direction for how our spacecraft safely approaches, holds relative to, and docks with its target, define the supporting verification and validation strategy, and serve as the GN&C technical authority in design reviews.

You will work primarily in Python and C++ (experience with or willingness to learn Julia is a plus) and should be fluent in orbit and attitude dynamics, relative orbital mechanics, and estimation and control theory. Because OSS is a smaller, fast-moving company, the role also offers the opportunity to contribute across mission planning, high-fidelity orbit propagation, ADCS and propulsion subsystem work, and new business pursuits - but the core of this position is leading RPO algorithm development.

Key Responsibilities

Rendezvous & Proximity Operations (RPO) Algorithm Leadership:

• Own and evolve the relative-navigation, guidance, and control algorithm architecture for autonomous rendezvous, proximity operations, and docking with a cooperative target, integrated into OSS's in-house GN&C software framework.
• Design and implement relative-navigation filters (EKF/UKF), sensor fusion, and relative orbit determination using the RPO sensor suite - vision-based pose estimation, LIDAR, and/or relative GNSS - for a cooperative, fiducial-equipped target.
• Develop rendezvous and proximity-operations guidance: V-bar/R-bar and glideslope approaches, station-keeping, controlled fly-around and inspection, and safe-hold points.
• Design the safety-critical trajectory logic: approach corridors, keep-out spheres/ellipsoids, passive-abort trajectories, and autonomous collision-avoidance maneuvers.
• Develop 6-DOF relative guidance and control through final approach, docking, and capture, including control allocation across the thruster and actuator set.
• Model relative orbital dynamics (Clohessy-Wiltshire/Hill, and eccentric formulations such as Tschauner-Hempel as needed) to anchor algorithm design and analysis.
• Define and lead the GN&C V&V strategy: 6-DOF closed-loop simulation, Monte Carlo dispersion analysis, and processor- and hardware-in-the-loop (PIL/HIL) testing.
• Support proximity-operations validation on dynamic testbeds (e.g., air-bearing or robotic relative-motion facilities) where applicable.
• Perform supporting orbit, attitude, power, and overpass analyses using OSS's in-house NG&C framework.

Technical Leadership

• Derive and own GN&C requirements, including relative-navigation performance, approach safety, and abort criteria.
• Set software design standards - modular, efficient, testable, well-documented - and author robust unit and integration tests.
• Mentor engineers and lead GN&C content in system and design reviews.
• Interface algorithm designs with the flight software / embedded environment, including autocoding workflows where used.

Contributing Areas

• Support ADCS subsystem trades, sizing, and hardware/software test of COTS ADCS components, sensors, and actuators.
• Support propulsion subsystem trades, selection, and test.
• Contribute to mission planning, high-fidelity orbit propagation, and satellite data analysis.
• Support business development through proposals, conceptual mission design, and requirements development.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher in a relevant engineering or computational field, plus 10-12 years (BS), 8-10 years (MS), or 5-7 years (PhD) of professional experience developing software for high-reliability space and aerospace applications.
• Strong working knowledge of orbit and attitude dynamics, relative orbital mechanics, and the space environment, including common perturbation modeling.
• Demonstrated depth in estimation and/or control theory (e.g., Kalman filtering, optimal control) applied to spacecraft GN&C.
• Hands-on algorithm development experience in C++ and Python (or similar).
• Proficiency with modern software development practices and version control (Git preferred).
• Excellent technical writing, communication and presentation skills.
• Must be a U.S. person as defined under ITAR/EAR, and ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience developing GN&C algorithms for rendezvous, proximity operations, formation-flying, or on-orbit servicing mission.
• Flight or on-orbit GN&C experience.
• Vision-based / LIDAR-based relative navigation and pose estimation.
• Experience with MATLAB/Simulink and model-based design and autocoding techniques.
• Advanced control methods (e.g., MPC, optimal/robust control).
• Embedded / real-time flight software experience, including Linux and embedded Linux variants.

Equal Pay Act

This is the projected compensation range for this position. There are differentiating factors that can impact a final salary/hourly rate, including, but not limited to, Contract Wage Determination, relevant work experience, skills and competencies that align to the specified role, geographic location (For Remote Opportunities), education and certifications as well as Federal Government Contract Labor categories. In addition, Arcfield invests in its employees beyond just compensation. Arcfield 's benefits offerings include, dependent upon position, Health Insurance, Life Insurance, Paid Time Off, Holiday Pay, Short Term and Long-Term Disability, Retirement and Savings, Learning and Development opportunities, wellness programs as well as other optional benefit elections.Min: $131,755.50Max: $229,097.25
EEO Statement

We are an equal opportunity employer and federal government contractor. We do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment as protected by law.